MD
Assistant Professor, Hematology and Oncology
UNC-Chapel Hill
UNC Breast Center
Breast Cancer
Meet Yara Abdou
Area of Interest
Yara Abdou, MD, specializes in the treatment of early stage and metastatic breast cancer. Her research focuses on the development of novel therapies, particularly immunotherapy, to treat different subtypes of breast cancer. She works closely with basic and translational scientists to study the breast tumor microenvironment and find ways to enhance treatment approaches by utilizing the immune system. In addition, her research also focuses on racial differences in tumor biology and immune microenvironment, to better understand racial disparities and improve clinical outcomes in African American women with breast cancer.
As a clinician and a researcher, her goal is to improve treatment strategies for breast cancer while minimizing suffering and morbidity from the disease.
Awards and Honors
- Merit Award, ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation, 2024
- Career Development Award, Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Program, 2023
- Grant from the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, 2020
- Merit Award, ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation, 2020
- JCO-ASCO’s Editorial Fellow, 2019
- AACR Associate Member Award, 2019
- ESMO Young Oncologist Merit Award, 2019
- Thomas F. Frawley, MD Research Fellowship award, 2019
- Participation in ASCO/AACR Workshop on Methods in Clinical Cancer Research, 2019
- Outstanding Research award at University of New Mexico, 2017
- Dean’s list awards, 2008-2012
- Top Academic Achiever at the Annual Honors Convocation, 2006-2008
News and Stories
A call to bridge the gap in cancer clinical trial funding
In a Journal of Clinical Oncology editorial, Yara Abdou, MD, and Norman E. Sharpless, MD, share their concerns about a growing reliance on industry-sponsored cancer clinical trials in the U.S.
ASCO honors cancer center faculty and trainees at annual meeting
The American Society of Clinical Oncology and Conquer Cancer recognized UNC Lineberger faculty and trainees at ASCO’s annual meeting.
