Dr. Yulin Sun, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Jing-Ke Weng‘s laboratory at Northeastern University’s Institute for Plant-Human Interface (IPHI), has been awarded the 2024 College of Science Dean’s Postdoctoral Research Award for her groundbreaking work on developing plant-based carbon sequestration biotechnology.
Dr. Sun brings extensive expertise in plant biochemistry and molecular biology to this research. She earned her Ph.D. in Botany from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in plant lipid biosynthesis and surface chemistry. Her past research has led to several seminal publications.
Dr. Sun’s current research focuses on engineering plants to produce and accumulate sporopollenin—an extremely durable biopolymer naturally found in pollen—in non-reproductive plant tissues. This novel approach aims to create plants capable of permanently storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, offering a scalable solution to combat climate change. The award recognizes Dr. Sun’s contributions to developing bioengineering strategies that could transform ordinary crops and trees into more effective carbon capture systems. Her work is part of a larger initiative investigating sporopollenin’s potential as a robust material for long-term carbon storage.
The Dean’s Postdoctoral Research Award supports outstanding postdoctoral researchers advancing scientific discovery at Northeastern’s College of Science. Dr. Sun is one of twelve recipients selected for this honor in 2024.
News source: Northeastern COS