Dr. Yokum is a Research Scientist at ORI. Dr. Yokum’s primary research interests are to better understand how dysfunctions in reward processes and executive control lead to obesity and eating disorders as well as the neurobehavioral consequences of these conditions. Her areas of research also include investigating how food advertising and poor diets activate reward systems to drive unhealthy eating behaviors. She has employed a multi-method approach to explore the role of neurobiological, attentional, and behavioral risk and maintenance factors in obesity and eating disorders. Dr. Yokum has conducted prospective fMRI studies that have identified novel risk and maintenance factors for obesity and eating disorders. She has also conducted several randomized trials that have evaluated prevention and treatment interventions for obesity and eating disorders.