Shari Youngblood

Dr. Shari M. Youngblood is an Assistant Professor and Core Faculty Member in the Department of Integrative & Functional Nutrition at Saybrook University, where she teaches in the MS and PhD programs, mentors graduate and doctoral research, and serves on dissertation committees. A board-certified and licensed clinical nutritionist, Dr. Youngblood's work spans clinical practice, education, and applied research, with a focus on translating nutrition and behavioral science into scalable, patient-centered models of care.

Her scholarly work emphasizes the integration of lifestyle and metabolic strategies into complex medical contexts, including oncology, chronic disease, and mental health care. She is particularly interested in how supportive care interventions can be designed and implemented to enhance symptom management, quality of life, and equitable access to care for individuals navigating serious and chronic illness. Her approach prioritizes translational science, feasibility, and real-world application across diverse populations.

Dr. Youngblood's research background includes experience in oncology and chronic disease-related clinical trials, where she contributed to intervention development, protocol design, and participant-centered delivery models with attention to health equity and access. This experience informs her ongoing work in developing and refining evidence-based, scalable programming that bridges clinical research and practical implementation. Her scholarship is grounded in a strong qualitative research foundation, including narrative inquiry, focus groups, and community-engaged approaches that elevate patient voice and lived experience.

She has advanced training in metabolically targeted interventions, including ketogenic metabolic therapy and time-restricted eating, and explores how lifestyle strategies may support resilience, symptom burden reduction, and overall well-being within interdisciplinary care settings. Across her academic and clinical roles, she emphasizes collaborative models that thoughtfully integrate lifestyle and supportive care into broader healthcare systems.

In addition to her academic role, Dr. Youngblood maintains an active clinical practice through outpatient and telehealth settings. Her interdisciplinary background includes anthropology and sociology, which informs her commitment to culturally responsive care and program development. She serves as Associate Editor-in-Chief for Cancer Management and Research and as an ad hoc reviewer for journals including Supportive Care in Cancer, remaining actively engaged in advancing rigorous, patient-centered oncology scholarship.

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Courses Taught:

- IFN 5670: Foundations of Integrative & Functional Nutrition

- IFN 5705: The Psychobiology of Eating

- IFN 5687: Capstone Seminar in Integrative & Functional Nutrition

- IFN 5900: Integrative Approaches to Chronic Disease

- IFN 8100: Independent Study in Nutrition

- IFN 5527: Whole Foods Cooking Lab

- IFN 5611: Therapeutic Diets & Menu Planning