Dr. Anao Zhang is a psychosocial oncologist whose research centers on the psychosocial needs and survivorship of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. Trained as an intervention researcher, Dr. Zhang applies the social determinants of youth health framework to develop and deliver integrated, evidence-based mental health interventions for individuals living with a cancer diagnosis, especially the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population.

Dr. Zhang has authored over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and has received research support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), and the Children’s Cancer Research Fund, among others. His work has been published in leading academic journals, including JAMA Network Open, Clinical Psychology Review, and Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology. In recognition of his contributions, he received the 2024 Avery D. Weisman & J. William Worden Award for New Investigators from the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and was inducted into the 2025 University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice Hall of Fame. Dr. Zhang is ranked among the top 2% of global scientists (single year) in 2025 by Stanford/Elsevier.

Methodologically, Dr. Zhang is an applied quantitative methodologist with recognized expertise in structural equation modeling (SEM), meta-analysis, and statistical machine learning as applied in social and health sciences. Clinically, he is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a board-certified oncology social worker (OSW-C), and an academy-certified cognitive-behavioral therapist (ACBT), with advanced training in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for individuals with cancer and in solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT).

Dr. Zhang is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Psycho-Oncology, the leading international journal in the field of psychosocial oncology, serving as the official journal for both the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) and the British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS). In addition, Dr. Zhang serves as an associate editor for the Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research and the European Journal of Cancer Care.

Dr. Zhang currently holds the Lynn Behar Endowed Professorship in Psychosocial Oncology and serves as the Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Research and Practice (IPOPC) at the University of Washington School of Social Work. In these roles, he is committed to advancing transdisciplinary research and delivering world-class training for psychosocial oncology and palliative care professionals in the U.S. and globally.

Prior to joining the University of Washington in 2026, Dr. Zhang completed a transitional postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Brad Zebrack (2018–2019), served as a tenure-track assistant professor (2019–2024), and earned tenure in 2024 at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. He received his Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, where he also completed the graduate portfolio program in Applied Statistical Modeling from the Department of Statistics and Data Sciences. His MSW is from the University of Pennsylvania, and his undergraduate degree is from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Recent publications:

• Mental Health Trajectories Among US Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer as They Age
• Advancing Research for Adolescents and Young Adults Cancer: A Position Statement
• The Current State of Palliative Care Research for Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Thematic Analysis of Empirical Literature
• The Essential Nature of Social Work in Cancer Control
• A Clinical Case Study of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy for Young Adult Cancer Patients’ Psychological Distress: Focusing on Positive Emotions