Dengchao Cao

Dengchao Cao is an Associate Research Scientist in the Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology (CMCO) at Yale Cancer Center. He obtained his PhD from China Agricultural University, where he studied hematopoietic stem cell differentiation and T/B lymphocyte development. During postdoctoral training at the National Cancer Institute (NIH), he identified and mechanistically characterized a highly penetrant mutator phenotype with a previously unknown mutation signature generated by cytarabine exposure in T-ALL—a signature that persisted independently of ongoing drug treatment.

Dr. Cao joined the laboratory of Dr. Markus Müschen in January 2026. His research focuses on leveraging central tolerance mechanisms to eliminate malignant B cells and overcome drug resistance in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), with the broader goal of understanding clonal evolution in B cell malignancies and overcoming therapy resistance.

Outside the laboratory, he enjoys badminton and soccer.