Saun-joo Yoon, PD, RN, associate professor, was named a UF Research Foundation Professor for 2016-2019.
Yoon was one of 34 UF faculty members recognized for a distinguished record of research and a strong research agenda that will likely lead to continued distinction in her field.
Yoon focuses on symptom management of adult cancer populations, with particular interest in managing symptoms and/or symptom clusters using complementary therapies as the interventions to improve patient outcomes and quality of life after treatment. She is currently conducting a pilot study (randomized controlled trial) to investigate the effect of acupuncture on managing cancer-related anorexia and cachexia in patients with GI cancer. Yoon completed studies on the use of dietary supplements to manage chronic pain and the effectiveness of alternative medications for chronic GI symptom management.
The three-year recognition awards a $5,000 annual salary supplement as well as a one-time $3,000 grant. The professorships are funded from the university’s share of royalty and licensing income on UF-generated products.
The selection of the UFRF Professors is based on recommendations from college deans and department chairs, a personal statement and an evaluation of research accomplishments. These accomplishments are assessed by existence and quality of scholarly journals, external funding, honors and awards and development of intellectual property.