Jessilyn Dunn
Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
About Me:
Jessilyn Dunn, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Biostatistics & Bioinformatics at Duke University. She directs the BIG IDEAs Lab, which is focused on digital health innovation, wearable sensors, and the development and validation of AI-driven digital biomarkers. Dr. Dunn is the Principal Investigator of research initiatives funded by the NIH, NSF, and FDA which are developing digital biomarkers of conditions ranging from pre- and type 2 diabetes to influenza-like illness to Opioid Use Disorder. She sits on the Google Consumer Health Advisory Panel and is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and the IEEE EMBS Early Career Achievement Award for her leadership and innovation across engineering and medicine. She earned her BS from Johns Hopkins University (JHU), completed her PhD through Georgia Tech and Emory University, and pursued her postdoctoral training at Stanford University. A founder of the JHU Ballet Company, she draws inspiration from inventor and actress Hedy Lamarr and brings both creativity and rigor to her work.
Outside the lab, she can most likely be found with her family, swimming laps, dancing ballet, or chasing her toddler and dogs. A master scuba diver and avid fan of LoFi playlists during data analysis, she fuels her days with decaf iced coffee and celebrates wins, big or small, with a shared meal with her lab. Her guiding philosophy is to pace yourself - it’s a marathon, not a sprint - and one day she hopes to complete a major long-distance hike such as the Appalachian or Pacific Crest Trail.
Appointments and Affiliations
- Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering
- Associate Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics
- Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Associate Professor in Medicine
- Member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute
