ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A biology professor at the University of North Carolina Asheville has received the institution’s first-ever grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), marking a major milestone for the university’s scientific research programme and expanding its role in federally funded cancer studies.
Professor Ted Meigs, Ph.D., was awarded $430,000 by the NCI, the United States federal government’s primary agency for cancer research and training, which operates under the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The funding will support an advanced research project focused on identifying proteins linked to cancer development and tumour growth.
The highly competitive award comes at a time when demand for federal biomedical research funding remains intense. According to the university, only 14% of applications submitted between 2020 and 2025 received funding approval from the National Cancer Institute.
University officials said the grant represents the first NCI-funded research award secured by a faculty member at UNC Asheville, highlighting the growing research capabilities of the institution despite its relatively small size compared with major research universities.
Professor Meigs’ project, titled Regulation of Tumorigenic G protein Signaling by Novel Post-translational Mechanisms, will examine the molecular signalling pathways involved in cancer formation. The long-term objective of the research is to support the development of medicines capable of eliminating cancerous tumours.
Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death globally, accounting for an estimated 10 million deaths each year. Researchers worldwide are investing heavily in molecular and cellular studies aimed at understanding how cancer develops and spreads, with the hope of producing more targeted and effective treatments.
The research being conducted at UNC Asheville will focus on G protein signalling, a biological process that regulates communication between cells. Abnormalities in these signalling pathways have been associated with tumour growth and disease progression in multiple forms of cancer.
By studying novel post-translational mechanisms, Professor Meigs and his research team aim to uncover new biological insights that may contribute to future therapeutic strategies within oncology and pharmaceutical development.
“It is imperative that we gain a better mechanistic understanding of the molecules that underlie this disease,” said Professor Meigs. “Our research, with the generous support of the National Cancer Institute, is part of an overall effort by the cancer research community worldwide that ultimately will save millions of lives. It’s exciting for our undergraduate Biology students to contribute to this critical work, an opportunity that is unique to UNC Asheville.”
The involvement of undergraduate students in federally funded cancer research is expected to form a central part of the project. University representatives said students studying biology at UNC Asheville will gain direct laboratory experience while contributing to research with potential long-term medical applications.
Such opportunities are often limited at undergraduate-focused institutions, where access to large-scale federal research programmes can be less common than at larger academic research centres.
The grant also reflects the increasing importance of collaboration between universities and federal health agencies in addressing major global health challenges. Funding from organisations such as the NIH and NCI is widely regarded as a benchmark for scientific credibility and research excellence within higher education.
Securing these grants typically involves extensive peer review, evidence of scientific merit, and demonstration of the project’s potential impact on public health and medical advancement.
The award is likely to strengthen UNC Asheville’s profile within the biomedical research sector and may support future efforts to attract additional federal funding and scientific partnerships.
Research projects funded through the National Cancer Institute frequently extend across multiple years, involving laboratory analysis, data collection, and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
For UNC Asheville, the grant represents both a scientific achievement and a strategic development in expanding undergraduate participation in nationally recognised medical research initiatives.
