Raymond L. Yung

Raymond L. Yung serves as Jeffrey B Halter M.D. Collegiate Professor of Geriatric Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine, and Research Professor at the University of Michigan Medical School's Institute of Gerontology. He holds leadership roles including Associate Chair of Internal Medicine, Director of the Institute of Gerontology, Section Head of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and Chief Clinical Officer of Ambulatory Care (since October 2024). Previously, he was Division Chief of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine (2011-2022) and Interim Chair of Internal Medicine (2023-2024).

His education includes an MD from the University of Liverpool, internal medicine residency at Detroit's Sinai Hospital, and dual fellowships in rheumatology (1994) and geriatric medicine (1996) at the University of Michigan. Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine, and Rheumatology, he edited the textbook Geriatric Rheumatology A Comprehensive Approach.

Dr. Yung's research pioneers the epigenetic basis of inflammaging, demonstrating how T-cell DNA hypomethylation drives chronic inflammation through dysregulated chemokine responses. His work connects early-life environmental factors to late-life disease via the Developmental Origins of Adult Disease hypothesis, with recent NIH-funded studies examining gut microbiome-aging interactions. Current projects explore prenatal methyl-donor supplementation's role in mitigating age-related cardiovascular inflammation.

His 2023-2024 publications reveal a dual focus: clinical geriatric rheumatology (addressing ageism, frailty, and palliative care in rheumatic diseases) and fundamental aging mechanisms (viral impacts on immunosenescence, T-cell aging biomarkers). This integration of bench-to-bedside science spans immunology, microbiome research, and health services analysis.

Major recognitions include:

• NIH Individual National Research Service Award (1994-1996)
• NIH Clinical Investigator Award (1997-2002)
• Paul Beeson Physical Faculty Scholars Award (1998-2001)
• ACR Senior Rheumatology Scholar Award (1994)

Continuously NIH-funded since 1994, he directs the Michigan Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center P30 award. His mentorship cultivates next-generation aging researchers through the Geriatrics Center, where he oversees multidisciplinary teams translating inflammaging discoveries into clinical interventions for older adults with complex rheumatic conditions.

As Institute of Gerontology Director, he leads cross-departmental initiatives at the Frankel Cardiovascular Center and Caswell Diabetes Institute, driving innovations in age-related disease management through integrated research-clinical platforms.