Lanbo Xiao, PhD: Research Faculty Recognition Award
By Anastazia Hartman | October 28Lanbo Xiao, PhD, of the Department of Pathology was recently awarded for his notable contributions in the areas of teaching, mentoring, service, and scholarship at the Faculty Award Celebration on October 30, 2025.
Dr. Xiao is a research assistant professor in the Center for Translational Pathology and is at the forefront of advancing cancer therapies through groundbreaking research in chromatin remodeling, epigenetics, and transcriptional regulation.
"I am truly honored to receive the Research Faculty Recognition Award," said Xiao. "This recognition is both a personal milestone and a reflection of the collaborative and innovative spirit that makes the University of Michigan such a special place to do science.”
His pioneering work on mSWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes and enhancer-mediated transcriptional addiction has uncovered novel cancer vulnerabilities with significant potential for clinical application.
Since joining the University of Michigan as a postdoctoral fellow in 2014, Xiao has risen to the position of research assistant professor in the Center for Translational Pathology (2022). That same year, he received the Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Young Investigator Award.
Beyond cancer research, Xiao has contributed to major advances in public health diagnostics. He led the development of a saliva-based COVID-19 test used campus-wide during the pandemic and helped create the urine-based MyProstate Score 2.0 test, both of which have improved disease detection and patient care.
Supported by funding from the Prostate Cancer Foundation, NIH, and the Department of Defense, Xiao now serves as co-principal investigator on a $5 million Trailsend Foundation grant focused on developing chromatin remodeling–targeted therapies for human cancers.
“Over the years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to work under the mentorship of Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan and to have the constant support of my colleagues in the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP) and the Department of Pathology. Their guidance, encouragement, and generosity have shaped me as a scientist and continue to inspire me every day.”
The award, added Xiao, reaffirms the importance of the shared efforts of U-M researchers to turn fundamental discoveries into meaningful advances for patients.
Said Xiao, “I’m deeply grateful for this recognition and for the environment that the University of Michigan fosters—one that values curiosity, collaboration, and the courage to explore the unknown. And above all, I want to thank my family for their love, patience, and understanding. Their support has been my greatest strength throughout this journey."
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