Dr. Krista Hu graduated summa cum laude from Brandeis University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Her first research experience was in a nutrition-based lab there that worked with Nile rats, resulting in a consistent interest in metabolic biology and disease and its relevance to public health. Additionally, she was a research technician for two years at Massachusetts General Hospital, honing her molecular bench science skills in a cancer diagnostics context.
After working in a cancer lab, she wanted to combine her molecular biology and nutrition biology experiences, leading to a move to New York City to pursue her doctorate in nutritional and metabolic biology at Columbia University. Her Ph.D. research focused on fat tissue metabolism and development, and she successfully defended her thesis in June, 2025.
Fun Fact
Dr. Hu is a classically-trained violinist who plays with multiple community orchestras around NYC. She grew up in the Boston area and played in several orchestras including the Boston Youth Symphony.