[3] Yost received his BS degree in chemistry in 1974 from the University of Arizona, having performed undergraduate research in chromatography with Mike Burke and his PhD degree in Analytical Chemistry in 1979 from Michigan State University, having performed graduate research with Chris Enke.

His group's research has reflected a unique balance between instrumentation development, fundamental studies, and applications in analytical chemistry.

His group has led in the application of novel mass spectrometric methods and techniques to areas such as metabolomics, clinical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, petrochemical, and forensic chemistry.

[7] He won the ASMS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Mass Spectrometry along with Chris Enke in 1993.

This includes the development of new mass spectrometric and ion mobility instrumentation and techniques and their application to biology and chemistry.