Dr. Sun is a tenured professor with early promotion in the Department of Molecular Medicine at the Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida (USF). He obtained his Ph.D. in Natural Sciences (magna cum laude) from the University of Kiel, Germany, followed by postdoctoral training in Molecular Microbiology and Biochemistry at Brown University, USA. Dr. Sun's research focuses on microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, with a particular emphasis on Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) pathogenesis and the development of novel therapeutics, including vaccines, to prevent and treat C. difficile infection (CDI). He is nationally and internationally recognized for his contributions to vaccine and therapeutic development against CDI. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified C. difficile as one of the top three urgent antibiotic-resistant threats in the United States. While active vaccination offers a promising strategy for preventing CDI and its recurrence, no licensed vaccines are currently available. Dr. Sun has played a pivotal role in developing novel CDI vaccines and has significantly advanced the understanding of C. difficile pathogenesis, including the creation of essential genetic tools for research in the field. His work has been continuously funded by the NIH since 2012. He has actively served on NIH study section panels, including as chair. Additionally, he is an Associate Editor for Microbiological Research, Molecular Medicine, and Frontiers in Immunology, and serves on the editorial boards of Infection and Immunity and Applied and Environmental Microbiology. He received the Tufts Institute for Innovation Inaugural Award in 2014, the Faculty Outstanding Research Achievement Award in 2018, and the Excellence in Innovation Award in 2020 at USF. He also chaired the Research Committee at the USF College of Medicine from 2019 to 2020. Since 2021, he has served as President, Vice President, Secretary, and Executive Committee member of the USF Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors, USA.