Immunology Program
The Joseph Sun Lab
Research
![Pictured: Joseph Sun](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/5589/image/sun-joe.jpg?h=10d202d3)
The immune system responds to viral infections by introducing a complex interplay of immune cells and factors, whose goal is to eliminate the intruding pathogen. One such effector cell in the antiviral response is the Natural Killer (NK) cell, which secretes inflammatory cytokines and directly kills infected cells. The focus of our research is aimed at defining the signals that NK cells require to mount an effective immune response against pathogens. We are also exploring the regulatory mechanisms keeping NK cells in check, thereby safeguarding against potential autoimmunity.
![The Sun Lab](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/node/5589/main_image/sun-lab-2019_3x2.jpg)
Featured News
![Joseph Sun and Rebecca Delconte](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/304116/main_image/delconte-sun2-1200x800.jpg)
![Pictured: Joseph Sun](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/35276/image/sun-joseph.jpeg)
![NK cells attacking](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200/public/node/160579/3x2/nkcells-1200x800-2.jpg)
Publications Highlights
Lau CM, Adams NM, Geary CD, Weizman O, Rapp M, Pritykin Y, Leslie CS, Sun JC. 2018. Epigenetic control of innate and adaptive immune memory. Nat Immunol. 19:963-972.
Adams NM, Lau CM, Fan X, Rapp M, Weizman O, Geary CD, Diaz-Salazar C, Sun JC. 2018. Transcription factor IRF8 orchestrates the adaptive natural killer cell response. Immunity. 48:1172-1182.
People
![Pictured: Joseph Sun](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/5589/image/sun-joe.jpg?h=10d202d3)
Joseph Sun, PhD
- Immunologist Joseph Sun investigates the natural killer cell response against infection and cancer.
- PhD, University of Washington
- [email protected]
- Email Address
- 646-888-3228
- Office Phone
Members
![Celeste Dang](https://www.mskcc.org/sites/default/files/styles/width_200_1x1/public/node/161095/3x2/dang-celeste_180725_04_1200x800.jpg?h=10d202d3)
- BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- 646-888-3237
- Lab Phone
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- AB, Washington University in St. Louis
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Administrative Assistant
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Research Technician
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Graduate Student
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Research Fellow
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Graduate Student
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Research Fellow
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Graduate Student
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Graduate Student
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Research Fellow
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Graduate Student
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Graduate Student
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Research Technician
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Member
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Research Technician
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- Tufts University
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- California Institute of Technology
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- Yale University
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- 646-888-3237
- Lab Phone
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- 646-888-3237
- Lab Phone
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Lab Alumni
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Healthcare Investor- Counterpoint Global at Morgan Stanley, New York, NY
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MSK Position: MD/PhD Student; Current Position: Resident, UCSF
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Principal Scientist, Capstan Therapeutics, Hayward, CA
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MSK Position: Graduate Student; Current Position: Science Policy Fellowship, National Academy of Sciences
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MSK Position: Tri-I MD-PhD Student; Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY
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MSK Position: Graduate Student; Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University, New York, NY
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Assistant Professor, Rutgers Medical School
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Research Scientist, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Assistant Professor, UCLA
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Research Scientist, Roche
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current: Assistant Professor, Technical University of Munich
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Assistant Professor, Cornell University
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Scientific Consulting
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MSK Position: Research Fellow; Current Position: Instructor, Imperial College London
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MSK Position: Research Technician; Current Position: Residency, MD Anderson
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MSK Position: Research Technician; Current Position: Graduate Student, U Penn
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MSK Position: Research Technician; Current Position: Graduate Student, Yale
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MSK Position: Research Technician; Current: Biotech company
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MSK Position: Research Technician; Current Position: Graduate Student, Weill Cornell
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Research Technician; Current Position: Graduate Student, Duke
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Research Technician; Current Position: Graduate Student, Weill Cornell
MSK Position: 2012 SURP Student; Current: Graduate school, Ohio State University
MSK Position: 2019 SURP student; Current: Computational biologist, D.E. Shaw Research
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MSK Position: Student Researcher; Current Position: Medical School, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
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MSK Position: Student Researcher; Current Position: Medical Student, Rutgers Medical School
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MSK Position: Student Researcher; Current: Medical School, UC Davis
Achievements
- Weill Cornell Graduate School Outstanding Teaching & Mentoring Award (2022)
- American Cancer Society Research Scholar (2017)
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund Investigator in Infectious Disease (2016)
- Boyer Young Investigator Award for Basic Research (2015)
- Geoffrey Beene Junior Faculty Chair (2014)
Read more
- AAI Pfizer-Showell Early Career Investigator Award (2012)
- Searle Scholar Award (2011)
- Cancer Research Institute Investigator Award (2011)
Lab News & Events
Open Positions
To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center
To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs
Career Opportunities
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Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Joseph Sun discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
No disclosures meeting criteria for time period
The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2022 through disclosure submission in spring 2023). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].