Xiaochen Zhang, PhD, MPH, MBBS

Xiaochen Zhang is an epidemiologist and assistant professor in the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control within the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. As a member of the Cancer Control Program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, her research is dedicated to reducing cancer disparities through lifestyle and behavioral interventions.

Her research program examines how physical activity, diet and other modifiable factors influence metabolic mechanisms and health outcomes across the cancer care continuum. A particular focus of her work is improving cancer prevention and survivorship outcomes among rural and Appalachian populations.

Using both observational and intervention-based approaches, she investigates the role of lifestyle behaviors in cancer risk, cancer-related symptoms and survivorship outcomes. She leads studies evaluating remotely delivered and culturally tailored interventions, such as physical activity and dietary modification programs, designed to improve accessibility and address barriers faced by different populations. The overarching goal of her research is to develop scalable, evidence-based strategies that reduce cancer burden and advance health equity.

Dr. Zhang's work has been published in leading journals, including Journal of Clinical Oncology, JAMA Network Open, and Cancer. She is the recipient of a National Cancer Institute Predoctoral-to-Postdoctoral Fellow Transition (F99/K00) Award and an American Association for Cancer Research Career Development Award. She currently serves on the editorial boards of PLOS ONE and BMC Public Health and is an active contributor to behavioral science, cancer epidemiology and cancer prevention research communities.

My research focuses on how physical activity, diet, weight loss, and other modifiable lifestyle behaviors influence cancer risk and survivorship outcomes. I use epidemiologic data and behavioral science approach to develop scalable, evidence-based interventions that improve health outcomes and reduce cancer disparities, with a particular focus on rural and Appalachian populations.