PI, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry

Yizhi is a biochemist specializing in protein biochemistry, cellular metabolism, and NMR. He received his B.S. from the Ocean University of China and completed his Ph.D. with Dr. Klara Briknarova at the University of Montana, Missoula. He then moved to Boston, MA, where he pursued his postdoctoral research with Dr. Dorothee Kern at Brandeis University/Howard Hughs Medical Institute and later with Dr. Bruce Spiegelman at Harvard Medical School. His work focused on protein structure and dynamics as well as mitochondrial metabolism. In 2022, he was appointed Instructor of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School, and in 2025 he joined the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, as an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry.

Lab Manager/Research Assistant

Lu Zhang earned her B.S. from Fudan University and M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology (CEMB) from the University of Arkansas.

Before joining the Sun Lab, Lu spent over ten years at NOWDiagnostics, gaining extensive experience in assay development and diagnostic product research. She is proficient in molecular biology, protein engineering, cell culture, and nanomaterial synthesis & characterization, with strong skills in project management, scheduling & planning, and cross-functional communication. Lu hopes to leverage her technical and organizational strengths to create a productive and collaborative lab culture.

Outside the lab, Lu enjoys life with her husband and toddler son. She is a seasoned Toastmasters member and a two-time marathon finisher.

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Undergraduate Research Assistant