Image of various medical supplies on blue background
Science Philosophy

Relevant Models Reflect Real-world Needs

Jie Sun shares how his curiosity, creativity, and motivation to address clinical public health needs steer his research in immunology and infectious disease.

Deanna MacNeil, PhD headshot
| 1 min read
Image credit© ISTOCK, Nataliia Karpenko

Jie Sun is a professor of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. In their latest work, Sun’s research team identified genetic and pharmacologic pathways that attenuate severe flu or COVID-19 infection and reduce blood glucose levels that spike after viral pneumonia.

In this episode, Deanna MacNeil spoke with Sun to learn more about his philosophy of science, which prioritizes physiologically relevant models of infection to tackle real-world clinical needs with research.

Portrait of Jie Sun
jie sun
Jie Sun, PhD
University of Virginia School of Medicine

Science Philosophy in a Flash focuses on the people behind the science. This podcast highlights researchers’ unique outlooks on what motivates their pursuit of science and what it means to be a scientist.