Sue S. Yom

Sue S. Yom is Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), serving as Vice Chair for the Strategic Advisory Committee and Chief of Radiation Oncology Head and Neck, Cutaneous, and Thoracic Services. She co-chairs the Oral, Head and Neck Site Committee and serves as Contact PI for NRG Oncology within the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, while holding national leadership as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics and Chair of the NRG Oncology Head and Neck Cancer Committee.

Her educational background includes:

• Rice University, BA French (1987-1991)
• University of Pennsylvania, PhD English (1993-2003)
• University of Pennsylvania, MD Medicine (1995-2002)
• MD Anderson Cancer Center, Intern Medicine/Surgery (2002-2003)
• MD Anderson Cancer Center, Resident Radiation Oncology (2003-2007)
• University of California San Francisco, MAS Clinical Research (2016)

Dr. Yom's research focuses on head/neck, skin, and thoracic cancers through clinical trials for reduced-intensity therapy in HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (NRG-HN002, NRG-HN005) and EBV-associated nasopharyngeal cancer (NRG-HN001). Her work integrates novel imaging, radioprotectants, quality-of-life metrics, smoking cessation protocols, and oral microbiome analysis to optimize radiation oncology outcomes while minimizing treatment toxicity.

Her scientific awards include:

• Global Health Programs Award, University of Pennsylvania (2002)
• Thomas Barkley Award, U. T. – M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (2004)
• Jesse H. Jones Fellowship in Cancer Education (2006)
• Eleanor Montague Distinguished Resident Award (2006)
• Best Doctors in America (2009-2019)
• Educator of the Year Award (2011)
• Exceptional Mentor Award (2019)
• Steven A. Leibel Memorial Award (2019)
• Fellow of ASTRO (2020)

As a dedicated mentor receiving the Exceptional Mentor Award, Dr. Yom secures substantial grant funding including NCI R01 for oral microbiome studies, NCCN decision-support tools, NCI Cancer Moonshot/TRDRP smoking cessation research, and diversity initiatives. Her principal investigator roles span NRG-HN002, NRG-HN005, and Nanoray 312 nanoparticle trials, with co-PI leadership on NRG-HN001 international nasopharyngeal cancer research.

She leads UCSF's Head and Neck, Cutaneous, and Thoracic Services while shaping national standards through the NCCN Head and Neck Cancers guidelines committee, Head and Neck Cancer International Group, and American Society for Radiation Oncology committees—driving innovation in cancer care delivery and health equity.