Young-Jai You

Young-Jai You, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Center for Hypothalamic Research. She previously held faculty positions at Virginia Commonwealth University and Nagoya University before returning to UT Southwestern in 2020.

• B.S. in Biology and M.S. in Physiology from Yonsei University, South Korea

Her research focuses on how metabolism regulates complex behaviors such as appetite, satiety, and reproduction. Using C. elegans and Drosophila as model organisms, her work explores conserved neuro-molecular mechanisms linking metabolic states to behavioral outcomes, with implications for disorders like obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Recent studies highlight her contributions to understanding starvation signaling via the MAPK pathway and metabolic regulation of sleep through interactions between feeding and circadian rhythms.

Dr. You’s publications emphasize interdisciplinary approaches, bridging molecular genetics, neurobiology, and endocrinology. Collaborations with Dr. Jeongho Kim at Inha University further extend her investigations into metabolic-reproductive interactions.