Yeyi Zhu, PhD

People

Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
2000 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612

(510) 891-5937 (phone)
yeyi.zhu@kp.org

Yeyi Zhu, PhD, is a Research Scientist II (equivalent to associate professor) at Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and Associate Adjunct Professor at Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from Fudan University, Shanghai, China, and master's degree in Statistics and PhD in Nutritional Epidemiology from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Zhu completed her postdoctoral training with an intramural research training award at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH.

In 2016, Dr. Zhu joined the Division of Research to expand the scale and generalizability of her work to real-world health care settings serving over 4 million members. Dr. Zhu's research interests are at the interface of disease etiology and prevention strategies in the arena of women's and children's health across the lifespan. She has conducted etiological investigations to identify pre-diagnostic markers for gestational diabetes and risk factors for its progression to type 2 diabetes, as well as the respective underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. She has also investigated the impact of high-dimensional in-utero air pollution exposures (i.e., criteria air pollutants and air toxics) on adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Furthermore, she applies a life course approach to examine the developmental origins of cardiometabolic impairments of offspring exposed to nonoptimal intrauterine environment by integrating 'omics technologies, high-dimensional electronic health records, and "big data" analytics tools. Her research aims to inform upstream preventive strategies to interrupt the vicious intergenerational cycle of obesity and diabetes and its related comorbidities across the lifespan. Dr. Zhu's research is sponsored by grants from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and institutional funding.

Current Position(s):

Research Scientist II, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Associate Adjunct Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco

Section Affiliations:

Women's and Children's Health

Primary Research Interests:

Developmental origins of metabolic impairments
Gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes
Fetal growth and childhood obesity
Nutrition in critical windows of development
Prenatal exposure to environmental hazards

Related Website(s):

Studies

Blood Pressure, Obesity, and Diabetes in Relation to Perinatal and Postpartum Complications

By leveraging the KPNC Gestational diabetes and Glucose Tolerance Registry, which includes rich data on blood glucose levels, obesity, gestational weight gain, we will add blood pressure levels for the earliest years to evaluate the individual and joint impact of pregnancy blood pressure, blood glucose, and obesity categories on perinatal complications and examine whether associations of pregnancy blood pressure, blood glucose, and obesity categories with perinatal complications vary by race/ethnicity in the pregnant women in the KPNC integrated health care system.
Investigator: Zhu, Yeyi
Funder: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Fetal Programming of Growth and Obesity: A Metabolomics Approach

This proposal uses a novel holistic framework that leverages both targeted and untargeted metabolomics approach, electronic health records data, and bioinformatics analytics to investigate the mechanisms by which the in-utero environment may infer risk of fetal growth extremes and altered infant growth trajectories and excess adiposity. It will also explore metabolomic signatures for maternal dietary factors during pregnancy, as a means to objectively capture dietary exposures in utero.
Investigator: Zhu, Yeyi
Funder: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Investigation of Prevalence of and Barriers to Achieving Optimal Glycemic Control among Women with Gestational Diabetes

This project aims to demonstrate that sufficient, high quality glycemic control data are available for investigating the determinants of and barriers to glycemic control among women with gestational diabetes in a cohort of 30,000 women at Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 2007-2017.
Investigator: Zhu, Yeyi
Funder: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Risk Prediction of Gestational Diabetes Treatment Modalities Utilizing Clinical and Laboratory Data in the EHR

This study aims to utilize data from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Glucose Tolerance Registry for a cohort of 25,000 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes. The goal is to determine whether clinical and laboratory factors can be utilized to predict treatment modalities for this disease (medical nutrition therapy, glyburide, or insulin).
Investigator: Zhu, Yeyi
Funder: National Institutes of Health

Highlighted Publications

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes by BMI: Patient Outcomes Research To Advance Learning (PORTAL) Multisite Cohort of Adults in the U.S

Author(s): Zhu Y; Ferrara A; et al.

Diabetes Care. 2019 12;42(12):2211-2219. Epub 2019-09-19.

Current Position(s):

Section Affiliations:

Primary Research Interests:

Related Website(s):

Studies

Blood Pressure, Obesity, and Diabetes in Relation to Perinatal and Postpartum Complications

Fetal Programming of Growth and Obesity: A Metabolomics Approach

Investigation of Prevalence of and Barriers to Achieving Optimal Glycemic Control among Women with Gestational Diabetes

Risk Prediction of Gestational Diabetes Treatment Modalities Utilizing Clinical and Laboratory Data in the EHR

Highlighted Publications

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes by BMI: Patient Outcomes Research To Advance Learning (PORTAL) Multisite Cohort of Adults in the U.S

Plasma phospholipid n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to cardiometabolic markers and gestational diabetes: A longitudinal study within the prospective NICHD Fetal Growth Studies

Poor diet quality in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of excess fetal growth: a prospective multi-racial/ethnic cohort study

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and healthy ageing

Publications

Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and childhood autism-related outcomes

In utero metabolomic signatures of refined grains intake and risk of gestational diabetes: A metabolome-wide association study

Metabolomic biomarkers of the mediterranean diet in pregnant individuals: A prospective study

Birth Outcomes in Relation to Prenatal Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Stress in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program

Dietary Quality Indices in Early Pregnancy and Rate of Gestational Weight Gain among a Prospective Multi-Racial and Ethnic Cohort

Trends in Screen Time Use Among Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic, July 2019 Through August 2021

Indoor and outdoor air pollution and couple fecundability: a systematic review

Physical activity and individual plasma phospholipid saturated fatty acids in pregnancy, a longitudinal study among a multiracial/multiethnic cohort in the United States

Habitual coffee consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with a history of gestational diabetes - a prospective study

Urinary Phenols in Early to Mid-Pregnancy and Risk of Gestational Diabetes: A Longitudinal Study in a Multiracial Cohort

Plasma Phospholipids Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: a Longitudinal Study in the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort

Associations of Neighborhood Opportunity and Social Vulnerability With Trajectories of Childhood Body Mass Index and Obesity Among US Children

Association between Quality of Maternal Prenatal Food Source and Preparation and Breastfeeding Duration in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Program

Gestational diabetes mellitus, prenatal maternal depression, and risk for postpartum depression: an Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Study

Development and validation of prediction models for gestational diabetes treatment modality using supervised machine learning: a population-based cohort study

Racial/ethnic disparities in subjective sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep disturbances during pregnancy: an ECHO study

Glycemic Control Trajectories and Risk of Perinatal Complications Among Individuals With Gestational Diabetes

Predictive Metabolomic Markers in Early to Mid-Pregnancy for Gestational Diabetes: A Prospective Test and Validation Study

Coping strategies for COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and mental health during pregnancy

Associations between antenatal corticosteroid exposure and neurodevelopment in infants

Uptake of guideline-recommended postpartum diabetes screening among diverse women with gestational diabetes: associations with patient factors in an integrated health system in USA

Perinatal Complications in Individuals in California With or Without SARS-CoV-2 Infection During Pregnancy

Cumulative Lactation and Clinical Metabolic Outcomes at Mid-Life among Women with a History of Gestational Diabetes

Longitudinal Associations of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids in Pregnancy with Neonatal Anthropometry: Results from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort

The Role of Childhood Asthma in Obesity Development: A Nationwide U.S. Multi-cohort Study

Contributions of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stressors to Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health During Pregnancy

Associations of COVID-19-Related Health, Healthcare and Economic Factors With Prenatal Depression and Anxiety

A longitudinal study on associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with plasma monounsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy

Plasma Acylcarnitines during Pregnancy and Neonatal Anthropometry: A Longitudinal Study in a Multiracial Cohort

Are you what you eat? Through the lens of prepregnancy plant-based diets and risk of gestational diabetes

Changes of Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids Profiles in Pregnancy in Relation to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Disparities in Risks of Inadequate and Excessive Intake of Micronutrients during Pregnancy

Maternal Proinflammatory Adipokines Throughout Pregnancy and Neonatal Size and Body Composition: A Prospective Study

Associations of household food insufficiency with childhood depression and anxiety: a nationwide cross-sectional study in the USA

Association of Habitual Alcohol Consumption With Long-term Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes

Longitudinal Plasma Metabolomics Profile in Pregnancy-A Study in an Ethnically Diverse U.S. Pregnancy Cohort

Healthy preconception and early-pregnancy lifestyle and risk of preterm birth: a prospective cohort study

A longitudinal study of plasma acylcarnitines throughout pregnancy and associations with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus

Household mold, pesticide use, and childhood asthma: A nationwide study in the U.S

Plasma lipidomics profile in pregnancy and gestational diabetes risk: a prospective study in a multiracial/ethnic cohort

Persistent organic pollutants and couple fecundability: a systematic review

COVID-19 prevalence, symptoms, and sociodemographic disparities in infection among insured pregnant women in Northern California

Plasma Phospholipid n-3/n-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Desaturase Activities in Relation to Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity through Pregnancy: A Longitudinal Study within the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies

Nut Consumption and Renal Function Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes

Adipokines in early and mid-pregnancy and subsequent risk of gestational diabetes: a longitudinal study in a multiracial cohort

Prenatal Depression and Diet Quality During Pregnancy

Food insecurity and the extremes of childhood weight: defining windows of vulnerability

Understanding childhood obesity in the US: the NIH environmental influences on child health outcomes (ECHO) program

Plasma Prolactin and Progesterone Levels and the Risk of Gestational Diabetes: A Prospective and Longitudinal Study in a Multiracial Cohort

Sex Hormone-binding Globulin, Cardiometabolic Biomarkers, and Gestational Diabetes: A Longitudinal Study and Meta-analysis

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes by BMI: Patient Outcomes Research To Advance Learning (PORTAL) Multisite Cohort of Adults in the U.S

Identifying and Prioritizing Chemicals with Uncertain Burden of Exposure: Opportunities for Biomonitoring and Health-Related Research

A Prospective Study of Leukocyte Telomere Length and Risk of Gestational Diabetes in a Multiracial Cohort

Plasma phospholipid n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to cardiometabolic markers and gestational diabetes: A longitudinal study within the prospective NICHD Fetal Growth Studies

A prospective study of artificially sweetened beverage intake and cardiometabolic health among women at high risk

Poor diet quality in pregnancy is associated with increased risk of excess fetal growth: a prospective multi-racial/ethnic cohort study

Timing of household food insecurity exposures and asthma in a cohort of US school-aged children

Dietary Quality and Glycemic Control Among Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Weight estimation among multi-racial/ethnic infants and children aged 0-5·9 years in the USA: simple tools for a critical measure

Central Obesity Increases the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Partially Through Increasing Insulin Resistance

Longitudinal Maternal Vitamin D Status during Pregnancy Is Associated with Neonatal Anthropometric Measures

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and healthy ageing

A Pre-Pregnancy Biomarker Risk Score Improves Prediction of Future Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Renal Function: A Prospective Study With 9- to 16-Year Follow-up After Pregnancy

A Longitudinal Study of Thyroid Markers across Pregnancy and the Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Ambient air pollution and risk of gestational hypertension

Ambient temperature and air quality in relation to small for gestational age and term low birthweight.

A longitudinal study of sleep duration in pregnancy and subsequent risk of gestational diabetes: findings from a prospective, multiracial cohort.

A longitudinal study of iron status during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes: findings from a prospective, multiracial cohort.

A longitudinal study of depression and gestational diabetes in pregnancy and the postpartum period

Insulin-Like Growth Factor Axis and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Longitudinal Study in a Multiracial Cohort

Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Premature Rupture of Membranes.

Predictive Models for Characterizing Disparities in Exclusive Breastfeeding Performance in a Multi-ethnic Population in the US.

Growth and obesity through the first 7 years of life in association with levels of maternal glycemia during pregnancy: a prospective cohort study

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes and Risk of Progression to Type 2 Diabetes: A Global Perspective