51视频

Expertise

Research Interests

• Mind and body connection in stroke and deconditioned population
• Inflammatory response in COVID-19 and cancer patients
• Mental health and cancer recovery

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), (2019), Cizik School of Nursing, UT-Health Science Center, Houston, TX
• Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing,聽(2015),聽Cizik School of Nursing, UT-Health Science Center, Houston, TX
• Master of Science (MS),聽(2002), Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan

Biosketch

Yun-Ju Lai, Ph.D., M.S., R.N., is an Assistant Professor at the Solomont School of Nursing in the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences at 51视频. She earned her Ph.D. (2019) in Nursing from the Cizik School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, as well as an M.S. in Life Science from National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Dr. Lai鈥檚 research lies at the intersection of neuroscience, immunology, and behavioral health, with a particular emphasis on the mind鈥揵ody connection, inflammation, and recovery processes in stroke and other disease contexts such as COVID-19 and cancer. Her studies have demonstrated that optimism and positive psychological factors can influence inflammatory responses and recovery outcomes, highlighting the importance of integrative approaches to health.

At 51视频, Dr. Lai brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her work, pioneering projects that merge biological mechanisms with innovative behavioral interventions. She is currently developing a virtual reality intervention grounded in positive psychology to promote optimism and enhance mental health among university students, evaluating outcomes such as stress levels, sleep quality, and well-being. In addition, she has contributed to pandemic-related research, using transcriptomic analyses to identify potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication and advancing this work toward translational applications. Through collaborations across nursing, psychology, and biomedical science, Dr. Lai embodies the mission of the Solomont School of Nursing by bridging research and practice to promote holistic wellness and improve quality of life.