Youran Lee, PhD, RN


Research Fellow
Department of Systems, Populations and Leadership
4304 NURS1

University of Michigan School of Nursing
400 North Ingalls Building
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5482

Interests

  • Cancer survivorship
  • Cancer equity research
  • Oncology symptom science
  • Big data analysis
  • Nursing informatics and data science

Dr. Youran Lee is a nurse scientist whose program of research centers on the intersection of social determinants of health, diet, and symptom science in oncology. Her work seeks to reduce inequities in symptom management and improve the quality of life for patients living with cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Dr. Lee integrates advanced nursing informatics and large data analytics—including AI-based network analysis, machine learning, and natural language processing—to examine how multilevel social determinants of health, health behaviors, and biomarkers shape symptom severity across racially and ethnically diverse populations. She has authored various publications and presented her findings nationally and internationally. Her research has been supported by grants and honors from Sigma Theta Tau International and the Oncology Nursing Foundation.

Teaching

Dr. Youran Lee is a dedicated nurse educator and scholar whose instructional efforts span graduate-level teaching, curriculum development, and inclusive mentorship. She has served as a teaching assistant and guest lecturer for courses such as Disparities in Health and Healthcare in the U.S., where she facilitated engaging discussions on cancer care inequities and employed technology-enhanced pedagogies to foster critical thinking. Her commitment to student-centered, inclusive learning is evident in her leadership roles, including mentoring diverse doctoral students, guiding peer support groups, and serving on curriculum task forces to integrate equity-focused, nurse-led care models. Drawing from her cross-cultural educational experiences in South Korea and the U.S., Dr. Lee cultivates classrooms that promote active learning, and empower students as compassionate, collaborative change agents. Her teaching reflects UMSN’s leadership in preparing nurses who advance health equity and lead across care, education, and research settings.

Affiliations / Service

  • Leadership committee chair, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Beta Epsilon Chapter, 2023-2025
  • Member, Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), 2023- present
  • Member, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, 2021- present

Notable Awards / Honors

  • Research Doctoral (PhD) Academic Scholarship, Oncology Nursing Foundation, 2024
  • Rising Star Dissemination Award, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Beta Epsilon Chapter, 2023
  • Race and the Professions Fellowship, The Kenan Institute for Ethics, Duke University, 2021

Education

  • PhD, Duke University, Durham, NC 2025
  • MSN, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 2020
  • BSN, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, South Korea 2015

Publication Highlights

  • Lee, Y., Silva, S. G., & Gonzalez-Guarda, R. (2024). Social determinants of health and general health among colorectal cancer survivors: Impact of health behaviors. PLOS ONE, 20(8), e0329752.

  • Lee, Y., Wang, O., Ansah, O.O., Park, J., Affronti. M. L., & Cary, M. P., Jr. (2025). Integrating artificial intelligence in cancer care: Bridging disparities and enhancing nursing practices. Clinical Journal of Oncology, 29(4), 345-351.

  • Lee, Y., Lin, Y., Bailey, D. E., & Gonzalez-Guarda, R. (2025). Social determinants of health, diet changes, and treatment-related symptom experiences in patients with advanced colorectal cancer who are receiving chemotherapy: A qualitative study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing Society, 78, 102949.

  • Lee, Y., Lin, Y., Barandouzi, Z. A., Ledbetter, L., & Gonzalez-Guarda, R. (2025). Social determinants of health, diet, and symptom experiences in colorectal cancer survivors: A scoping review. Supportive in Care in Cancer, 33(6), 519.

  • Lee, Y. & Gonzalez-Guarda, R. (2025). The state of science on mitigating cancer inequities through measuring and addressing social determinants of health. Advances in Nursing Science.

  • Albrecht, T. A., Pastva, A. M., Yang, Q., Lee, Y., Leblanc, T. W., Richardson, D., & Bryant, A. L. (2024). Pilot testing of Build StaMINA: A tailored physical activity program for adults receiving treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Nursing. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001408.

  • Wang, D., Hendrix, C. C., Lee, Y., Christian, N., & Crego, N. (2024). Characteristics of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease who were hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic: A secondary data analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(6), 703.

  • Randall, P. S., De Gagne, J. C., Lee, E., Slack, J., Lee, Y., & Ledbetter. L. (2023). The experience of resilience in newly graduated nurses: A qualitative meta synthesis. Nurse Education in Practice, 70, 103681.

  • Lee, Y. & Cho, E. (2022). Predictors of patient safety activities among registered nurses and nurse aides in long-term care facilities. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), 541.