Jessica (Pin-Yu) Chen graduated from New York University with a Master of Public Health in Public Health Nutrition and Dietetics. Her interest in dietetics grew from learning how nutrition care can support disease prevention, treatment, and long-term health. During her academic years, she became especially interested in medical nutrition therapy for cardiometabolic diseases, where nutrition recommendations often need to be adapted to each person’s condition, medications, lifestyle, and cultural background.
Her research experience includes studying the impact of incretin therapies on older adults, specifically focusing on outcomes such as physical function, muscle mass, frailty, falls, and body composition. This work strengthened her interest in aging, chronic disease, and the ways nutrition status may influence independence and daily function. It also deepened her understanding of how clinical research can guide more thoughtful and individualized nutrition care.
Jessica has gained experience in clinical, community, food service settings. She has assisted patients in rehabilitation units, supported the preparation of medically tailored meals, and contributed to meal planning for clients with different nutrition needs. These experiences helped her see dietetics as a field that connects science with practical care in everyday life.
Her future goal is to become a registered dietitian who provides evidence-based and culturally sensitive nutrition care. She hopes to work with patients with a wide range of medical conditions, including organ transplant, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disorders, while translating nutrition science into practical guidance that supports long-term health and quality of life.