Qingzhao Yu

Dr. Qingzhao Yu is a Full Professor and Associate Dean for Research at the School of Public Health at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) New Orleans. She holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from The Ohio State University (2006), and has extensive experience in developing statistical methods for public health, clinical, and biomedical research. Her research focuses on Bayesian modeling, mediation analysis, health disparities, and causal effect analysis, with a strong emphasis on addressing racial/ethnic inequities in healthcare outcomes through innovative statistical approaches.

Dr. Yu has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications and a textbook on statistical methods for mediation analysis. She leads NIH-funded projects and serves on NAACCR research committees, the American Statistical Association, and the International Society of Bayesian Analysis. Her work explores disparities in breast cancer survival, diabetes outcomes, and smoking cessation interventions, particularly in underserved populations. She also collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to improve healthcare access and outcomes in Louisiana's rural and minority communities.

Her recent studies include analyzing racial disparities in diabetes through exercise (2025), genomic determinants of breast cancer survival (2024), and Medicaid expansion impacts on cancer care access (2024). She has pioneered Bayesian mediation analysis tools, including the 'hdbma' R package, and contributed to dental research on materials and infection control. Beyond academia, she serves as a chief judge for USA Swimming and teaches at the New Orleans Chinese School.