Yuji was born and raised in Seattle to Japanese immigrants. His previous roles have taken him from Los Angeles to New York City to London, working with such varied clients as Target, BBC, Estée Lauder, Nike, MoMA, Garrett Leight, and Netflix.

In conversation with Yuji:

Six word story of your life. Growing older, getting wiser (hopefully).

What was your first brush with science? Food was my gateway. My dad is a chef, so I grew up in his kitchen, seeing the abundance of fruits, vegetables, and fish, learning about fermented foods like miso and natto. It was a daily lesson in how interconnected we all are.

Why do you think bacteria are important? Life!

How do you define science? Constant questioning.

How do you define health? An awareness of how your mind and body work as one.

What are you currently reading / listening to / watching? Ocean Vuong

Favorite microbiome-nurturing food? Natto!

Scientist, dead or alive, you’d like to have lunch with? David Zilber

Microbiome perturbation you’re trying to give up? Costco Hot Dogs