Jin Yoon is originally from a rural area in the city of Cheonan, South Korea, where her uncle had a small swine farm. She moved to the United States in middle school for her education, and became an avid equestrian starting in high school. She came to the University of Illinois with the goal of attending veterinary school to become an equine orthopedic surgeon.

She worked in Dr. Stein’s lab as student employee for two years as an undergraduate. During her last semester, she was assigned to a research project in which she conducted an analysis of in vitro digestibility of amino acids in multiple DDGS samples and correlated the data to the in vivo values. Through her experience working at the lab, she found herself intrigued by nutrition research and decided to further her education by pursuing a Master's degree in Dr. Stein’s lab. Jin earned her degree in 2012, and she is now a DVM Candidate at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.