Ji-Young Lee

Ji-Young Lee is a Professor and Department Head at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. She is affiliated with the Genomic and Mechanistic Metabolism Group (GMMG) and the Immuno-Cardio Group (ICG), and leads the NP-OILD Lab.

• Ph.D. in Nutrition, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• M.S. in Nutritional Science and Dietetics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• M.S. in Food Chemistry, Kyung Hee University
• B.S. in Foods and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University

Dr. Lee's research focuses on the molecular mechanisms linking energy metabolism, chronic inflammation, and dyslipidemia to obesity-related diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. She investigates dietary interventions (e.g., blue-green algae, berries, astaxanthin) that modulate histone deacetylases (HDAC4 and HDAC9) to mitigate disease progression.

Her recent publications highlight the role of bioactive compounds (fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, spirulina) in reducing liver inflammation, fibrosis, and oxidative stress via pathways like Nrf2 activation, NF-kB inhibition, and Sirtuin 1 regulation. Key trends include the efficacy of marine-derived antioxidants, gender-specific responses to HDAC4 depletion, and the impact of dietary polyphenols on metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Lee is actively involved in collaborative research through the Institute for Systems Genomics at UConn and The Jackson Laboratory. Her work bridges nutritional biochemistry, immunometabolism, and epigenetic regulation to address chronic diseases.