Dr. Sun “Coco” Yang has been honored with the prestigious Orange County Pharmacists Association (OCPhA) Pharmacist of the Year Award. This high honor recognizes Yang’s exceptional contributions to pharmacy and her dedication to advancing patient care.

Yang is a tenured Associate Professor at Chapman University and serves as a pharmacist specializing in pediatric oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). Her clinical research on medication safety in pediatric patients and translational studies on novel drug development for cutaneous melanoma have been published in journals such as Children, Frontiers in Public Health, Cancers, and Pharmaceutics. Most recently, Yang was awarded a $150,000 grant by Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics to explore vitamin D’s crucial and largely understudied role in influencing the gut microbiome in children diagnosed with cancer.

In addition to her life-changing research, Yang is a co-founder of the Chapman-Amgen Oncology Medical Affairs Fellowship program, where she directs and provides guidance to fellows during their clinical rotations. Her commitment to education and mentorship has made a significant impact on the next generation of pharmacists through a national network of residency alumni.

Dr. Mary Ngo, a CUSP PharmD alumna, expressed her appreciation for Yang’s service on behalf of OCPhA, stating, “Your commitment to advancing patient care and elevating the profession is truly inspiring, and we are proud to celebrate your outstanding achievements with you.”

In response to the award, Yang shared, “I am truly honored and humbled to receive this award. This achievement is a testament to the support and collaboration of my colleagues, mentors, and the pharmacy community, who have played an integral role in my professional journey.”

Yang will be recognized at an annual event for members of OCPhA, the largest local chapter of the California Pharmacists Association, on March 7th.