Cao named Guggenheim Fellow
Expert in cancer prevention uses interdisciplinary methods to identify causes of early-onset cancer
Yin Cao, ScD, an associate professor of surgery and of medicine in the Division of Public Health Sciences at WashU Medicine, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the 101st class of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. The award is one of the nation’s most prestigious honors recognizing exceptional scholarship and creativity.
Also a research member at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, Cao was among 223 honorees across 55 disciplines selected from nearly 5,000 applicants for the fellowship. She was recognized for pioneering research at the intersection of epidemiology, biology, and data science, and was one of only two fellows selected in data science.
Cao’s research program focuses on why cancers are rising among younger adults. Her research examines these cancers through a multidimensional lens that integrates epidemiologic and biological insights with the goal of identifying risk factors that contribute to cancer risk and tumor progression in younger patients. With support from the Guggenheim Fellowship, Cao will write a book examining why cancers are occurring earlier in life, with the goal of providing clear, evidence-based information to patients, families, and communities and highlighting prevention as an increasingly important priority for younger individuals.
Read more on the Siteman Cancer Center website.
