Principal Investigator / Assistant Professor
Originally from Zhejiang, China, Dr. Sun earned his bachelor's degree from China Pharmaceutical University. In 2020, he received his Doctor of Sciences at ETH Zurich with Christian Wolfrum, where he pioneered single-nucleus genomics tools for adipose tissue. His work revealed the first temperature-gated epigenetic circuit in mammals (Nature Medicine 2018), mapped the cellular landscape of adipose tissue (Nature 2020), uncovered a thermogenesis-regulating cell population (PNAS 2021) and identified cells regulating adipogenesis (Nature Metabolism 2022). As a joint postdoctoral fellow with Stephen Quake and Thomas Südhof at Stanford University, Dr. Sun dissected the cellular and molecular basis of memory engram, identifying novel astrocyte-neuron interactions during memory consolidation (Nature 2024a) and delineating neural circuits underlying social transmitted food memory (Nature 2024b).
Dr. Sun started his own lab at Stanford Endocrinology in September 2025 to explore how neural circuits regulate metabolic homeostasis and memory. Dr. Sun’s honors include the Pfizer Research Prize (2022), the Science & SciLifeLab Prize (2021), the ETH Medal (2020).
Outside the lab, Wenfei enjoys hiking, observing wildlife, and exploring of new cultures and cuisines.
Angel Xie
Research Associate
Angel is interested in using circuit mapping and molecular profiling to uncover how neurons are selected and integrated into functional circuits, how those circuits support memory and energy regulation, and how these mechanisms may be disrupted in disease. Before joining the Sun Lab, she received her bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Barnard College of Columbia University. Previously, she studied how the hippocampus forms reward-linked, experience-dependent spatial maps to guide behavior and support goal-directed navigation, under the mentorship of Prof. Attila Losonczy. Outside the lab, Angel is an art enthusiast currently exploring her fascination with intaglio printmaking. She enjoys traveling, visiting art galleries and museums, and finding peace in nature.
Qiyi Yu
Research Associate
Qiyi develops computational frameworks that integrate single-cell and spatial multi-omics to address fundamental questions at the interface of neuroscience and metabolism. His work leverages bioinformatics, predictive modeling, and network inference to uncover how memory circuits are recruited and remodelled, and how neuro-adipose communication contributes to energy balance. With a Master's degree in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics from Carnegie Mellon University, he is committed to advancing cross-disciplinary approaches that bridge computation and biology. Beyond research, Qiyi enjoys reading, long-distance running, and discovering new places through travel.
Emma Follman
Ph.D. Candidate
Emma is a Ph.D. candidate in the Neurosciences Program. Originally from Pennsylvania, she studied neuroscience at Vanderbilt University, where she worked in Prof. Erin Calipari’s lab investigating habitual behavior in mice. Her research interests center on long-term memory and memory consolidation, with a particular fascination for the molecular mechanisms the brain uses to encode, store, and retrieve information over weeks, months, and years. Beyond the lab, Emma enjoys music, spending time with friends, learning new languages, meditating, and engaging with the Bay Area community.
