Wen-Ying “Sylvia” Chou, PhD, MPH
27 UNIHTED Senior Advisor
(Resigned) Program Director at the NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Visiting Scholar at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania
Dr. Chou brings her scientific and practical experience with health communication to offer strategic guidance to 27 UNIHTED. She also leads engagement efforts with the academic research community, offering lectures and “townhalls” at organizations and universities to inform growing science advocacy efforts across the U.S.
After witnessing the harmful policies at the NIH, Dr. Chou joined hundreds of colleagues in issuing the Bethesda Declaration, voicing their dissent against the politicization of science. She continues to organize civil servants, scientists, and community members nationwide with the goal of upholding the integrity of government-sponsored research.
After nearly 16 years at NCI, Dr. Chou resigned in January of 2026. A prolific health communication scholar with more than 125 publications, her research on social media and end-of-life discourse has been referenced in major media outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Washington Post. Her latest area of expertise is on the spread of health misinformation — its causes, consequences, and mitigation approaches.
Dr. Chou holds a MS and PhD in linguistics from Georgetown University, and an MPH from UC Berkeley.