We are thrilled to announce that Yaun Yang, a PhD candidate in Public Health at Stony Brook University, has been awarded the highly competitive NIH F99/K00 Predoctoral-to-Postdoctoral Transition Award from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).
This specialized two-phase award supports exceptional graduate students as they complete their dissertation research (the F99 phase) and transition directly into a mentored postdoctoral research position (the K00 phase) focused on the science of aging. Yang’s work—centered on building language- and speech-based tools to track cognitive decline—aligns closely with the NIA’s mission to advance research on aging and age-related diseases.
Reflecting on her doctoral training, Yang shared:
“Stony Brook’s Public Health PhD gave me applied, hands-on training in statistics and the flexibility to take courses across departments—like Psychology’s Structural Equation Modeling—that deepened my understanding of the theory behind the methods. With Dr. Sean Clouston’s question-driven mentorship and our faculty’s rigorous, patient guidance on grant writing and review, I learned to solve problems independently and to turn ideas into strong proposals.”
Research Focus: From Text Data to Neurodegeneration Risk
The F99/K00 award supports a critical transition from Yang’s current dissertation research to her independent postdoctoral work.
Phase I: Dissertation (F99)
In this phase, she focuses on the World Trade Center (WTC) responder population, transforming their free-text accounts of post-9/11 activities into structured WTC Response Activities (WRA) variables. The goal is to determine whether specific occupational exposures predict mild cognitive impairment (MCI), longitudinal cognitive changes, and blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration, and whether mask use mitigates risk.
Phase II: Postdoctoral Transition (K00)
Yang’s postdoctoral research will expand on this foundation, developing a machine-learning model that integrates linguistic and acoustic features—such as grammar, semantic complexity, pitch, and speech pace—to forecast future cognitive change. This scalable, non-invasive tool could first serve the WTC cohort and later be adapted for other at-risk groups exposed to environmental or occupational hazards.
The Journey: A Testament to Persistence
Yang’s achievement exemplifies the perseverance required in research. Her first submission for the F99/K00 received a low score and was not selected for discussion, but she chose to revise and resubmit, aligning revisions with ongoing dissertation work. On her second attempt, she successfully addressed every critique—earning the award. “I got here by being persistent—and lucky—with a lot of help,” Yang said.
She credits her advisor, Dr. Sean Clouston, for providing bridge funding, extensive feedback on research aims, and invaluable career guidance. She also acknowledges the department’s strong infrastructure, including a grant-writing class, mock review sessions, and detailed feedback on her response-to-reviewers letter, all of which strengthened her resubmission.
Learn More
To explore Stony Brook’s Public Health PhD program, visit: https://publichealth.stonybrookmedicine.edu/phcor
