Anao Zhang

Dr. Anao Zhang is an Associate Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work and serves as the clinical research director of the Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) Oncology Program at Michigan Medicine. His work bridges social work, mental health intervention, and cancer survivorship research with a focus on adolescent and young adult populations.

Dr. Zhang received his PhD in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin, where he also completed a graduate portfolio program in Applied Statistical Modeling. He earned his MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and his LLB in Social Work from Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Dr. Zhang's research focuses on psycho-oncology and adolescent and young adult cancer survivorship, contextualized through the social determinants of youth health framework. He aims to develop and deliver integrated, empirically supported mental health treatments for individuals with co-morbid physical and mental health conditions, particularly AYA cancer survivors with depression. His work integrates advanced quantitative methods including meta-analysis, structural equation modeling, causal inference, and machine learning to strengthen evidence-based practice in social work and healthcare. His publications reveal a strong commitment to understanding coping mechanisms, developing culturally responsive interventions, and examining the intersection of social determinants with health outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Dr. Zhang's recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on understanding psychological impacts of cancer on young patients, developing mental health interventions, and examining how adverse childhood experiences affect adolescent health outcomes. His work spans methodological innovation in solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy applications, and examining social determinants of health in cancer survivorship.

• Children's Cancer Research Fund Grant (October 2024)
• Avery D. Weisman & J. William Worden Award for New Investigators (March 2024)
• Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program (January 2024)
• Eugene Washington PCORI Grant (January 2023)

Dr. Zhang serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology and is the deputy chair of survivorship SIG at the International Psycho-Oncology Society. Clinically, he is a licensed clinical social worker with over five years of hospital experience specializing in solution-focused brief therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. His teaching portfolio includes advanced clinical social work practice, clinical social work in integrated healthcare, inter-professional education, and advanced quantitative methods in social work research.

As clinical research director of the AYA Oncology Program, Dr. Zhang leads a multidisciplinary research team focused on improving psychosocial outcomes for young cancer patients and survivors. His team collaborates across departments including Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Social Work, and the Rogel Cancer Center to develop and implement interventions that address the unique psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults navigating cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.