Fish biologist.

Native of Pengzhou, Sichuan Province.

In July 1955, Cao graduated from the Department of Biology, Sichuan University, and was then assigned to work at IHB where he successively served as research intern, research assistant, research associate, professor, deputy director and director of the Laboratory of Fish Biology at IHB.

In October 1997, Professor Cao was elected as a member of Chinese Academy of Sciences.