Dr. Hector Biliran, Professor in Xavier’s Biology Department, received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund his university research. Dr. Biliran’s preliminary grant with Xavier’s Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (XULA BUILD) program, Project Pathways, supported his NIH Support Research Excellence (SuRE) R16 grant.

The SuRE program supports building research capacity at institutions with a significant number of students from backgrounds nationally underrepresented in biomedical research. SuRE develops and sustains the research excellence of faculty investigators and provides students with research opportunities, catalyzing institutional research culture and enriching the research environment.

Dr. Biliran’s XULA BUILD grant supported his SuRE R16 grant, providing funding for his research. Dr. Biliran’s research focuses on human lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most commonly diagnosed histological subtype of lung cancer. It has a mere 15% five-year survival rate. His research studies the role of the Bit1-TLE1 cell death pathway as a potential therapeutic target in human lung cancer. The research’s goal is to molecularly characterize and dissect the TLE1 epigenetic and transcriptional function in human LUAD cells, with the hope it can be targeted to attenuate LUAD aggressiveness and metastatic potential.

He is grateful for XULA BUILD’s role in the progression of his SuRE R16 grant.

“As principal investigator, I am thankful that XULA BUILD provided the necessary support for me to continue my cancer research project,” said Dr. Biliran. “XULA BUILD was critical to keeping my lab functional and allowed us to continue mentoring undergraduate students in innovative and hypothesis-driven research projects at Xavier.”

Dr. Biliran was thankful to be selected for the grant and to continue contributing to lung cancer research.

“For educators and scientists, preparing and submitting grant proposals can be a tedious and overwhelming experience, but can turn into a fruitful and worthwhile endeavor,” said Dr. Biliran. “The selection of my grant for funding by the NIH indicates my work is significant and innovative to drive current knowledge in the human lung cancer field.”