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 I (equivalent to Assistant Professor) at Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research and Assistant 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 I, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Assistant 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

In a population-based cohort study of ~0.5 million diverse women, we will examine the associations of blood pressure categories following the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines in pregnancy with risks of perinatal and postpartum complications, and the joint impact of obesity and diabetes. Our findings may help identify at which blood pressure level, and in which time window, closer patient surveillance and change in management may be initiated. Further, our findings may inform risk stratification of women with combinations of BP categories in pregnancy and comorbid obesity and diabetes, thus enhancing care decision and efficiency.
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; Koebnick C; Ferrara A; et al.

Diabetes Care. 2019 Sep 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

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

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

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

Persistent organic pollutants and couple fecundability: a systematic review

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

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

Prenatal Depression and Diet Quality During Pregnancy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and healthy ageing

Liver Enzymes in Early to Mid-pregnancy, Insulin Resistance, and Gestational Diabetes Risk: A Longitudinal Analysis

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

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

A prospective and longitudinal study of plasma phospholipid saturated fatty acid profile in relation to cardiometabolic biomarkers and the risk of gestational diabetes

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

Acute Associations between Outdoor Temperature and Premature Rupture of Membranes

Offspring risk of obesity in childhood, adolescence and adulthood in relation to gestational diabetes mellitus: a sex-specific association

Chronic and Acute Ozone Exposure in the Week Prior to Delivery Is Associated with the Risk of Stillbirth

Maternal dietary intakes of refined grains during pregnancy and growth through the first 7 y of life among children born to women with gestational diabetes

Maternal consumption of artificially sweetened beverages during pregnancy, and offspring growth through 7 years of age: a prospective cohort study

Validation of Self-Reported Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes at Six Weeks Postpartum

​Ambient air pollution and risk of gestational hypertension

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

The Pregnancy Environment and Lifestyle Study (PETALS); a population-based longitudinal multi-racial birth cohort

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

Racial/ethnic differences in preterm perinatal outcomes.

Ambient Temperature and Early Delivery of Singleton Pregnancies.

Spontaneous and indicated preterm delivery risk is increased among overweight and obese women without prepregnancy chronic disease

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

Proximity to major roadways and prospectively-measured time-to-pregnancy and infertility.

​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

Obstetric and Neonatal Risks Among Obese Women Without Chronic Disease.

​Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Premature Rupture of Membranes.

Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Hypertension Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; A Prospective Cohort Study.

Age at Menarche and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; A Prospective Cohort Study Among 27,482 Women.

​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

Low Carbohydrate-Diet Scores and Long-term Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; A Prospective Cohort Study.

Maternal ambient air pollution exposure preconception and during early gestation and offspring congenital orofacial defects.

Longer breastfeeding duration reduces the positive relationships among gestational weight gain, birth weight and childhood anthropometrics.

Arm span and ulnar length are reliable and accurate estimates of recumbent length and height in a multiethnic population of infants and children under 6 years of age.

Data Acquisition and Preprocessing in Studies on Humans: What Is Not Taught in Statistics Classes?

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