Emil Chynn was born in New York City to Kuo York (York) and Marie Noelle (Noelle) Chynn, a neuroradiologist and social worker, respectively, who had emigrated separately from Shanghai, China, and met in New York City [REF].
In 1987 he received his B.A. degree in Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and graduated cum laude.