Jim Sun, University of Ottawa

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Ottawa profile.

Tuberculosis Host-Directed Therapy Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Ppm1a Biomarkers Inuit Population Health Wastewater

Latest papers

Discovery of benzo[c]phenanthridine derivatives with potent activity against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Microbiology spectrum · 2024 · senior author
Small Molecule Targeting PPM1A Activates Autophagy for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Host-Directed Therapy.
Journal of medicinal chemistry · 2024
ATF2 orchestrates macrophage differentiation and activation to promote antibacterial responses.
Journal of leukocyte biology · 2023 · senior author

All 12 publications

Latest funding

Ultracentrifugation system for isolation of biological samples
NSERC · 2025 · Co-investigator
$138,883
Investigating the role of MX GTPases during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection
CIHR · 2024 · Supervisor
$120,000
The Taima TB wastewater study
CIHR · 2023 · Principal investigator
$3,037,050

All 7 grants and awards

12 publications.

01

Discovery of benzo[c]phenanthridine derivatives with potent activity against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Liang YC, Sun Z, Lu C, Lupien A, Xu Z, Berton S, Xu P, Behr MA, Yang W, Sun J

Microbiology spectrum2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01246-24 PMID: 39361873

02

Small Molecule Targeting PPM1A Activates Autophagy for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Host-Directed Therapy.

Yu Z, Liang YC, Berton S, Liu L, Zou J, Chen L, Xu Z, Luo C, Sun J, Yang W

Journal of medicinal chemistry2024

DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00513 PMID: 38958057

03

ATF2 orchestrates macrophage differentiation and activation to promote antibacterial responses.

Rajabalee N, Siushansian H, Weerapura M, Berton S, Berbatovci F, Hooks B, Geoffrion M, Yang D, Harper ME, Rayner K, Blais A, Sun J

Journal of leukocyte biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad076 PMID: 37403209

04

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection triggers epigenetic changes that are enriched in a type I IFN signature.

Madden K, El Hamra R, Berton S, Felker J, Alvarez GG, Blais A, Sun J

microLife2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1093/femsml/uqad006 PMID: 36820061

05

An in vivo biosafety-level-2-compatible model of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection for drug susceptibility testing.

Liang YC, Berton S, Reeks C, Sun J

STAR protocols2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2022.101575 PMID: 35880128

06

TREM2 Promotes Immune Evasion by Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Human Macrophages.

Dabla A, Liang YC, Rajabalee N, Irwin C, Moonen CGJ, Willis JV, Berton S, Sun J

mBio2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01456-22 PMID: 35924849

07

A selective PPM1A inhibitor activates autophagy to restrict the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Berton S, Chen L, Liang YC, Xu Z, Afriyie-Asante A, Rajabalee N, Yang W, Sun J

Cell chemical biology2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.03.006 PMID: 35320734

08

Surveying the Epigenetic Landscape of Tuberculosis in Alveolar Macrophages.

Madden K, Liang YC, Rajabalee N, Alvarez GG, Sun J

Infection and immunity2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1128/iai.00522-21 PMID: 35311579

09

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Exploits Focal Adhesion Kinase to Induce Necrotic Cell Death and Inhibit Reactive Oxygen Species Production.

Afriyie-Asante A, Dabla A, Dagenais A, Berton S, Smyth R, Sun J

Frontiers in immunology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.742370 PMID: 34745115

10

Protein Kinase R in Bacterial Infections: Friend or Foe?

Smyth R, Sun J

Frontiers in immunology2021Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.702142 PMID: 34305942

Ultracentrifugation system for isolation of biological samples

Co-investigatorNSERC2025Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Tocheva, Elitza

Keywords: molecular microbiology; bacterial physiology; host-pathogen interactions; microbial ultrastructure; microbial components; antimicrobial resistance; gene and cell therapies; microbial evolution; environmental dynamics; phages

$138,883

Investigating the role of MX GTPases during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

SupervisorCIHR2024Doctoral Research Award: PA -General Pandemic Prepared./Health Emergen. Research

Principal investigators: Felker, Jake

Keywords: Antibacterial Response; High Content Imaging; Host-Directed Therapy; Immune Sensing; Inflammation; Macrophage; Mx Gtpase Proteins; Phagosomal Maturation; Tuberculosis; Type I Interferons

$120,000

The Taima TB wastewater study

Principal investigatorCIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Alvarez, Gonzalo G; Allen, Jean M; Delatolla, Robert; Sun, Jim

Keywords: Biomarkers; Inuit; Population Health; Tuberculosis; Wastewater

$3,037,050

Host-directed drug development for tuberculosis

Nominated PICIHR2022Project Grant - PA: Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies Research

Principal investigators: Sun, Jim

Keywords: Autophagy; Host Response To Tuberculosis; Host-Directed Drug Discovery; Host-Directed Therapy; Innate Immune Response; Macrophage Antibacterial Pathways; Metal Dependent Phosphatases; Mycobacterium Tuberculosis; Ppm1a; Tuberculosis

$750,000

Molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis and immune activation by TREM receptors

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Sun, Jim Jian

$12,500

Molecular mechanisms of phagocytosis and immune activation by TREM receptors

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Sun, Jim Jian

$205,000

Molecular basis of PPM1A controlled macrophage apoptosis in tuberculosis

Nominated PICIHR2018Project Grant

Principal investigators: Sun, Jim

Keywords: Cell Death; Cell Signaling Pathways; Host-Directed Therapy; Innate Immune Response To Tuberculosis; Macrophage Anti-Bacterial Mechanisms; Macrophage Apoptosis; Mycobacterium Tuberculosis; Ppm1a

$833,850

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

Co-authors at University of Ottawa, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Alexandre Blais

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

2 shared papers, latest 2023

Katey Rayner

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Mary-Ellen Harper

Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Tuberculosis Dear Professor Sun, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Discovery of benzo[c]phenanthridine derivatives with potent activity against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis." (2024), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "The Taima TB wastewater study" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]