About Us
Principal Investigators


Dr. Ji-Young Lee, FAHA, FACN
Dr. Lee is a Professor and Head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences. She is a Fellow of the American Heart Association as well as the American College of Nutrition. She was the recipient of the first Korean Nutrition Society Award selected by the American Society for Nutrition in 2011. Dr. Lee’s research centers around identifying molecular mediators involved in energy metabolism, inflammation, and fibrosis, which mediate the health benefits of dietary factors, such as berries, carotenoids, edible algae, and seaweeds. In particular, her primary focus is linking inflammatory/fibrogenic signaling pathways to energy metabolism using state of the art molecular techniques and cell bioenergetics tools in cells and animal models. Studies on how dietary factors regulate histone deacetylases as an epigenetic mode of action to regulate gene expression in metabolic, inflammatory, and fibrogenic pathways are actively underway in her laboratory.

Dr. Young-Ki Park
Dr. Park is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences. His research focuses on the role of natural products in the regulation of obesity-related metabolic and inflammatory diseases. In recent years, he has been investigating the health benefits of Connecticut-grown seaweed, such as sugar kelp, related to obesity, fatty liver disease and cardiovascular disease, using pre-clinical models.
Lab Members
Current Members

Jaeeun Lee, PhD, Postdoc

Hyungryun Jang, PhD Student

Olivia Corvino, PhD Student

Hayoung Woo, PhD student

John Joseph Chua, Visiting MD/PhD Student

Aizhan Karabekova, Visiting PhD student
Undergraduate Students

Abigail Interrante, Molecular and Cell Biolog

Jonathan Schmitt, Nutritional Sciences
Former Members at UConn
Postdocs and Graduate Students

Dr. Mi-Bo Kim, Postdoc

Hyunju Kang, PhD in Dec 2020

Siqi Hu, PhD in July 2020

Yoojin, PhD in May 2020

Minkyung Bae, PhD in May 2019

Tho Pham, PhD in Dec 2015

Callie Ferruggia,MS in Dec 2014

Tyler Benn, MS in August 2014

Cindy Yang, PhD in August 2014

Chai Siah Ku, PhD in August 2014

Casey Wegner, MS in May 2014

Dr. Bohkyung Kim, Postdoc, 2010-2015
Undergraduate Students

Naniel Scott, Nutritional Sciences

Adriana Suria, Nutritional Sciences

Will Odell, Molecular and Cell Biology

Victoria Kostour, Molecular and Cell Biology
- Rachael Woodruff, Nutritional Sciences
- Anqi Cheng, Nutritional Sciences
- Lorenzo Ross, Allied Health Sciences
- Emily McManus, Nutritional Sciences
- Broke Fay, Nutritional Sciences
- Molly Vanluling, Molecular and Cell Biology
- Olivia Corvino, Nutritional Sciences
- Dana Chamberlain, Nutritional Sciences
- Catherine Han, Biological Sciences
- Edward O’Neill, Molecular and Cell Biology
- Christian Caceres, Nutritional Sciences
- Ellen Harness, Animal Science
- Nicholas Farrell, Nutritional Sciences
Lab Photos

Lab members together for Will and Victoria’s farewell, May 7, 2022

Hyungryun’s presentation at CAHNR Grad Res Forum, April 9, 2022

Will’s presentation at UConn Frontiers, April 9, 2022

Abby’s presentation at UConn Frontiers, April 9, 2022

Hyungryun’s presentation at GMMG mini-symposium, March 15, 2022

Hyunju’s Commencement, May 8, 2021

Party for Hyunju’s graduation, June 2021

Party for Hyunju’s graduation, June 2021



























