VCU news

By Malorie Burkett and Gayland Hethcoat

Shumei S. Sun, Ph.D., will serve as the new chair of the Department of Biostatistics in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

Sun brings extensive research experience in designing and analyzing longitudinal studies and randomized, controlled clinical trials of growth, body composition, obesity, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.

"Dr. Sun brings expertise in both biostatistics and epidemiology to VCU, as well as an outstanding record of scholarship and extramural grant funding," said Jerome F. Strauss III, M.D., dean of the VCU School of Medicine. "Her current research on obesity and body composition in children and risk of metabolic and cardiac disease spans two of the core research themes in our strategic plan: metabolism and aging and maternal and child health." 

In 1996 and 2002, Sun received the Presidential Award for Research Excellence from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She also was the recipient of the Wright State University International Women's Day Tribute in recognition of her work with and for Women Across Cultures. 

Most recently Sun was named the Brage Golding Distinguished Professor in the Department of Community Health in the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine.

In addition, she participated in Executive Leadership for Women in Academic Medicine in 1998-1999 and also has been a member of NIH scientific review committees in epidemiology and the disease control study section.

She has authored 190 research articles and book chapters and has been the recipient of 46 grants and contracts. Her career federal research funding totals over $30 million.

Sun received an undergraduate degree from the National Taiwan University College of Medicine, an M.S. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a Ph.D. in biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh.