Khola Bilal

Khola Bilal is a medical student at the University of British Columbia (class of 2026). She completed her B.Sc. in Biomedical Physiology at Simon Fraser University in 2022. 

Recently, Bilal has been working on the role of Granzyme B, a serine protease, in the progession of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Specifically, Bilal is is interested in the effect of serine protease inhibitors on Granzyme B for halting AMD progression. Bilal is also interested in understanding the effect of novel, pathogenic Troponin C (TnC) variants on dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). For example, the changes in the binding properties of a de novo TnC variant to calcium and other cardiac proteins may have an effect on the properties of the troponin complex.

Bilal would love to work with a clinical researcher to see how foundational research translates to the clinical world. She would like to learn how clinical research is conducted, how it differs from basic sciences research, and how to translate knowledge gained through this research to novel treatments or changes in existing treatments for patients.

During her spare time, Bilal loves traveling to small towns in every country she visits. They always have so much hidden history and the people that live there are always so happy to show her the special parts of their town. If anyone were to visit Belgium, she would highly recommend visiting Dinant. It is a small town with beautiful canals running through the streets. It is the perfect fusion of German, Dutch, and French culture. Fun fact: the inventor of saxophones, Adolphe Sax, was born in Dinant!