Liou Sun

Liou Sun
Associate Professor

Associate Scientist (C), UWIRC Microbiome Center , School of Medicine
Scientist (C), Comprehensive Diabetes Center , School of Medicine
Scientist (C), Integrative Center for Aging Research , School of Medicine
Associate Scientist (C), Comprehensive Neuroscience Center , General Clinical Research Center
Scientist (C), Alzheimer's Disease Center , Neurology
Associate Scientist (C), Nutrition Obesity Res Center (NORC) , Nutrition Sciences Research
Assistant Professor (S), Neurobiology , Academic Joint Departments
Associate Professor (P), Biology , College of Arts and Sciences

Overview

Dr. Sun's laboratory is exploring the genetic control of aging in mammals and vertebrates. We are studying the endocrine mechanisms and nutritional factors for their effects on longevity and aging.

The physiological role of the somatotropic axis in the control of aging in mammals and vertebrates
The dietary factors on aging and longevity: calorie restriction vs. methionine restriction
Interventions studies of age-related diseases such as Diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease

Selected Publications

Academic Article

Year	Title	Altmetric
2021	University of Alabama at Birmingham Nathan Shock Center: comparative energetics of aging. Geroscience. 2021
2020	Tissue-Specific GHR Knockout Mice: An Updated Review. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 11. 2020
2020	The epigenetic link between polyphenols, aging and age-related diseases. Genes. 11:1-21. 2020
2018	Effects of rapamycin on growth hormone receptor knockout mice 2018
2017	Longevity is impacted by growth hormone action during early postnatal period. eLife. 6. 2017
2017	Differential effects of early-life nutrient restriction in long-lived GHR-KO and normal mice. Geroscience. 39:347-356. 2017
2016	Growth hormone actions during development influence adult phenotype and longevity. Experimental Gerontology. 86:22-27. 2016
2016	Brown adipose tissue function is enhanced in long-lived, male ames dwarf mice. Endocrinology. 157:4744-4753. 2016
2016	Original Research: Metabolic alterations from early life thyroxine replacement therapy in male Ames dwarf mice are transient 2016
2016	Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency Protects against Age-Related NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Immune Senescence. Cell Reports. 14:1571-1580. 2016
2014	Liver-Specific gh receptor gene-Disrupted (lighrko) mice have decreased endocrine igf-I, increased local igf-I, and altered body size, body composition, and adipokine profiles. Endocrinology. 155:1793-1805. 2014
2014	Tissue-specific GHR knockout mice: Metabolic phenotypes. Frontiers in Endocrinology. 5. 2014
2013	Growth hormone-releasing hormone disruption extends lifespan and regulates response to caloric restriction in mice. eLife. 2013. 2013
2013	Direct and indirect effects of growth hormone receptor ablation on liver expression of xenobiotic metabolizing genes 2013
2013	Somatotropic signaling: Trade-offs between growth, reproductive development, and longevity. Physiological Reviews. 93:571-598. 2013
2013	Links between growth hormone and aging 2013
2013	Duration of rapamycin treatment has differential effects on metabolism in mice. Cell Metabolism. 17:456-462. 2013
2012	Activation of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism is a shared signature of mouse models with extended lifespan 2012
2012	Meta-profiles of gene expression during aging: Limited similarities between mouse and human and an unexpectedly decreased inflammatory signature. PLoS ONE. 7. 2012
2011	Complex roles of Sirtuin 1 in cancer and aging 2011
2011	Hepatic response to oxidative injury in long-lived Ames dwarf mice. The FASEB Journal. 25:398-408. 2011
2009	Fibroblasts from long-lived mutant mice show diminished ERK1/2 phosphorylation but exaggerated induction of immediate early genes. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 47:1753-1761. 2009
2009	Life-span extension in mice by preweaning food restriction and by methionine restriction in middle age 2009
2007	Adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus of long-lived mice during aging 2007
2006	Insulin-like growth factor-I stimulates histone H3 and H4 acetylation in the brain in vivo. Endocrinology. 147:5480-5490. 2006
2005	Increased neurogenesis in dentate gyrus of long-lived Ames dwarf mice. Endocrinology. 146:1138-1144. 2005
2005	Long-lived growth hormone receptor knockout mice: Interaction of reduced insulin-like growth factor I/insulin signaling and caloric restriction. Endocrinology. 146:851-860. 2005
2005	Local expression of GH and IGF-1 in the hippocampus of GH-deficient long-lived mice. Neurobiology of Aging. 26:929-937. 2005
2004	Divergent effects of caloric restriction on gene expression in normal and long-lived mice 2004
2000	Dimensionless ρ* scaling of particle transport in DIII-D L mode discharges. Nuclear Fusion. 40:799-806. 2000

Research Overview

Dr. Sun's current research focus on nutrition and hormonal signals during early-life development can influence the long-term health and the development of age-related diseases.

Learn more about Dr. Sun's research on his lab website. He is currently recruiting motivated postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, research associates, and undergraduates. Candidates from a variety of backgrounds will be considered, provided they make a compelling case for contributing to the objectives and goals of the lab.

Biology of Aging, Endocrinology, Obesity, Neurodegenerative disease