Dr. Yo-El Ju is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, internationally recognized for her groundbreaking research on how sleep affects brain health, particularly in the earliest stages of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

A physician-scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Ju leads research exploring how sleep disturbances may serve as early warning signs of, as well as contribute to, neurodegeneration. Her work has shown that poor sleep, especially impaired slow wave sleep, is associated with buildup of amyloid-beta and tau, which underlie Alzheimer’s disease. She is also a leading authority on REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), a condition in which individuals act out their dreams, and its role as a red flag for future synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Dr. Ju earned her undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Harvard, her MD from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in clinical investigation at Washington University. She completed her neurology residency and sleep medicine fellowship at Washington University, where she has practiced medicine for over 20 years, and is currently the Barbara Burton and Reuben Morriss III Professor of Neurology.

Her work sits at the intersection of research and patient care, with a central goal: to understand how to use sleep to detect and even slow or prevent neurodegenerative disease. She has published extensively in high-impact scientific journals and is a top recipient of research grants from the National Institutes of Health. She is a sought-after speaker at national and international scientific conferences on sleep, neurology, and aging. Known for her clarity, warmth, and ability to make complex science accessible, she is a trusted expert on sleep and brain health, and is a frequent media contributor featured in major media outlets including NPR, Scientific American, and NBC News.

Through her patient care, speaking engagements, and advocacy work, Dr. Ju recognized a growing need for direct public engagement on sleep and brain health. She is now the author of the forthcoming book Luminous, a science-based guide to helping women reclaim restorative sleep as a foundation for vitality, clarity, and long-term brain health. She is committed to empowering people to prioritize sleep not just as self-care, but as neuroprotection.