Dr. Cao’s research group specializes in systems and translational cancer epidemiology with an overarching goal to develop precision-based cancer prevention/control strategies. Current projects incorporate novel technologies (genomics, microbiome, proteomics, accelerometers) into large-scale collaborative population-based/clinical studies to address provocative questions in gastrointestinal cancer prevention, including but not limited to: the etiology of sporadic cancers among younger adults, the biological basis for cancer disparity, and the role of host-microbial interactions in carcinogenesis.