课题组发现IRS可转移至细胞核、发挥重要调控功能的现象，从非经典途径阐明了IRS在胰岛素抵抗发生发展中的重要作用，完善了胰岛素信号通路传导的具体过程及相关机制；确定自噬失调在胰岛素抵抗的关键作用环节；研究骨骼组织反馈调节机体糖脂代谢的内分泌机制；阐明骨骼衍生激素在胰岛素抵抗中的干预效应机制和重要临床应用前景。近年来本课题组承担国家重点研发计划课题、国家自然科学基金、教育部新世纪优秀人才计划、西安交通大学“腾飞特聘教授”支持计划等科研项目，在本领域重要期刊Autophagy（JCR一区）、Cancer Research（JCR一区）、Journal of Bone and Mineral Research（JCR一区）、Endocrinology、Molecular Endocrinology、JBC、Cell Research（JCR一区）等发表科研论文50余篇，引用次数1190余次，代表性论文被Nature Reviews Endocrinology、 Nature Protocols、Endocrine Reviews等权威期刊引用，获陕西省高等学校科学技术奖一等奖。课题组成员包括李会霞副教授、晋鑫鑫助理教授，已培养/在读研究生16人。培养的研究生多人获得国家优秀研究生奖学金、学校优秀研究生论文。

The academic study of Professor Hongzhi Sun and his colleagues focused on the regulatory mechanism of endocrine metabolism. One novel discovery in their studies is that IRS could translocate to the nuclei and exhibit a variety of critical nuclear functions, which will extend our understanding of IRS actions during the non-classical process of insulin pathway. Another recent one is that they identified the important regulation of autophagy on insulin resistance and metabolic disturbance. In addition, they studied the critical role of bone as an important endocrine regulator in glucose and lipid metabolism. They found that the osteoblast-specific protein could attenuate ER stress and rescue impaired insulin sensitivity. These studies potentiated both scientific and therapeutic application of bone-derived hormones in metabolic disease. During these studies, they have published more than 50 papers in academic journals such as Autophagy, Cancer Research, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Endocrinology, Molecular Endocrinology, JBC, Cell Research. These papers were cited more than 1190 times, and some publications were cited by the top scientific journals such as Nature Reviews Endocrinology, Nature Protocols and Endocrine Reviews. Dr. Sun group won the prize of Shaanxi Provincial Education Science and Technology Award. In recent years, they have undertaken the National Key Research and Development Program, the National Natural Science Fund, “New Century Excellent Talents” Supporting Plan from Education Ministry and "Tengfei Special Professor" supporting project from Xi'an Jiaotong University. Members of Dr. Sun group include associate professor Huixia Li, assistant professor Xinxin Jin, and 16 graduated postgraduates or graduate students.