Assistant Professor | UConn Health | United States
Dr. Youngji Jo is an esteemed researcher and academic with a profound background in public health sciences, epidemiology, and health systems modeling. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Science at the University of Connecticut (UConn Health), USA. With a wealth of experience in infectious disease modeling, health economics, and digital health, Dr. Jo has made significant contributions to global health research, particularly in tuberculosis (TB), HIV, and COVID-19 studies. Her interdisciplinary expertise bridges epidemiology, policy evaluation, and data-driven decision-making.
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Strengths for the Awards✨
✅ Outstanding Research Contributions: Dr. Youngji Jo has an extensive research portfolio, with expertise in epidemiology, infectious disease modeling, digital health, and public health interventions. She has made significant contributions to tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS research, as well as COVID-19 modeling, demonstrating her impact on global health policy and disease control.
✅ Strong Funding and Grant Record: She has secured multiple prestigious grants, including from the NIH (F32 Fellowship), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Her ability to attract competitive funding highlights the recognition of her work in the scientific community.
✅ Interdisciplinary and Global Research Impact: Her work spans multiple countries, including the U.S., South Korea, India, Bangladesh, and Nigeria. She has collaborated with top institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Boston Medical Center, Korea University, and the WHO, indicating a strong global research network.
✅ Applied and Policy-Relevant Research: Her projects focus on real-world impact, such as cost-effectiveness of public health interventions, mathematical modeling of infectious diseases, and policy development for pandemics. This makes her research highly relevant to public health decision-making.
✅ Recognition and Awards: She has received several competitive scholarships and fellowships, such as the NIH Fellowship, WHO-JHU Global mHealth Initiative Scholarship, and conference awards from the International AIDS Society and CROI, reflecting her academic excellence.
Education 🎓
Dr. Jo earned her Ph.D. in Health Systems from the International Health Department at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the cost-effectiveness and scalability of an mHealth intervention to improve pregnancy surveillance in rural Bangladesh. She further enhanced her expertise with post-doctoral fellowships at Boston Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in infectious disease modeling and health systems research. She holds an M.A. in International Economics & International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Seoul National University, South Korea.
Experience 💼
Dr. Jo’s extensive research career includes roles as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Boston University, where she investigated the intersection of HIV and TB care delivery. She has served as a Research Scientist at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, developing agent-based stochastic TB models. Additionally, she has collaborated with global institutions such as the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, RIGHT Foundation, and WHO, contributing to the development of health technologies, pandemic policy evaluations, and mathematical modeling for infectious diseases.
Research Interests On Medicine 📝
Dr. Jo’s research spans multiple critical areas of public health, including:
- Infectious disease modeling (TB, HIV, COVID-19)
- Health economics and cost-effectiveness analysis
- Digital health interventions and mHealth solutions
- Global health policy evaluation
- Big data and artificial intelligence applications in epidemiology
Awards & Honors 🏆
Dr. Jo has received numerous accolades for her contributions to public health research, including:
- Pre-K Junior Faculty Career Development Award (2022-Present)
- NIH F32 Individual Fellowship Grant (2020-2022)
- International AIDS Society Conference Scholarship (2021)
- Gordis Teaching Fellowship at Johns Hopkins University (2014)
- WHO-JHU Global mHealth Initiative Scholarship (2012)
- Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Government Scholarship (2005-2006)
Publications 📚
Dr. Jo has published extensively in high-impact journals. Some of her recent publications include:
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Integrated multi‐month dispensing for HIV and hypertension in South Africa: A model of epidemiological impact and cost‐effectiveness
- Year: 2025
- Authors: Youngji Jo, Sydney Rosen, Brooke E. Nichols, Lise Jamieson, Nkgomeleng Lekodeba, Robert Horsburgh, Jr.
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Nationwide Target Trial Emulation Evaluating the Clinical Effectiveness of Oral Antivirals for COVID-19 in Korea
- Year: 2024
- Authors: Kyungmin Huh, Youngji Jo, Gi Hwan Bae, Hyejin Joo, Munkhzul Radnaabaatar, Hyungmin Lee, Jungyeon Kim, Dong-Hwi Kim, Min-Gyu Yoo, Il Uk Jo et al.
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Antenatal care in rural Bangladesh: current state of costs, content and recommendations for effective service delivery
- Authors: Y Jo, K Alland, H Ali, S Mehra, AE LeFevre, S Pak, S Shaikh, P Christian, …
- Year: 2019
- Citations: 62
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Using the lives saved tool (LiST) to model mHealth impact on neonatal survival in resource-limited settings
- Authors: Y Jo, AB Labrique, AE Lefevre, G Mehl, T Pfaff, N Walker, IK Friberg
- Year: 2014
- Citations: 59
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Cost-effectiveness of remdesivir and dexamethasone for COVID-19 treatment in South Africa
- Authors: Y Jo, L Jamieson, I Edoka, L Long, S Silal, JRC Pulliam, H Moultrie, …
- Year: 2021
- Citations: 57
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Drinking and driving in Vietnam: public knowledge, attitudes, and practices
- Authors: NT Tran, AM Bachani, VC Pham, JC Lunnen, Y Jo, J Passmore, …
- Year: 2012
- Citations: 49
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Model-based cost-effectiveness of state-level latent tuberculosis interventions in California, Florida, New York, and Texas
- Authors: Y Jo, S Shrestha, I Gomes, S Marks, A Hill, G Asay, D Dowdy
- Year: 2021
- Citations: 37
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Forecasting the value for money of mobile maternal health information messages on improving utilization of maternal and child health services in Gauteng, South Africa: cost …
- Authors: A LeFevre, MA Cabrera-Escobar, D Mohan, J Eriksen, D Rogers, …
- Year: 2018
- Citations: 26
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Model-based cost-effectiveness analysis of oral antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 in Korea
- Authors: Y Jo, SB Kim, M Radnaabaatar, K Huh, JH Yoo, KR Peck, H Park, J Jung
- Year: 2022
- Citations: 23
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Costs and cost-effectiveness analyses of mCARE strategies for promoting care seeking of maternal and newborn health services in rural Bangladesh
- Authors: Y Jo, AE LeFevre, K Healy, N Singh, K Alland, S Mehra, H Ali, S Shaikh, …
- Year: 2019
- Citations: 23
Conclusion 🔖
Dr. Youngji Jo is a distinguished academic and researcher whose interdisciplinary expertise continues to shape the landscape of global public health. Her contributions to infectious disease modeling, health economics, and digital health interventions have significantly advanced our understanding of TB, HIV, and COVID-19. As she continues her research at UConn Health, her work remains at the forefront of data-driven solutions for global health challenges.
