2018 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 

2018

Through biomedical research and science education, 

Van Andel Institute is committed to improving the health and 

enhancing the lives of current and future generations. 

Table of Contents 

2 A Letter from David Van Andel 

4 Research 

6 Rare Diseases, Big Impact 

8 Keeping Watch On Our Cellular Clock 

10 Fueling Innovation 

11 An Art Gallery at the Near-Atomic Level 

22 Meeting the Grand Challenge 

24 Van Andel Research Institute Scientists Help 

Create Cancer “Atlas” 

26 Making a Difference Early On 

28 Van Andel Institute Graduate School Students 

30 Education 

32 Honoring and Empowering Teachers 

33 High School Students Spend Their Summer 

Days at Van Andel Education Institute 

44 Donors and Philanthropic Partners (cont.) 

44 Purple Community Football Games 

46 Purple Community 5K 

47 Running Like the Wind 

48 Purple Community Breaks a Record 

49 Duncan Lake Middle School Students 

50 Never Stop Giving Back — Sally Schaafsma 

51 Memorials 

12 A Surprising Discovery 

34 Donors and Philanthropic Partners 

51 Society of Hope 

14 Meet the Scientist Behind the Science 

36 Donor Profile: Alvin and Hylda Tuuk 

52 Signature Special Event Sponsors 

15 Stand Up To Cancer Global Telecast 

37 Donor Profile: Duke Suwyn 

53 Institute Leadership Team 

16 Van Andel Research Institute’s Principal 

Investigators 

38 Event Photos 

54 Board and Council Members

A LETTER FROM DAVID VAN ANDEL 

Dear Friends, 

Last fall, Van Andel Institute announced that a team led by 

our scientists uncovered groundbreaking new insights into 

the appendix’s possible role in Parkinson’s disease. The 

team’s discoveries were published in Science Translational 

Medicine, and covered by hundreds of major publications 

and news networks in every corner of the world. It was a 

moment that gave hope to people with Parkinson’s, while 

giving scientists new avenues for designing treatments for 

this devastating disease. It also was a shining example of 

what we are capable of when we work together, guided by 

imagination, vision and an unwavering desire to improve 

human health. 

Discoveries like this are possible because of you — our 

most valued donors and supporters. Your belief in our 

work and your dedication, commitment and generosity 

have served as the Institute’s bedrock since it was founded 

in 1996. We are eternally grateful. 

You have been with us as we have grown from a small 

research institute in West Michigan to an internationally 

known epicenter for incredible science, extensive 

collaboration and powerfully bold ideas. During the last 

year, you’ve stood by our side as we invested in new talent 

and technology, created new research programs and 

built on the vision articulated by our family more than 

two decades ago. We also have continued to move new 

discoveries from the lab into clinical trials — thanks to our 

collaborative partnerships with organizations like Stand Up 

To Cancer and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust. 

In the following pages, you’ll read about new findings in 

cancer and Parkinson’s, and the launch of an exciting 

metabolism program; meet the talented scientists who 

call the Institute home; and learn how we are working 

with students and teachers to transform K–12 education. 

You’ll also see how your generosity has made a significant, 

positive impact on every aspect of our mission. 

On behalf of everyone at the Institute, I would like to thank 

you for your support, your generous hearts and, most 

importantly, your friendship. As we take time to reflect 

on the work we’ve done and celebrate a year of great 

accomplishments, let’s continue to move ahead together 

and build on the amazing achievements described in 

these pages. 

Warmly, 

David Van Andel 

Van Andel Institute Chairman & CEO 

2 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2018 VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | 3

Van Andel Research Institute 

is a world leader in cancer epigenetics and Parkinson’s disease research. 

Collaborating with academia, industry and philanthropy, the Institute 

orchestrates cutting-edge clinical trials to improve human health. 

Van Andel Institute Graduate School 

develops future leaders in biomedical research through an intense, 

problem-focused Ph.D. degree in molecular and cellular biology. 


RARE DISEASES, BIG IMPACT 

RESEARCH 

A bench-to-bedside effort to better understand and treat rare diseases aims to 

provide answers where there are now only questions. 

“Rare diseases are often understudied, which is a real problem when it comes to helping 

patients,” said Dr. Matt Steensma, a Van Andel Research Institute scientist, a surgeon at 

Spectrum Health and an assistant professor at Michigan State University. “It’s very difficult 

to tell someone, ‘we know what you have, but we don’t know what to do about it.’” 

More than 7,000 such disorders have been identified to date; some, like Aicardi syndrome, 

affect a handful of people while others, such as Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), affect 

thousands, but still fall below the 200,000-person cap that marks a disease as rare. An 

estimated 25 million people in the U.S. have a rare disease, a large proportion of whom 

are children. 

Going after the outliers 

About nine years ago, Steensma teamed up with Dr. Bart Williams, a bone disease expert 

and now director of the Institute’s Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, to create the 

Outliers Program, an effort to identify the causes of rare diseases and to find ways to 

treat them. Their work is bolstered by the expertise of the Institute’s Bioinformatics and 

Biostatistics Core and collaborators at nearby Michigan State University College of 

Human Medicine. 

At the top of their list was oculoectodermal syndrome (OES), an exceedingly uncommon 

disorder first identified in two unrelated patients in Grand Rapids in 1993. When the 

Outliers Program began in 2009, only 18 patients had ever been diagnosed with the 

disorder, which causes severe lesions on the scalp and debilitating bone growths on 

the jaw. 

Using samples from one of Steensma’s patients, the team determined the cause of 

the disease — a mutation to KRAS, one of the most heavily studied cancer genes. This 

discovery placed OES, unquestionably a rare disease, in the middle of the incredible 

science and innovation surrounding KRAS and cancer. 

“More importantly, our care of the patient was changed for the better,” Steensma said. 

The ripple effect 

Progress in rare disease research often is hindered by a lack of funding, with dollars 

frequently going to more common or better-known diseases. Although this is beginning to 

change, philanthropic support remains critical for propelling this promising work forward. 

The Outliers Program is a prime example. It is completely funded by donations, including 

a grant from Wells Fargo that helped establish the program and continuing support from 

Steensma and Williams’ own colleagues through VAI’s Employee Impact Fund (EIF), which is 

sustained by the Institute’s employees. 

In May, Steensma’s team was awarded a second round of EIF funding, this time to support 

research into Aicardi syndrome, a disorder that almost exclusively affects females and 

that is characterized by developmental problems in the brain and eyes that may lead to 

seizures, learning disabilities and blindness. There have been fewer than 60 documented 

cases of the disease in the world. 

Finding the mutations that cause rare diseases like OES or Aicardi often have broad 

implications; because the systems that keep our bodies up and running are so intricately 

intertwined, a discovery in one disease can directly impact what we know about another. 

That’s the case with NF1, a disease diagnosed in childhood that causes benign tumors to 

grow throughout the body. In 2018, Steensma and Dr. Carrie Graveel, a senior research 

scientist in Steensma’s lab, discovered that changes to the gene that causes NF1 also 

significantly ups breast cancer risk in women with and without neurofibromatosis. 

“We call it the ‘ripple effect’ — often, the science behind why a rare disease occurs is really 

the same science as why a cancer occurs,” Steensma said. “By studying rare diseases, 

we can help people battling these conditions, while also developing treatments for more 

common disorders. It really opens the window to studying the underlying biology in a 

different context.” 

“More importantly, our care of the patient was changed for the better.” 

— DR. MATT STEENSMA 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) DR. BART WILLIAMS, 

DR. MATT STEENSMA & DR. CARRIE GRAVEEL. 

6 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2018 

VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | 7

KEEPING WATCH ON OUR CELLULAR CLOCK 

RESEARCH 

In many ways, our futures are written in the history of 

our cells. 

But before this information can be deciphered, it must be 

measured, something that was difficult until recently. 

Now, thanks to a team led by investigators at Van Andel 

Research Institute (VARI) and Cedars-Sinai, scientists have 

a straightforward, computational way to measure cellular 

age, a feat that may lead to better, simpler screening and 

monitoring methods for cancer and other diseases. 

The findings, published in April, reveal a progressive, 

measurable loss of special chemical tags that regulate 

our genes and are detectable at the earliest stages 

of development. These changes continue throughout 

a person’s life, correlating with cellular rather than 

chronological age and foreshadowing alterations found in 

cancer cells. 

The work is the result of a long-time collaboration between 

senior authors Dr. Peter W. Laird and Dr. Hui Shen of VARI 

and Dr. Benjamin Berman then at Cedars-Sinai in Los 

Angeles. It builds on a 2011 discovery by Berman and Laird 

that first determined loss of these DNA marks — called 

methyl groups — occurs in specific areas of the genome in 

cancer. However, the techniques used back then were not 

able to detect this process occurring in normal cells. 

“Our cellular clock starts ticking the moment our cells 

begin dividing,” Laird said. “This method allows us to track 

the history of these past divisions and measure age-related 

changes to the genetic code that may contribute to both 

normal aging and dysfunction.” 

Each of the nearly 40 trillion cells in the human body 

can trace its lineage back to a single, fertilized egg cell 

containing the original copy of an individual’s DNA. 

Throughout a person’s lifetime, these cells divide, replacing 

old or damaged cells at different rates based on factors 

such as their function in the body, environmental insults 

and wound healing. 

Despite undergoing elaborate biological quality control 

checks, each cell division chips away at the genome’s 

integrity, leaving behind an accumulating number of 

changes. Chief among these is a dramatic shift in the 

number and location of methyl groups on the genome, 

part of a process that begins during fetal development and 

continues throughout a lifetime. 

“What is striking about the results from our new method is 

that they push back the start of this process to the earliest 

stages of in utero development,” Berman said. “That was 

completely surprising, given the current assumption that 

the process begins relatively late on the path to cancer. 

This finding also suggests that it may play a functional role 

relatively early in the formation of tumors.” 

While loss of DNA methyl groups, known as hypomethylation, 

is a common feature of many cancers, the mechanisms 

behind this phenomenon have until now been largely 

unknown. It is more profound in cancers that arise in 

tissues with a high turnover rate, such as the skin and the 

epithelium, the thin layer of cells that line many organs. 

It also features prominently in pediatric cancers such as 

medulloblastoma, a rare brain tumor. 

“Tissues with higher turnover rates are typically more 

susceptible to cancer development simply because there 

are more opportunities for errors to accumulate and force 

the change from a normal cell to a malignant one,” Shen 

said. “What we’re seeing is a normal process — cellular 

aging — augmented and accelerated once a cell becomes 

cancerous. The cumulative effect is akin to a runaway 

freight train.” 

Analysis and data interpretation for the project were led 

by Dr. Wanding Zhou, a postdoctoral fellow in the labs of 

Laird, Shen and VARI Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Peter A. 

Jones, along with co-first author Dr. Huy Q. Dinh, at the 

time a project scientist in Berman’s lab at the Cedars-Sinai 

Center for Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics. The 

study encompassed 39 diverse tumors and more than 

340 human and 200 mouse datasets — the most in-depth 

study of its kind — and would not have been possible 

without massive swaths of publicly accessible data from 

large-scale sequencing projects, including The Cancer 

Genome Atlas. 

“This research project is a great example of combining 

our own data with externally available datasets to 

discover something new,” Zhou said. “If the project had 

been completed three years ago, the storyline would 

have been slightly different. Now, thanks to access to 

broader data, we can see that our method reveals a more 

general principle that extends all the way back to early 

development.” 

In addition to Zhou, Dinh, Shen, Laird and Berman, authors 

include Zachary Ramjan of VARI; and Dr. Daniel J. Weisenberger 

and Dr. Charles M. Nicolet, of University of Southern California 

Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. 



FUELING INNOVATION THE INSTITUTE ESTABLISHES METABOLISM AND NUTRITION PROGRAM 

AN ART GALLERY AT THE NEAR-ATOMIC LEVEL 

RESEARCH 

On the surface, diseases like cancer, Parkinson’s and 

diabetes appear vastly different. 

But go deeper and you’ll find that they are linked by a 

common thread, one that scientists hope will lead to new 

ways to prevent, diagnose and treat these disorders along 

with a range of other health problems that plague people 

around the world. 

That connector is metabolism, a set of chemical reactions 

that fuel everyday life, from keeping the heart beating 

to powering the body’s immune defenses. Although 

metabolism is a central part of human health and wellbeing, 

there’s still much that we don’t know about how it 

works and how it contributes to a host of health problems. 

That’s why, in the fall, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) 

established the most comprehensive metabolism research 

program of its kind, aimed at developing scientifically 

driven strategies for improving health and for preventing 

and treating disease. 

“Metabolism is involved in every process in the body, from 

big, system-level things like our immune system down to 

smaller-scale things like the life cycles of individual cells,” 

said Dr. Russell Jones, the program’s leader, who joined the 

Institute in 2018. “We have so much to learn. It is our hope 

that we can leverage what we find to prevent disease and 

to better treat it when it does occur.” 

Metabolism is akin to a biological power plant — when 

there’s an outage, people who depend on that plant’s 

electricity aren’t able to go about their business efficiently 

or, perhaps, even at all. The same is true for our cells; if 

the body’s metabolism doesn’t supply enough energy, cells 

can’t carry out the necessary functions to keep us healthy. 

This collaborative effort comprises six laboratories, four 

of which are new, to investigate the full spectrum of 

metabolism, from dietary influences and their impact 

through the generations to how cancer cells hijack 

metabolic processes to invade healthy tissue. 

It’s an urgent mission, spurred by a looming increase in the 

incidence of many of the world’s most challenging diseases. 

This new program is a catalyst, one that will rally the 

collaborative spirit of the Institute and connect all aspects 

of its research to create a healthier future. 

Learn more at vai.org. 

METABOLIC & NUTRITIONAL PROGRAMMING TEAM (LEFT TO 

RIGHT) DR. ADELHEID LEMPRADL, DR. NING WU, DR. J. ANDREW 

POSPISILIK, DR. CONNIE KRAWCZYK, DR. RUSSELL JONES & 

DR. BRIAN HAAB. 

Two years ago, Van Andel Research Institute became home to one of the world’s most powerful microscopes, 

which is capable of visualizing the building blocks of life in stunning clarity. Called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo- 

EM), this technique is rapidly changing how we understand the very basis of biology and could lead to improved 

therapies for dozens of diseases. Here is a quick look at a few of the molecules and molecular complexes imaged 

by VARI’s cryo-EM in 2018. 

Assembly mechanism of E. coli pili 

Dr. Huilin Li 

E. coli bacteria are the main culprit behind 

urinary tract infections, which affect more 

than 150 million people worldwide each 

year. Using cryo-EM, Dr. Huilin Li and 

collaborators determined the architecture 

of the mechanism responsible for building 

the hair-like structures, or pili, that the 

bacteria use to infect the kidneys and 

bladder. Their work may lead to more 

precise antimicrobial therapies that target 

E. coli but spare healthy cells. 

The protein TRPM2 

Dr. Juan Du and Dr. Wei Lü 

TRPM2 is a protein found throughout 

the body that aids in regulating core 

body temperature, mediating immune 

responses and governing apoptosis, the 

programmed death of cells. This central 

role in so many important processes 

makes it a promising drug target, 

particularly for Alzheimer’s disease and 

bipolar disorder. TRPM2 belongs to TRP 

superfamily, a group of proteins that play 

an important role in the body’s response 

to sensory stimuli, such as pain, pressure 

and temperature. It is the second TRP 

protein determined by Lü and Du; in 

2017, they visualized TRPM4, which helps 

regulate blood supply to the brain. 

The protein TRPC3 

Dr. Wei Lü and Dr. Juan Du 

The protein TRPC3 can be found in the 

brain and smooth muscles, where it 

helps regulate the formation of nerves. 

Problems with TRPC3 can contribute to 

neurodegenerative diseases, abnormal 

thickening of the heart muscle and ovarian 

cancer. Now that its structure is known, 

scientists have high hopes that it may be 

useful as a drug target for treating these 

diseases and many others. 

A GPCR bound to an inhibitory G protein 

Dr. Eric Xu and Dr. Karsten Melcher 

For the first time, scientists have 

visualized the interaction between two 

critical components of the body’s cellular 

communication network, a discovery that 

could lead to more effective medications 

with fewer side effects for conditions 

ranging from migraine to cancer. The 

near-atomic resolution images, made 

possible by cryo-EM, show a G-protein 

coupled receptor (GPCR) called rhodopsin 

bound to an inhibitory G protein, and 

provides a blueprint for designing more 

precise, selective drugs while also solving a 

longstanding problem in the field. 



A SURPRISING DISCOVERY HOW THE APPENDIX IS TRANSFORMING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PARKINSON’S 

RESEARCH 

When it comes to Parkinson’s disease, the appendix is 

usually not the first thing that springs to mind — but 

perhaps it should be, according to Van Andel Research 

Institute’s (VARI) Dr. Viviane Labrie. 

In October, she and her colleagues published revolutionary 

new findings that peg the appendix as a starting point for 

Parkinson’s, a discovery that provides a path forward for 

devising powerful new ways to predict and possibly prevent 

the disease. The findings were hailed as a major — and 

surprising — breakthrough by scientists around the world. 

“We’re in the midst of a watershed moment in Parkinson’s 

research,” Labrie said. “Right now, there are no ways to 

prevent, slow or stop Parkinson’s, or even to objectively 

diagnose it prior to the onset of motor symptoms. We are 

extremely hopeful that our work will help change that.” 

The findings come at a time when experts are warning of a 

looming Parkinson’s epidemic, largely the result of an aging 

global population. Between 1990 and 2015, the prevalence 

of Parkinson’s doubled to an estimated 7 million people 

worldwide. By 2040, the number is expected to double 

again. 

The team’s research shows that removing the appendix — 

a surgery called an appendectomy — significantly reduces 

the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by eliminating a 

major reservoir for abnormal proteins linked to its onset. 

Called alpha-synuclein, these proteins travel from cell 

to cell, clumping together and clogging up the cellular 

machinery required for normal, healthy function. 

Their results also indicate that people who have had their 

appendix removed early in their lives are 19 percent less 

likely to develop Parkinson’s. In people who live in rural 

areas, that number is even higher, with appendectomies 

reducing the risk of developing the disease by 25 percent. 

Parkinson’s often is more prevalent in rural populations, 

which studies suggest may be related to pesticide 

exposure. 

That’s not all. The findings also show that appendectomy 

may slow the disease’s progress, pushing back diagnosis by 

an average of 3.6 years. Because diagnosing Parkinson’s is 

closely tied to onset of movement-related symptoms, this 

means people have more time before these symptoms 

become pronounced enough to be noticed. 

There is an important caveat, however. Removal of the 

appendix — and the Parkinson’s-associated alphasynuclein 

proteins contained within it — must occur before 

the disease process begins to impact risk. This window 

of time can vary from person to person, with evidence 

suggesting the disease process starts as early as 20 years 

before diagnosis. 

Removal of the appendix also doesn’t appear to prevent or 

delay Parkinson’s in people whose disease has an evident 

genetic cause — a group that comprises less than 10 

percent of those with Parkinson’s disease. 

Labrie and her colleagues stress that people shouldn’t 

opt for an appendectomy as a way to mitigate risk for two 

major reasons. First, despite its undeserved reputation 

as useless, the appendix actually acts as an important 

storehouse for bacteria that play a role in the immune 

system. Secondly, appendectomy only demonstrated 

benefit decades before the onset of Parkinson’s and would 

not be protective in people who have already developed 

the disease. It’s also worth noting that all surgeries carry 

risk and that, while appendectomy reduced the chances of 

developing Parkinson’s, it did not eliminate the disease. 

Instead, Labrie said, this discovery could lead to new ways 

to more effectively reduce the levels of alpha-synuclein 

proteins before they cause Parkinson’s. 

“There are up-and-coming new medications designed to 

break up these problematic protein clumps undergoing 

rigorous testing in clinical trials,” she said. “If successful, 

we could have a new way to interfere with disease 

progression, an urgent unmet need and something current 

treatments can’t do.” 

“Right now, there are no ways to prevent, slow or stop Parkinson’s, or even to objectively diagnose it prior to the 

onset of motor symptoms. We are extremely hopeful that our work will help change that.” 

— DR. VIVIANE LABRIE 

In an unexpected turn, Labrie and her team also found 

alpha-synuclein pathology in the appendixes of healthy 

people of all ages as well as people with Parkinson’s, 

raising new questions about the mechanisms that cause 

the disease and propel its progression. Prior to this study, 

alpha-synuclein pathology was thought to only be present 

in people with Parkinson’s. 

“We found alpha-synuclein pathology in people of all ages, 

and with and without the disease, which suggests that it 

is not unique to Parkinson’s,” Labrie said. “Parkinson’s is 

relatively rare — less than 1 percent of the population — 

so there has to be some other mechanism or confluence 

of events at play that allows the appendix to affect 

Parkinson’s risk. That’s what we plan to look at next — 

which factor or factors tip the scale in favor of Parkinson’s?” 

Data for the study was gleaned from an in-depth 

characterization and visualization of alpha-synuclein forms 

in the appendix, which bore a remarkable resemblance 

to those found in the Parkinson’s disease brain, as well 

as analyses of two large health-record databases. The 

first dataset was garnered from the Swedish National 

Patient Registry, a one-of-a-kind database that contains 

de-identified medical diagnoses and surgical histories for 

the Swedish population beginning in 1964, and Statistics 

Sweden, a Swedish governmental agency responsible for 

official national statistics. The VARI team collaborated with 

researchers at Lund University, Sweden, to comb through 

records for 1,698,000 people followed up to 52 years, a 

total of nearly 92 million person-years. The second dataset 

was from the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative 

(PPMI), which includes details about patient diagnosis, age 

of onset, demographics and genetic information. 

“The expansion of Parkinson’s disease 

research into areas outside of the brain 

and affecting the GI tract and immune 

system has really opened the door for 

understanding this illness,” Labrie said. 

“We know more about disease initiation 

than ever before and are committed to 

leveraging our findings to improve patients’ 

lives.” 

In addition to Labrie, authors include 

Dr. Bryan A. Killinger, Zachary Madaj, 

Dr. Lena Brundin, Dr. Patrik Brundin, Alec J. 

Haas, Yamini Vepa of Van Andel Research Institute; Dr. Jacek W. 

Sikora and Dr. Paul M. Thomas of Northwestern University; Dr. 

Nolwen Rey of Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience; Dr. Daniel 

Lindqvist of Lund University; and Dr. Honglei Chen of Michigan 

State University. 

(FROM TOP CLOCKWISE) DR. VIVIANE LABRIE, DR. LENA BRUNDIN, DR. PATRIK BRUNDIN, DR. BRYAN A. KILLINGER & ZACHARY MADAJ. 



MEET THE SCIENTIST BEHIND THE SCIENCE: Q&A WITH DR. VIVIANE LABRIE 

RESEARCH 

Dr. Viviane Labrie is an assistant professor 

in Van Andel Research Institute’s Center 

for Neurodegenerative Science. Her team 

studies the dynamic interplay between 

the human genome and its control system 

— the epigenome — to understand how 

neurodegenerative diseases start and 

progress in an effort to develop improved 

diagnostics and treatments. 

In 2018, Labrie was the senior author of 

a study published in Science Translational 

Medicine that suggested the appendix 

may contribute to Parkinson’s disease and 

revealed it as a major reservoir for abnormally 

folded alpha-synuclein proteins, which are 

closely linked to Parkinson’s onset and 

How would you describe your research to someone 

unfamiliar with science? 

I work as a neuroscientist and a geneticist. I study the 

origins of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. I 

try to understand what is happening at the cellular level 

that may cause changes that could lead to these two 

neurodegenerative diseases. 

Specifically, I study different mechanisms in the cells that 

affect the way DNA works. There is the DNA code, then 

there is a second code that sits on top of the DNA called 

epigenetics. Epigenetics is almost like a coat the DNA 

wears. When the coat opens, readers of the DNA can come 

in, and then that part of the DNA can be activated — but 

when it’s closed, these readers can’t access the DNA and 

those genes in that section of DNA remain silent. In this 

way, the epigenetic code is able to guide how genes work 

and determine how they affect the function of cells. 

The epigenetic code can be inherited, meaning you can 

get it from your mom and dad, but it can also change 

because of environmental factors throughout a lifetime. 

The foods you eat, how much sleep you get or how much 

stress you have can also play a role in epigenetics. The 

epigenetic code greatly affects how your cells work and 

can be both inherited and changed by your environmental 

experiences. We think that changes in this epigenetic code 

might have a significant function in the development of 

neurodegenerative diseases. 

In your field of study what do you see on the horizon? 

We are trying to understand how epigenetic changes play 

a part in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, 

and we are also trying to understand the mechanisms 

behind these changes. 

We are also very interested in the role of the 

gastrointestinal (GI) tract in Parkinson’s disease. We’ve 

noticed that the pathology associated with Parkinson’s 

disease, which is a clumped protein called alpha-synuclein, 

can be seen in the GI tract many years before the 

symptoms of Parkinson’s occur. There is a hypothesis 

that suggests environmental factors might play a role 

in clumping of the protein in the GI tract, and we are 

interested in how epigenetics might influence this 

process because of how responsive epigenetics is to the 

environment. 

How does alpha-synuclein get from the gut to the 

brain? 

Alpha-synuclein can travel from neuron to neuron, and 

we think that it can spread through conduits like the 

vagus nerve that connects the GI tract to the brain. 

Scientists have found that Parkinson’s pathology often 

starts where the vagus nerve connects to the brain. Once 

the pathology occurs at this spot, it can move between 

neurons, eventually reaching an area where there are a 

lot of dopaminergic neurons that it destroys, which leads 

to the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson’s. We 

are studying the factors that could be responsible for the 

initiation of Parkinson’s pathology in the GI tract and its 

eventual transit to the brain. 

STAND UP TO CANCER 

GLOBAL TELECAST 

The Institute was part of the 2018 Stand Up To Cancer 

(SU2C) telecast, which raised a record-breaking $123 

million for cancer research. 

The Institute has worked closely with Stand Up To 

Cancer since 2014, when it became home to the 

Van Andel Research Institute–Stand Up To Cancer 

Epigenetics Dream Team, a multi-institutional effort to 

move more effective cancer therapies into clinical trials 

and onto the patients who need them most. 

Ann Schoen, a cancer survivor and VAI employee 

for 22 years, was featured in the special’s Everyday 

Heroes segment honoring cancer survivors. 

progression. 

DR. VIVIANE LABRIE 

DR. STEPHEN BAYLIN, ANN SCHOEN & DR. PETER A. JONES. 



MEET VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE’S PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS 

RESEARCH 

Van Andel Research Institute is home to a growing team of scientists dedicated to improving the health and enhancing 

the lives of current and future generations through groundbreaking biomedical research. In 2018, eight new principal 

investigators joined the Institute, growing the number of faculty to 39 — an all-time high for VARI. 

LEADERSHIP 

Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon) 

Chief Scientific Officer 

Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon), is 

a pioneer in epigenetics, a growing 

field that explores how genes 

are regulated and provides new 

avenues for developing therapies 

for cancer and other diseases. His discoveries have helped 

usher in an entirely new class of drugs that have been 

approved to treat blood cancer and are being investigated 

in other tumor types. Dr. Jones is a member of the National 

Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts 

and Sciences among other prestigious societies. He and his 

colleague Dr. Stephen Baylin co-lead the Van Andel Research 

Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team. 

Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D. 

Associate Director of Research; 

Director, Center for 

Neurodegenerative Science 

Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., 

investigates molecular mechanisms 

in Parkinson’s disease with the goal 

of developing new therapies aimed at slowing or stopping 

disease progression and repairing damage. He is one of 

the top-cited researchers in the field of neurodegenerative 

disease and leads international efforts to repurpose drugs 

to treat Parkinson’s. 

J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D. 

Director, Center for 

Epigenetics; Professor, 

Metabolic and Nutritional 

Programming, Center for 

Cancer and Cell Biology 

J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D., seeks 

to understand how we become who we become, and how 

our disease susceptibility is defined from early on in life, 

even before conception, with the long-term goal of being 

able to predict lifelong health outlook at birth. 

Bart Williams, Ph.D. 

Director, Center for Cancer 

and Cell Biology; Professor, 

Skeletal Disease and Cancer 

Therapeutics, Center for 

Cancer and Cell Biology 

Bart Williams, Ph.D., studies the 

building blocks of bone growth on behalf of the millions 

suffering from diseases such as osteoporosis. He seeks 

new ways of altering cell signaling pathways to encourage 

healthy bone development and deter the spread of cancer 

to the skeleton. 

Scott Jewell, Ph.D. 

Director, Core Technologies 

and Services 

Scott Jewell, Ph.D., leads Van Andel 

Research Institute’s Core 

Technologies and Services, 

which provides technology and 

specialized expertise for research investigators. Services 

include bioinformatics and biostatistics, cryo-EM, optical 

imaging, flow cytometry, genomics, pathology and 

biorepository, vivarium management and transgenics. 

Jewell is a past president of the International Society for 

Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER). 

Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D. 

Dean, Van Andel Institute 

Graduate School 

Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D., is 

the dean of Van Andel Institute 

Graduate School. His lab, which 

closed in 2018 after 31 years of 

productive research, explored the genetic and epigenetic 

control systems of viruses to understand how infections 

progress and to reveal new ways to stop them. His 

discoveries with herpes simplex viruses opened up 

new possibilities for antiviral drug development and 

revealed new insights into how human cells control gene 

expression. 

CENTER FOR EPIGENETICS 

Stephen Baylin, M.D. 

Director’s Scholar 

Stephen Baylin, M.D., studies the 

body’s genetic control systems — 

called epigenetics — searching for 

vulnerabilities in cancer. Baylin is a 

leader in this field, ranking among 

the first to trace epigenetic causes of cancer. His studies 

have led to new therapies for common cancers, like breast, 

lung, colorectal and many others. He is co-leader of the 

VARI–SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team with Dr. Peter A. 

Jones, co-director of Johns Hopkins’ Cancer Biology Division 

and associate director for research at Sidney Kimmel 

Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Stefan Jovinge, M.D., Ph.D. 

Professor, VARI; Medical 

Director of Research, 

Spectrum Health Frederick 

Meijer Heart and Vascular 

Institute; Director, DeVos 

Cardiovascular Research 

Program (a joint effort between Van Andel 

Research Institute and Spectrum Health) 

Stefan Jovinge, M.D., Ph.D., develops ways to help the heart 

heal itself and has led dozens of clinical trials in regenerative 

medicine. As a critical care cardiologist and scientist, he 

uses a bench-to-bedside approach in an effort to give 

patients with serious heart conditions longer, healthier lives. 

The clinical platform for his research is the Cardiothoracic 

Intensive Care Unit at Spectrum Health’s Fred and Lena 

Meijer Heart Center, and the basic science effort in 

regenerative medicine is performed at VARI. 

Peter W. Laird, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Peter W. Laird, Ph.D., seeks 

a detailed understanding of 

the molecular foundations of 

cancer with a particular focus 

on identifying crucial epigenetic 

alterations that convert otherwise healthy cells into cancer 

cells. He is widely regarded as an international leader 

in this effort and has helped design some of the world’s 

state-of-the art tools to aid in epigenetics research. Laird is 

a principal investigator for the National Cancer Institute’s 

Genome Data Analysis Network and played a leadership 

role in The Cancer Genome Atlas, a multi-institutional effort 

to molecularly map cancers. 

Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D., studies how 

the body switches genes on and 

off, a biological process called 

methylation that, when faulty, 

can lead to cancer or other 

diseases. His studies range from the effects of tobacco 

smoke on genetic and epigenetic systems to the discovery 

of a mechanism that may help protect the brain from 

neurodegeneration. Pfeifer’s studies have implications 

across a range of diseases, including cancer, Parkinson’s, 

diabetes and many others. 

Scott Rothbart, Ph.D. 

Associate Professor 

Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., studies 

the ways in which cells pack and 

unpack DNA. This complex process 

twists and coils roughly two meters 

of unwound DNA into a space less 

than one-tenth the width of a human hair. Although this 

process is impressive, it is also subject to errors that can 

cause cancer and other disorders. Rothbart seeks new 

targets for drug development in this process. 

Hui Shen, Ph.D. 


Hui Shen, Ph.D., develops new 

approaches to cancer prevention, 

detection and treatment by studying 

the interaction between genes 

and their control systems, called 

epigenetics. Her research focuses on women’s cancers, 

particularly ovarian cancer, and has shed new light on the 

underlying mechanisms of other cancer types, including 

breast, kidney and prostate cancers. 

Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D., investigates 

the mechanisms that regulate 

DNA and gene expression in an 

effort to better understand how 

they impact cancer development. 




RESEARCH 

Piroska Szabó, Ph.D. 


Piroska Szabó, Ph.D., studies the 

flow of epigenetic information 

from parents to their offspring, 

with a focus on how epigenetic 

markers are remodeled during 

egg and sperm production and how these markers 

are rewritten after fertilization. These processes 

have profound implications for fertility and embryo 

development. Disturbances in epigenetic remodeling are 

thought to contribute to disease conditions lasting well 

into adulthood. 

Timothy J. Triche, Jr., Ph.D. 

Assistant Professor 

As a statistician and computational 

biologist with an interest in clonal 

evolution and cancers of the 

blood, Tim Triche, Jr.’s, Ph.D., work 

focuses on wedding data-intensive 

molecular phenotyping to adaptive clinical trial designs 

in an effort to accelerate the pace of drug targeting and 

development in rare or refractory diseases. 

Hong Wen, Ph.D. 


Hong Wen, Ph.D., investigates 

the fundamental mechanisms 

of pediatric cancers caused 

by dysregulation of epigenetic 

regulators, in hopes of developing 

new, improved therapies for these devastating diseases. 

CENTER FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE SCIENCE 

José Brás, Ph.D. 


Dr. José Brás is a molecular 

geneticist whose research focuses 

on how variations in our genes 

impact the onset and progression 

of neurodegenerative diseases 

such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia with Lewy 

bodies. 

Lena Brundin, M.D., Ph.D. 


As a psychiatrist and a scientist, 

Lena Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., 

seeks ways to diagnose and 

treat depression and suicidality 

by studying inflammation of 

the nervous system. Her findings may lead to earlier 

interventions for depressive patients and to the 

development of a new class of antidepressants that 

targets the immune system. She also investigates how 

inflammatory mechanisms can damage nerve cells in 

Parkinson’s disease. 

Hong-Yuan Chu, Ph.D. 

Assistant Professo 

Hong-Yuan Chu, Ph.D., investigates 

how and why dopamine-producing 

cells die off in Parkinson’s, a 

process that underlies many of 

the disease’s hallmark symptoms. 

He plans to leverage this new knowledge to develop new, 

more precise ways to slow or stop disease progression. 

Gerhard Coetzee, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Gerhard Coetzee, Ph.D., searches 

the human genome for minuscule 

changes that contribute to the onset, 

progression and drug resistance of 

many diseases, including cancer, 

Parkinson’s, and rare and heritable disorders. His team 

deploys genome sequencing technologies and highpowered 

computational arrays to tease out patterns and 

interactions of markers and treatment targets from among 

the human genome’s more than 3 billion DNA base pairs. 

Rita Guerreiro, Ph.D. 


Rita Guerreiro, Ph.D., is a 

neurogeneticist who studies 

the genomic contributors to 

neurodegenerative diseases such 

as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s 

disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. 

Viviane Labrie, Ph.D. 


Viviane Labrie, Ph.D., studies 

the dynamic interplay between 

the human genome and 

its control system — the 

epigenome — to understand how 

neurodegenerative diseases start and progress in an effort 

to develop improved diagnostics and treatments. Labrie’s 

scientific pursuits have deepened the understanding of 

conditions including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia 

and lactose intolerance. She has also developed new 

methods for epigenome analysis. 

Jiyan Ma, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Jiyan Ma, Ph.D., studies 

abnormal proteins that cause 

neurodegenerative diseases, 

including Parkinson’s disease 

and prion diseases. His lab has 

developed new ways to understand how these proteins 

spread and cause diseases in humans and animals. The 

lab is also developing new approaches to diagnose and 

treat these devastating disorders. 

Darren Moore, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Darren Moore, Ph.D., seeks 

new diagnostic and treatment 

approaches for Parkinson’s by 

investigating the inherited form 

of the disease, which accounts 

for 5 to 10 percent of cases. He aims to translate the 

understanding of these genetic mutations into better 

treatments and new diagnostic tools for Parkinson’s, both 

inherited and non-inherited. Discoveries in Moore’s lab 

routinely elucidate the faulty molecular interactions that 

transform healthy, functioning neurons into diseased ones. 

CENTER FOR CANCER AND CELL BIOLOGY 

Skeletal Disease and Cancer Therapeutics 

Patrick Grohar, M.D., Ph.D. 

Program Leader and Associate 

Professor 

Patrick Grohar, M.D., Ph.D., 

develops new drugs to treat bone 

cancer in children, in addition to 

pursuing a deeper understanding 

of the mechanisms underlying sarcomas and related 

conditions. Once proven safe and effective in the lab, his 

team translates these potential therapies into clinical trials 

for children with few other options. He is program leader 

of the Skeletal Disease and Cancer Therapeutics team, 

an associate professor in the Center for Cancer and Cell 

Biology and a pediatric oncologist at Spectrum Health 

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. 

Xiaohong Li, Ph.D. 


Xiaohong Li, Ph.D., studies how and 

why various cancers, particularly 

prostate and breast cancer cells, 

migrate from their original site 

and spread to the bone. These 

cells stay dormant but might wake up years later and 

grow to become bone metastases, causing debilitating 

pain and complicating treatment. Li hopes that a better 

understanding of metastatic cancers will lead to new 

diagnostic tests and targeted therapies. 

Matt Steensma, M.D. 


Matt Steensma, M.D., studies the 

genetic and molecular factors 

that cause benign tumors to 

become cancers in order to 

find vulnerabilities that may 

be targeted for treatment. As a scientist at VARI and a 

practicing surgeon at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos 

Children’s Hospital, he is committed to translating scientific 

discoveries into treatments that improve patients’ lives. 

Tao Yang, Ph.D. 


Tao Yang, Ph.D., studies the 

signaling systems that govern 

skeletal stem cells and the role 

they play in diseases such as 

osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. 

Bones are the largest producer of adult stem cells, which 

mature into cartilage, fat or bone tissue — a process 

that falters with age. Yang seeks a better understanding 

of these systems in search of new treatments for 

degenerative bone disorders. 




RESEARCH 

Structural Biology 

Huilin Li, Ph.D. 

Program Leader and Professor 

Huilin Li, Ph.D., uses cryo-electron 

microscopy (cryo-EM) to reveal 

the most basic building blocks of 

DNA replication and other systems 

vital for life. He has been at the 

vanguard of cryo-EM for more than 20 years, and his 

research has implications for some of the world’s most 

critical public health concerns, including tuberculosis, 

cancer, mental illness and many more. 

Juan Du, Ph.D. 


Juan Du, Ph.D., seeks to understand 

the brain’s intricate communication 

systems using state-of-the-art 

structural biology approaches, 

such as cryo-EM. Her work has 

expanded knowledge of these important systems and may 

aid in development of new therapies in the future. 

Wei Lü, Ph.D. 


Wei Lü, Ph.D., is working to unravel 

how brain cells communicate with 

each other. Using techniques 

such as cryo-EM, his work 

has contributed to the field’s 

understanding of molecules that play crucial roles in the 

development and function of the nervous system. 

Karsten Melcher, Ph.D. 

Professor 

Karsten Melcher, Ph.D., studies 

molecular structure and cellular 

communication, which have 

implications for finding new 

treatments for serious health 

threats, including cancer, diabetes and obesity. His 

expertise extends beyond human cells — his research into 

plant hormones may one day lead to heartier crops that 

resist drought and help meet the nutritional demands of a 

growing global population. 

H. Eric Xu, Ph.D. 

Professor 

H. Eric Xu, Ph.D., explores the 

structure of molecules in the body’s 

complex hormone signaling system, 

which plays a vital role in health and 

disease. He is particularly known for 

his discoveries in defining the structure of molecules critical 

to the development of new drugs for cancer, diabetes and 

many others. He is a professor in VARI’s Center for Cancer 

and Cell Biology and serves as director of VARI–SIMM 

Research Center in Shanghai, China. 

Metabolic And Nutritional Programming 

Russell Jones, Ph.D. 

Program Leader and Professor 

Russell Jones, Ph.D., investigates 

metabolism at the cellular level 

to understand how it affects cell 

behavior and health, with a specific 

eye on cancer and the immune system. By revealing how 

cancer cells use metabolic processes to fuel their growth 

and spread, he hopes to develop new treatments that help 

patients by changing the standard of care for cancer. 

Brian Haab, Ph.D. 

Professor; Assistant Dean, 

Van Andel Institute Graduate 

School 

Brian Haab, Ph.D., searches for 

new ways to diagnose and stratify 

pancreatic cancers based on the 

chemical fingerprints tumors leave behind. Part of the 

problem Haab aims to solve is that cancers often look 

and behave normally — until after they’ve started making 

people sick. Haab is sleuthing out clues to build a library of 

diagnostic tools that will help providers diagnose tumors 

earlier and optimize treatment. 

Connie Krawczyk, Ph.D. 


Connie Krawczyk, Ph.D., 

investigates the links between 

metabolism, epigenetics and the 

immune system, with the goal of 

understanding how they work 

together to keep us healthy and, when things go wrong, to 

promote disease. 

Adelheid Lempradl, Ph.D. 


Adelheid Lempradl, Ph.D., is 

investigating how the dietary 

choices of parents may impact 

the health of their offspring in the 

hopes of translating her findings 

into new ways to prevent disease and create a healthier 

future. 

Ning Wu, Ph.D. 


Ning Wu, Ph.D., investigates 

the interface between cellular 

metabolism and cellular signaling, 

particularly as they relate to cancer. 

On the most basic level, cancer is a 

disease of uncontrolled cell growth, and Wu believes that 

understanding a tumor’s voracious energy requirements 

and altered signaling pathways will lead to new treatments 

that optimize existing combination therapies and identify 

novel therapeutic targets. 

EMERITUS FACULTY 

George Vande Woude, Ph.D. 

Distinguished Scientific Fellow, 

Emeritus 

George Vande Woude, Ph.D., is a 

titan in cancer biology. He is the 

founding director of Van Andel 

Research Institute, which he led 

for a decade. His discovery and description of the MET 

receptor tyrosine kinase as an oncogene, together with 

its activating ligand hepatocyte growth factor, have led to 

new possibilities for cancer therapies and revolutionized 

the way scientists view the disease, especially in tumor 

progression. He is a member of the National Academy of 

Sciences. 

By the Numbers 

118 peer-reviewed 

publications 

8 new faculty 

39 total faculty 

32 countries 

represented by 

VAI employees 



MEETING THE GRAND CHALLENGE OF NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE 

RESEARCH 

In September, the Institute hosted its annual Grand 

Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease scientific symposium 

and parallel Rallying to the Challenge meeting. 

Nearly 300 scientists, physicians and people with 

Parkinson’s spent two days intensely focused on the 

non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, a diverse group of 

problems that include depression, loss of sense of smell, 

gastrointestinal issues, cognitive decline, trouble sleeping 

and fatigue. Not only do these issues play a major role in 

quality of life, they also provide important clues for better 

understanding a condition that affects 7 to 10 million 

people worldwide. 

Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease and Rallying to the 

Challenge also provide a platform to recognize scientific 

excellence and service to the Parkinson’s community. We 

were honored to present the 2018 Jay Van Andel Award for 

Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson’s Disease Research 

to Prof. K. Ray Chaudhuri, an international authority whose 

research and scientific expertise has greatly expanded 

understanding of non-motor symptoms and reinforced the 

importance of addressing them to improve quality of life. 

The 2018 Jay Van Andel Award 

for Outstanding Achievement in 

Parkinson’s Disease Research 

was given to scientists who have 

made exceptional contributions to 

Parkinson’s disease research and 

who have positively impacted 

human health. 

The award was established in 2012 in memory of Institute 

founder Jay Van Andel, who battled Parkinson’s disease 

for a decade before his death in 2004. The award is given 

to scientists who have made exceptional contributions 

to Parkinson’s disease research and who have positively 

impacted human health. 

The Institute and The Cure Parkinson’s Trust also 

presented Dr. Simon Stott and Prof. Bastiaan Bloem with 

the Tom Isaacs Award, which was established in memory 

of the Trust’s co-founder and champion of the Parkinson’s 

community Tom Isaacs. The annual honor recognizes 

individuals who have had a significant impact on the lives 

of people with Parkinson’s and/or involved people with 

Parkinson’s in a participatory way in their work. 

Since 2015, Stott has run Science of Parkinson’s, a website 

dedicated to translating the complex research surrounding 

the disease and new breakthroughs into an accessible, 

patient-friendly format. 

Bloem is the co-founder and medical director of Parkinson 

Centre Nijmegen and co-director of ParkinsonNet at 

Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands. 

ParkinsonNet provides patients across the Netherlands 

increased access to Parkinson’s experts via the internet 

and in person, making it easier for patients to get the care 

they need. 

Chaudhuri, Stott and Bloem are tireless advocates for 

the Parkinson’s community, whose inclusive work and 

extensive outreach helps shrink the gap between scientists 

and people with the disease. They embody the spirit of 

Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease and Rallying to the 

Challenge — that together, we can find ways to slow or 

stop the disease and improve quality of life for people 

around the world. 

THE 2018 GRAND CHALLENGES IN 

PARKINSON’S DISEASE SYMPOSIUM & 

RALLYING TO THE CHALLENGE MEETING. 



VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE SCIENTISTS HELP CREATE CANCER “ATLAS” 

RESEARCH 

Just as a map (or these days, a GPS) can help you get to your destination, a new 

comprehensive atlas is helping scientists hit the mark when it comes to more 

accurately classifying cancers. 

In April, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network, an initiative spearheaded by 

the National Institutes of Health, published its final batch of 29 studies detailing precise 

— and often subtle — molecular variations in 33 major types of cancer. The findings are 

the result of more than a decade of work by scientists in the U.S. and abroad, including 

Institute investigators Dr. Peter W. Laird and Dr. Hui Shen, and already are impacting how 

cancers are classified and studied. 

“TCGA’s findings have greatly deepened our molecular understanding of the major cancer 

types,” Laird said. “It is our hope that this work will serve as a guide for scientists who plan 

to harness TCGA’s robust data to develop new, more personalized methods of patient 

care.” 

This research, which represents the initiative’s capstone, joins dozens of other papers that 

have been published since TCGA’s inception in 2005. Collectively, they provide a highly 

detailed description of molecular changes occurring in all major human cancers along 

with insights that could revolutionize cancer treatment. 

“It is our hope that this work will serve as a guide for 

scientists who plan to harness TCGA’s robust data to 

develop new, more personalized methods of patient care.” 

— Dr. Peter W. Laird 

Major takeaways include: 

Cancers should be classified based on genetic, epigenetic and molecular 

differences. 

Historically, cancers have been categorized and named based on the organ or tissue in 

which they arose — for example, cancers that start in the esophagus have been called 

esophageal cancers and were believed to have a lot in common with other cancers found 

in the esophagus. 

TCGA’s findings urge a shift away from this view, based on new insight into the incredibly 

complex factors that influence and differentiate one cancer from another. In short, this 

means that a cancer found in the lower part of the esophagus may actually have more in 

common with a stomach cancer than other esophageal cancers. 

Better classifying cancers is a game-changer for cancer research and treatment. 

When it comes to combating cancer, the old adage, “Know thine enemy,” is incredibly 

apt. Not only do the specific characteristics identified by TCGA reveal new vulnerabilities 

that can be targeted by future medications, but they also may help simplify treatment 

decisions today. 

For example, if physicians know that an individual’s cancer is marked by a certain 

characteristic, they can choose medications designed specifically for that subtype and 

avoid other treatments that are better suited for another subtype. 

Working together is the way forward. 

TCGA’s work was a massive, decade-long undertaking that required the time and talent 

of hundreds of scientists from around the world, who painstakingly analyzed more than 

10,000 samples from 33 different cancer types. None of this would have been possible 

without an extraordinary level of cooperation, teamwork and a singular dedication to 

creating a resource that may revolutionize cancer research and treatment. 

“Team science endeavors like TCGA are the future,” Laird said. “By sharing resources, 

expertise and data, we were able to do more together than we ever could have apart.” 

DR. PETER W. LAIRD 

DR. HUI SHEN 



MAKING A DIFFERENCE EARLY ON 

RESEARCH 

Van Andel Research Institute is home to a thriving community of graduate students working toward their 

Ph.D.s and postdoctoral fellows gaining additional experience after earning their doctorates. These young 

scientists are an integral part of the Institute’s research enterprise and make important contributions to the 

discoveries that are changing how we view health and disease. 

Postdoctoral fellows 

In 2018, several of our graduate students and postdoctoral 

fellows earned awards to support their research, which enables 

them to conduct groundbreaking and impactful studies that 

investigate the basis of disorders like cancer and Parkinson’s. 

Van Andel Institute Graduate School students 

Dr. Alison Lanctot Chomiak, Rothbart 

Laboratory 

National Cancer Institute Ruth L. Kirschstein 

National Research Service Award 

Dr. Chomiak studies the molecular changes 

that give rise to colon cancer, a disease that is 

becoming more prevalent in younger people. 

To do so, she’s focusing on an epigenetic 

process called DNA methylation, an ensemble 

of small tags on DNA that tell our genes when 

they should be expressed and to what extent. 

Dr. Manpreet Kalkat, Laird Laboratory 

Canadian Institutes for Health 

Research Fellowship 

Dr. Kalkat is investigating how epigenetics, 

which regulate how and when the instructions 

in our genes are interpreted and acted upon, 

can contribute to colorectal cancers. Each 

year, more than 145,000 people are diagnosed 

with colon or rectal cancers in the U.S. alone, 

making these diseases the third most common 

cancers among both men and women. 

Maggie Chassé, Grohar Laboratory 

National Cancer Institute Ruth L. Kirschstein 

Predoctoral Individual Service Award 

Maggie Chassé is searching for the Achilles’ 

heel of rhabdoid tumor, an aggressive 

pediatric cancer with no effective treatment 

options, by investigating compounds that 

starve cancer cells of the resources they need 

to survive. 

Dr. Madalynn Erb, Moore Laboratory 

Parkinson’s Foundation Postdoctoral 

Fellowship 

Dr. Erb studies the genetic underpinnings 

of Parkinson’s disease, in particular a gene 

called LRRK2 that is a major player in cases of 

the disease genetically passed down through 

families. This award supports her research into 

LRRK2 and its relationship with another gene, 

ATP132A, which may protect brain cells against 

damage caused by mutations in LRRK2. 

Dr. Xiaotian Zhang, VARI Fellow, Pfeifer 

Laboratory 

Edward P. Evans Foundation — 

EvansMDS Young Investigator Award 

American Society of Hematology, 

Basic Research Fellow 

Dr. Zhang seeks to understand how changes 

in epigenetic mechanisms can give rise to 

myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a bone marrow 

disorder than can rapidly progress to an aggressive 

blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML). 

Jamie Grit, Steensma Laboratory 

Children’s Tumor Foundation 

Young Investigator Award 

Jamie Grit studies Neurofibromatosis Type 

1 (NF1), a rare genetic disorder that causes 

benign tumors to grow throughout the body 

and increases cancer risk. She is seeking new 

treatments for malignant peripheral nerve 

sheath tumors, a rare type of cancer that 

causes malignant growths along the spine and 

nerves. 



VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE GRADUATE SCHOOL STUDENTS — GREAT SCIENCE, GLOBAL REACH 

RESEARCH 

Kajang, a bustling city on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, is a long way away from Grand Rapids, Michigan. But for Menusha Arumugam, a doctoral 

student enrolled in Van Andel Institute Graduate School (VAIGS), both cities are home. Arumugam is part of a community of international students who come to the Institute from all 

over the world to train as the scientific leaders of the future. They hail from diverse backgrounds and cultures, but they are bonded by a common desire to use their talents and skills in 

the service of something they all feel strongly about — the idea that great science can change the world for the better. 

Menusha Arumugam (Malaysia) 

Arumugam’s love of science comes from a deep desire to 

help people. As a young student growing up in Malaysia, 

Arumugam had dreams of becoming a doctor and helping 

cure people suffering from disease. 

“When I was a student in high school, I shadowed a doctor 

and, while I liked the idea of improving human health, I quickly 

learned that I was really interested in figuring out how the 

diseases come about and how we can improve treatments for 

patients,” Arumugam said. 

From that moment on, Arumugam has worked toward her 

goal of being a scientist. That choice led her to leave her 

hometown of Kajang to study, first at the University of Michigan–Flint, and now at VAIGS. 

“When I received a scholarship from the Malaysian government to study abroad, I decided 

to come to Michigan to further my education,” Arumugam said. “Grand Rapids is such a 

great city, and the Institute’s location on the Medical Mile allows for a lot of collaboration 

with other scientists, clinicians and organizations like Michigan State University and 

Spectrum Health.” 

Arumugam works alongside a team of scientists in the laboratory of physician-scientist 

Dr. Matt Steensma, an expert in orthopedic oncology and rare diseases such as 

Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). This direct connection between research and patient 

care is something that Arumugam loves about her work in the Steensma lab, where she 

studies breast cancer in NF1 patients. 

“When you’re a scientist working in a lab, sometimes you can forget why you’re doing what 

you’re doing,” Arumugam said. “In our lab, the work might directly impact patients, and I 

think when you’re constantly reminded that your work impacts real people, you’ll never 

lose the passion for what you’re doing.” 


Eric Cordeiro-Spinetti (Brazil) 

Eric Cordeiro-Spinetti speaks about science 

in a soulfully enthusiastic way, like a dancer 

talking about music or an architect talking 

about geometry. 

“I want everyone to be a scientist in their own 

way,” he said. “Being a scientist is not just a job, 

it’s a lifestyle, and being curious and thinking 

critically means you’re living your life to the 

fullest.” 

His passion for science began as a small boy 

in Rio de Janeiro watching American television 

shows and movies. The scientists he saw on the glowing screen were larger than life 

characters, but they were important, and they were making sense of the world. 

“I have a vivid memory of being 5 or 6 years old and watching scientists on television 

shows and movies, and I loved how they were always curious and trying to figure things 

out,” Cordeiro-Spinetti said. 

Today, Cordeiro-Spinetti is a doctoral student in the laboratory of Dr. Scott Rothbart, 

where he collaborates with a team of scientists to better understand the role of 

epigenetics in human diseases. In addition to his work as a graduate student, he uses his 

love of communication and his big personality to create educational videos he hopes will 

inspire others to pursue science and examine their world. 

“I’m always challenging myself and trying to reach people,” Cordeiro-Spinetti said. “I want 

to tell people in Brazil and around the world, ‘Hey, I’m working at this really cool place in 

Michigan where I am training to become a great scientist, and if I can do it, you can do it 

too.’” 

Wooyoung Choi (South Korea) 

Wooyoung Choi is both a scientist and an 

explorer. He has traveled to almost every 

country in Asia and has recently started to 

explore Canada and the United States. In 2016, 

he took the most significant trip of his life when 

he traveled to Grand Rapids after finishing 

his master’s degree at Tsinghua University 

in Beijing, China. Drawn to the Institute’s 

reputation for great science and intrigued by 

the opportunity to work with the Institute’s 

state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscope (cryo- 

EM), Choi decided to move halfway around the 

world to continue his studies at VAIGS. 

“I thought this was a great opportunity to be a 

part of an institute with this incredibly advanced technology and answer really complex 

biological questions,” Choi said. “I wanted to use this technology to better understand the 

structures of proteins, which can be used to understand mechanisms in cells and help 

develop new treatments.” 

Choi’s mentor at the Institute, Dr. Wei Lü, is an expert in cryo-EM and structural biology. 

Working and learning alongside a scientist with such a specialized focus is the opportunity 

of a lifetime. 

“Dr. Lü is very knowledgeable and experienced with using cryo-EM, and his enthusiasm 

for his work is incredible,” Choi said. “Everyone here is passionate about teaching me, and 

everyone I work with treats me like family. Being here is life-changing.” 

The close-knit bonds Choi has with his mentor and classmates helped him navigate the 

complexities of a new culture and new environment, and these relationships have helped 

him succeed in this new adventure. 

“People are really kind here and care about teaching me not just science but American 

culture. They really want me to learn,” Choi said. “I am happy to be at a graduate program 

that provides such great opportunities and lets me seek out and achieve my goals for the 

future.” 

Minge Du (China) 

On her family’s farm in China, Minge Du tended 

to the bountiful corn and wheat crops. As a 

child working directly with the natural world, 

Du developed a keen interest in animals and 

plants, that eventually led her to pursue a 

career in science. 

“I loved nature and animals when I was young, 

but I became really interested in science in 

college, where I studied a lot of biology,” Du 

said. “I have always been a very curious person 

and, while most of my family members are farmers, I decided I wanted to be a scientist.” 

Du began her graduate education in the U.S. at Stony Brook University in New York. There, 

she worked alongside Dr. Huilin Li, whose research uses cryo-EM to determine the 

structures of molecules. When Li accepted a position at the Institute, Du and her husband, 

who is also a scientist in Li’s lab, followed him to Grand Rapids. 

“I never imagined I would be in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but I am happy to be here 

because it’s such a good graduate school program,” Du said. “The size of the Institute 

allows students to work collaboratively and get to know each other, and that is very good 

for me.” 

Du’s work with Li focuses on uncovering the molecular structure of specific proteins using 

tools such as cryo-EM. Her experience at the Institute is unlike any she’s ever had, and she 

is excited to work with program peers who share her interest in technology and scientific 

discovery. 

“Every day, I am discussing newly published papers, working and collaborating with other 

scientists, and living a life much different than I ever expected,” Du said. “I am glad I am 

following my dreams.” 


Van Andel Education Institute 

is dedicated to creating classrooms where curiosity, creativity and critical 

thinking thrive. 


HONORING AND EMPOWERING TEACHERS — VAN ANDEL EDUCATION INSTITUTE’S INAUGURAL SCIENCE ON THE GRAND CONFERENCE 

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SPEND THEIR SUMMER DAYS 

AT VAN ANDEL EDUCATION INSTITUTE 

EDUCATION 

In 2018, more than 130 teachers, administrators and 

education professionals visited Van Andel Education 

Institute (VAEI) for the inaugural Science on the Grand 

conference. 

Terra Tarango, VAEI’s director and chief education officer, 

and her team designed the conference to honor the work 

of teachers and provide them with the opportunity to gain 

practical, purposeful strategies to incorporate inquirybased 

instruction into their teaching. 

“During this event we literally and figuratively rolled out 

the red carpet for teachers,” Tarango said. “We wanted 

teachers to be inspired by world-class speakers, as well as 

empowered with classroom-proven strategies and lessons 

to create extraordinary classrooms. But more than that, 

we wanted them to feel honored and appreciated for the 

extraordinary work they do.” 

Lori Corley, principal of Springfield Elementary in 

Greenwood, South Carolina, traveled hundreds of miles 

to attend the conference along with two science teachers 

from her school. Corley was introduced to the Institute 

while attending the National Science Teachers Association 

Conference, where she met VAEI education specialists 

and learned about the Institute’s science education and 

professional development programs. 

“After meeting representatives from the Institute, I 

recognized that the beliefs that go into VAEI’s education 

philosophy are very similar to the beliefs that I hold as a 

principal,” she said. 

While at the conference, Corley and members of her team 

went on a tour of an Institute lab, met with scientists, 

participated in breakout sessions, heard inspirational 

TEACHERS DISCUSS INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING AT THE 

INAUGURAL SCIENCE ON THE GRAND CONFERENCE. 

“We wanted teachers to be 

inspired by world-class speakers, 

as well as empowered with 

classroom-proven strategies and 

lessons to create extraordinary 

classrooms.” 

— Terra Tarango 

speakers and networked with teachers, where they 

discovered new ways to view education and new insights 

into their profession. 

“One of the takeaways I received from the conference 

is the importance of teaching students to think like 

scientists,” Corley said. “We want to let students know 

that if you think like a scientist in the classroom, there is 

no reason why you can’t be one in the future. I think this 

understanding is really important.” 

Tarango is optimistic that the conference will serve 

as a way for teachers and administrators to become 

familiarized with both the Institute and its mission, which 

focuses on inquiry-based instruction. 

The two-day conference was divided into two sections 

— day one focusing on classroom culture and day two 

focusing on practical, inquiry-based lessons and STEAM 

(science, technology, engineering, art and math) content. 

Tarango views the conference structure as a reflection of 

VAEI’s framework, which emphasizes both the classroom 

learning environment and content-area knowledge. 

“I think the conference was a perfect forum for reminding 

teachers why they entered this noble profession and 

inspiring them to continually grow and improve their 

craft,” she said. “I have heard from many teachers who 

were frustrated with teaching, tempted to leave education 

altogether, and then they heard an inspiring speaker or 

learned an innovative strategy at a conference, and just 

like that — they are recommitted to their students and all 

the promise of this remarkable profession.” 

High school students from across West Michigan spent 

their summer days exploring their world and making 

new discoveries during Van Andel Education Institute’s 

(VAEI) week-long summer camp. 

Students used hands-on interactive investigations and 

inquiry-based learning techniques to delve into a series 

of complex projects including using electrophoresis to 

identify DNA, testing the quality of river water, exploring 

what it would be like to live on Mars, and building and 

testing robotic devices. VAEI’s summer camp is one of 

several student programs in which young scientists can 

explore their world, collaborate with other students and 

learn in an environment where curiosity, creativity and 

critical thinking thrive. 

Esther Vanderwey, Sophomore 

“I like science very much, so I really enjoyed this camp. 

Today, we were using DNA to figure out how to solve 

crimes. We used samples and gel electrophoresis to match 

DNA and learn about forensics. My interests are in zoology, 

but I love all sciences and I had a lot of fun.” 

Eli Lake, Freshman 

“The instructors we had at the camp are really nice. What I 

really loved is that we were doing things that scientists in a 

big university lab do right here in a classroom, and that is 

really cool. I really like science and one day I would like to 

be a molecular biologist.” 

Alex Kempston, Freshman 

“Everyone at the camp is interested in science, and it was 

a good opportunity for me to be around other people who 

like science as much as I do. I’m really interested in science 

as a career.” 

Sophia Maisel & Lucie Kovarik, Freshmen 

“The camp was good because it was very hands-on, and 

compared to doing online courses, this was more fun. We 

did a lot of trial and error in our projects, which is cool 

because it’s all up to you and your group if you succeed 

or fail. I liked working with other people and collaborating, 

and it was fun seeing people succeed.” 

VAEI’s summer camp is one of several 

student programs in which young 

scientists can explore their world, 

collaborate with other students and 

learn in an environment where curiosity, 

creativity and critical thinking thrive. 



Van Andel Institute’s donors and philanthropic partners are connected by 

a shared sense of commitment to the Institute’s mission. Their creativity, 

passion and dedication have helped the Institute become a thriving center 

for innovative biomedical research and science education. 


DONOR PROFILE: ALVIN AND HYLDA TUUK — A LEGACY OF GENEROSITY 

Alvin and Hylda Tuuk believed in the American 

dream. Second generation Dutch immigrants, they met 

and married after Al served his country in World War 

II. Together, they raised a family, started a successful 

business and later became examples of the American 

dream in the West Michigan community. People of modest 

means, the couple’s drive for a better life was shaped 

equally by the Great Depression and the experiences 

they lived through during World War II. They worked hard 

and instilled in their four children the value of education, 

THE TUUK FAMILY 

the power of American capitalism and the importance 

of charitable giving. In 1985, Hylda lost Al to prostate 

cancer before they had the chance to enjoy their golden 

years. Committed to making a difference, she arranged 

to donate a portion of her estate to fund research that 

could give hope to people facing this difficult disease. 

In February 2017, Hylda passed away at the age of 93. 

She left a generous planned gift that will benefit prostate 

cancer research pilot studies in the laboratories of Dr. 

Xiaohong Li and Dr. Bart Williams. 

“It is heartwarming to know that our 

gift will go directly to fund important 

research being conducted right here 

in Grand Rapids.” — Mary Tuuk 

“Growing up and living for much of their lives in West 

Michigan, both my parents were impressed by the 

business success and the generous spirit of the Van Andel 

family. My siblings and I were proud to make a gift to 

benefit the Institute’s cancer research on their behalf,” 

said Hylda and Al’s daughter, Mary Tuuk, vice president 

and chief compliance officer at Meijer. 

“Van Andel Institute has been an incredibly positive force 

both in the health science community and the community 

as a whole. It has been a tremendous catalyst for growth 

in the region while making an impact on a global scale. It is 

heartwarming to know that our gift will go directly to fund 

important research being conducted right here in Grand 

Rapids.” 

In recognition of Alvin and Hylda Tuuk’s legacy of 

generosity, they were posthumously inducted as 

members of Van Andel Institute’s (VAI) Society of Hope. 

The Society of Hope recognizes individuals who have 

notified us they are including VAI in their will or another 

deferred giving plan. The Tuuks’ spirit of purposeful giving 

will live on in the work of the Institute’s scientists and the 

impact they have on improving the health of current and 

future generations. 

DONOR PROFILE: DUKE SUWYN — A SENSE OF HOPE 

Duke Suwyn is one of Van Andel Institute’s most 

committed donors, and his belief in philanthropy 

and the Institute’s mission comes from a very 

personal place — a life-long love. 

When Duke Suwyn first met his wife, Sue, at a church 

function, his world opened up and he was never the same. 

Suwyn grew up on a family farm in the lush Michigan 

countryside. Sue was from Chicago — the city of big 

shoulders — and was filled with ambition, drive and 

determination. 

“The first time I saw her, I knew she was unlike anyone 

I’d ever met,” Suwyn said. “She was extremely talented, 

gregarious and full of life. And from that moment on, she 

was my mentor, coach and my teammate.” 

Sue and Duke got married, started a family, built successful 

careers and discovered their love for giving back to their 

community. Together, they were active in their children’s 

school, Ada Christian, and, guided by a deep faith, they 

served on the school’s various foundations and boards. 

Through their philanthropic work, they met community 

leaders David and Carol Van Andel, who also volunteered 

and gave of their time and talent to benefit the school. 

“They were some of the most hardworking, focused, 

visionary people I’d ever met. They didn’t just come with 

ideas — they really rolled up their sleeves and helped us 

improve the school for the better,” Suwyn said. 

Impressed by the Van Andels’ generosity, the Suwyns 

decided to get involved with Van Andel Institute and soon 

became some of the Institute’s most ardent advocates and 

donors. Duke pursued a career in commercial real estate 

and became an executive with Colliers International. In his 

leadership position, he encouraged the company to focus 

a portion of its charitable giving on the Institute in support 

of research. The gift, totaling more than $100,000, provided 

Institute scientists with the funds to facilitate research into 

rare childhood diseases. 

In 2016, Suwyn’s connection to the Institute became 

extraordinarily personal when Sue was diagnosed with 

glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive type of brain 

cancer. Suddenly, and without warning, the woman who 

gave his life meaning was facing an incredible battle. 

“When Sue was diagnosed, we knew we needed help, and 

we felt fortunate to live in a community where we have 

these great hospitals and research centers right here in 

our city,” Suwyn said. “The facilities in Grand Rapids on the 

Medical Mile are just amazing, and when you go into these 

places, you don’t go in there thinking negatively, you go in 

with such a sense of hope.” 

During this difficult time, both Sue and Duke were 

comforted with the idea that the Institute’s scientists 

were working on new treatments that might one day help 

others affected by cancer. Sue passed away in August 

2017, and one of her last wishes was that memorial gifts 

be given to the two organizations that were held closest to 

her heart. 

“There were two places Sue wanted people to think about 

when they thought of her — Ada Christian and Van Andel 

Institute,” Suwyn said. “When you see the passion that the 

Institute’s scientists have for their work, and you know 

that these scientists are going to work every day for the 

benefit of other people, you really can’t help but fall in love 

with this place.” 

DUKE SUWYN 

PHILANTHROPY 


WINTERFEST • THE ART OF FASHION & RESEARCH 

THE CAROL VAN ANDEL ANGEL OF EXCELLENCE DINNER & AWARD PRESENTATION 

• BOARD OF GOVERNORS ANNUAL DINNER 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) GEORGE 

SHARPE JR. & MISSY SHARPE & SALLY MURDOCK; 

DAVID VAN ANDEL; MODEL WALKING THE ART 

OF FASHION & RESEARCH CATWALK; KEN DEWEY, 

CAROL VAN ANDEL & RENEE JANOVSKY; DAVID 

BRONKEMA; MARK & JENN BUGGE; LAURA 

FABRIZIO & EILEEN BRADER; DALE & DIANE 

EVERETT, RON & MARY RUTKOWSKI. 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) THERESE ROWERDINK, SUSAN STAFFORD & CAROL 

VAN ANDEL; CAROL VAN ANDEL & MEMBERS OF WEST OTTAWA PURPLE POWER; VICKY LUDEMA; DR. 

PETER A. JONES & WIFE, VERONICA; ELIZABETH ALEXANDER, CAROL VAN ANDEL & RYAN GRAHAM; 

JEFFERY ROBERTS & CAROL VAN ANDEL; DAVID VAN ANDEL & TIM LONG. 



AROUND THE WORLD • VAI GOLF OUTING 

COUTURE FOR A CURE 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) RACHEL MRAZ & CHAD BASSETT; 

VAN ANDEL RESEARCH INSTITUTE POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS; CAROL 

VAN ANDEL; DAVID VAN ANDEL & JASON HANSON; SARAH TUPPER, ABBIE 

BENTON, MOLLY CHELOVICH & KATHY TUPPER; DOYLE A. HAYES, BRUCE 

COURTADE & TIM WILLIAMS; LYNN TENHARMSEL, MOLLY HUNTING; TINA 

EMERMINE & KASIE SMITH; HELMET SIGNED BY JASON HANSON. 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) SCOTT & REBECCA 

WIERDA, CAROL & DAVID VAN ANDEL; MISSY SHARPE, 

ALLISON BURR, DAVID BRACIAK & CHRISTINE HUGUES; 

JORDAN CARSON FROM WOOD TV8 & WOTV 4 WOMEN; 

GUESTS MINGLE AT THE AMWAY ARTISTRY BEAUTY BAR. 



HOPE ON THE HILL 

A CONVERSATION ABOUT PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH & TREATMENT 

HOSTED BY CAROL VAN ANDEL 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) EVENT GUESTS MINGLING; 

DAVID VAN ANDEL, VICKY LUDEMA & TIM LONG; LIGHT BALANCE 

PERFORMING; TERESA HENDRICKS-PITSCH, JIM NICHOLS & JAMIE MILLS; 

DR. STEVEN TRIEZENBERG & WIFE, LAURA; DANA STENSTROM, 

GINNY BAYSHORE & PATTI BOYD. 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) CAROL 

VAN ANDEL ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE; 

DR. JAMES FAHNER GIVING HIS KEYNOTE 

PRESENTATION; DR. JENNA GEDMINAS; CAROL 

VAN ANDEL WITH EVENT GUESTS; DR. MATT 

STEENSMA ANSWERS A QUESTION DURING 

THE EVENT Q&A. 



PURPLE COMMUNITY FOOTBALL GAMES — IGNITING SPIRIT AND TAKING ON CANCER 

PHILANTHROPY 

On any given weekend during the fall, people across 

the country gather under the Friday night lights, 

braving the cold weather to cheer on their hometown 

high school football teams. 

Football games help bring people together, uniting 

students, teams and the community around a common 

cause. Teams across Michigan hosted Purple Community 

games to benefit cancer research at Van Andel Institute 

(VAI). The games, filled with emotion and camaraderie, 

honored people affected by cancer and gave everyone in 

attendance a reason to be hopeful. 

Scott Merchant, head coach at Chippewa Valley High 

School in Clinton Township, Michigan, has coached 

hundreds of young athletes during the past nine years, but 

there’s one player he will never forget. 

SOUTH CHRISTIAN SAILORS 

CHIPPEWA VALLEY BIG REDS 

One day, a junior, just starting out on the varsity team, 

didn’t show up for practice because he was experiencing 

back pain and fatigue. The student received a diagnosis 

of testicular cancer and he learned that it had spread 

throughout his body. He wasn’t able to play in a single 

game, but even after surgery and aggressive treatments, 

he remained there for his team and cheered them on 

throughout the season from the sidelines. Sadly, before 

he could graduate, his life was tragically cut short, and he 

passed away from the disease. 

“So many people are affected by cancer, but when it gets 

one of your players, and it happens right in front of your 

face, it really hits home and inspires you to take action,” 

Merchant said. 

Mary Woltjer, a mother of three and one of the lead 

organizers of the South Christian High Purple Out game, 

rallies her school in support of VAI’s mission, and believes 

her school’s generosity stems from faith, community and 

a culture of compassion. In 2017, the school hosted a 

game that raised more than $37,000 to benefit cancer 

research at VAI. In total, Woltjer has helped organize five 

years of Purple events, and to date the school has raised 

more than $70,000. While this amount is impressive, the 

events have become more than a source for fundraising 

— they have become a way to honor those who have been 

impacted by this indiscriminate disease. 

TRAVERSE CITY WEST TITANS 

“One of the boys we honored during the game was a 

student and football player who was diagnosed with 

Hodgkin’s lymphoma — he’s now in remission, but we still 

wanted him to know how much support he has in our 

community,” Woltjer said. 

The game also honored Bob Blacquiere, who had served 

as South Christian’s head football coach for nearly 40 years 

and was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016. 

“Most people know someone who has been affected by cancer, and supporting 

research at VAI is something our community has really embraced...” 

A member of the Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame, 

Blacquiere helped generations of South Christian Sailors 

achieve their dreams. During the game, members of 

the football team, students, friends and family joined 

Blacquiere on the field to say “thank you” for his spirit and 

his service. 

A deep and significant sense of community support also 

connects the students, parents and teachers of Traverse 

City West High School. Terra Walters, mother and Pink 

— Terra Walters 

Game event coordinator, is proud of her school’s spirit and 

sense of togetherness and activism, which have helped 

raise more than $19,000 to benefit cancer research. 

“Giving back to our community and helping others is part 

of Traverse City West Football’s philosophy,” Walters said. 

“Most people know someone who has been affected by 

cancer, and supporting research at VAI is something our 

community has really embraced, and everyone looks 

forward to our Purple Community Pink Game.” 

TRAVERSE CITY WEST TITANS 



PURPLE COMMUNITY 5K — STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS MEAN MORE THAN A CHECK 

RUNNING LIKE THE WIND — 

PURPLE COMMUNITY MARATHON RUNNERS MAKE BIG STRIDES 

PHILANTHROPY 

On a cool, spring Saturday morning, hundreds of 

people rallied together on the grounds of the Mary 

Free Bed YMCA in Grand Rapids for the annual 

Consumers Credit Union Purple Community 5K (PC5K). 

Enthusiastic runners, walkers and volunteers participated 

in a day of activism and fundraising in support of Van Andel 

Institute’s (VAI) research into cancer, Parkinson’s and other 

diseases. The event has grown from a small gathering in 

2015 into one of West Michigan’s premier 5K races, thanks 

to an outpouring of community support and sponsors 

like Consumers Credit Union and the Mary Free Bed 

YMCA. Both organizations have built bridges between the 

Institute’s mission and the people they serve and have 

amplified Purple Community’s message of hope to spirited 

new audiences. 

Lynne Jarman-Johnson, chief marketing officer for 

Consumers Credit Union, views the organization’s title 

sponsorship of the PC5K as an extension of the company’s 

corporate values and community-focused business model. 

Jarman-Johnson’s contagious enthusiasm for giving back, 

and the efforts of Consumers Credit Union, expanded the 

PC5K’s reach and developed it into a day of exceptional 

engagement and fundraising. 

“Since the beginning, helping our community has been 

part of our organization’s mission,” Jarman-Johnson said. 

“For us, it’s very personal — we are proud to be the title 

sponsor for this event and see it as a way to serve our 

Consumers family and our region as a whole. Giving back is 

part of our culture.” 

For Paul Petr, district executive director for the Mary Free 

Bed YMCA, working for the YMCA is not just a job, it’s a 

calling. The Y’s focus on the critical needs of the community 

and its roots in faith and human wellness are things Petr 

feels deeply passionate about. These values, integral to the 

Y’s mission, are some of the many reasons Petr believes 

the partnership with Purple Community is such a good fit. 

“Whether we are leading an initiative, convening an event 

or partnering with another organization, making our 

community healthier is one of our main goals,” Petr said. 

“I think our partnership with Purple Community is strong, 

and I think we can do more when we are working together.” 

By hosting the PC5K, the Mary Free Bed YMCA has given 

Purple Community members access to a beautiful course 

and top-tier facilities for the event and provided the Y’s 

members who have been impacted by cancer with a 

powerful way to connect and support one another. 

“Speaking through the lens of a husband who recently lost 

his wife to cancer, a framework of support is so critical, not 

only to those who are going through cancer treatment, but 

for those family members and friends who are there caring 

for them. This event is a way for us to come together as 

a community and say, ‘you’re not alone,’” Petr said. “I’ve 

(TOP TO BOTTOM) CONSUMERS CREDIT UNION TEAM. 

PC5K RUNNER CROSSING THE FINISH LINE. 

always believed that people want to be involved with 

something that’s bigger than themselves, and I think the 

PC5K is an event that gives people that opportunity. It’s an 

event we are really proud to support.” 

Van Andel Institute’s (VAI) Purple Community Team 

Hope members had a busy year, competing in both the 

Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS New York 

Marathon. 

The dedicated runners trained for months to get ready for 

the two races that collectively raised more than $90,000 

to support VAI’s cancer and Parkinson’s disease research. 

Team Hope’s ranks grew in 2018 to include more than 44 

participants, including runner Brenda Gardner who ran the 

Chicago Marathon in honor of her husband, Todd, who was 

diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2004 at the age of 41. 

“To watch Todd’s internal and external struggles with 

Parkinson’s, I thought what better way to support him 

than by running in the 2018 Chicago Marathon, alongside 

my sister, Ann Schneider, and great friend, Tammy 

Anderson, in support of Making the Turn Against 

Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute,” Gardner said. 

Team Hope runners come from all across West Michigan, 

but run together connected by their desire to give back 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) 

PC5K RUNNERS; 

TEAM HOPE 

RUNNERS; BRENDA 

& TODD GARDNER. 

and to make a difference for those affected by cancer 

and Parkinson’s. Runner Kenny Gildersleeve completed 

the 26.2 miles of the Chicago Marathon, motivated by a 

deep desire to support biomedical research and a strong 

connection to the Institute’s mission of health and hope. 

“I’ve seen cancer impact several friends and loved ones in 

my life, including my own mother, who was diagnosed with 

breast cancer my senior year in high school,” Gildersleeve 

said. “Today, I’m happy to say that she is a cancer survivor 

and has been cancer free for over ten years. I know 

that cancer research is the key to making the disease 

more preventable, more treatable and to creating more 

survivors.” 

Team Hope runners move together mile after mile, 

bonded by their shared desire to honor those affected 

by cancer and Parkinson’s, and to support research that 

might change the future of human health. 



PURPLE COMMUNITY BREAKS A RECORD — RAISING MORE THAN $700,000 FOR CANCER AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE RESEARCH 

GENERATIONS OF DUNCAN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS 

RAISE $100,000 TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH 

PHILANTHROPY 

In 2018, Purple Community broke their yearly record 

for fundraising. Grassroots events, volunteers, schools 

and community partners helped raise more than 

$700,000 that directly benefits Van Andel Institute’s 

(VAI) biomedical research and education initiatives. 

Founded in 2009, Purple Community has grown into a 

widespread fundraising force and has raised more than 

$3.4 million for Van Andel Institute. 

“In 2018, we were able to work with more than 80 

volunteers and help grassroots fundraisers host 121 

events,” said Ashley Owen, Purple Community senior event 

coordinator. “This year was also really special because 

we had the opportunity to team up with 44 marathoners 

who participated in both the Chicago and New York races, 

raising over $88,000.” 

Purple Community began with West Michigan-based events 

— working primarily with local grade schools and high 

schools, but has steadily increased its reach — spreading 

hope across the state of Michigan and beyond. 

“We are really grateful to work with such amazing and 

dedicated community and media partners, schools and 

business leaders,” Owen said. “Everyone knows someone 

who has been affected by cancer or Parkinson’s disease, 

and Purple Community exists to give people touched 

by these diseases the chance to come together and do 

something extraordinary, and make a real contribution to 

the Institute’s research right here in Grand Rapids.” 

Events like the Consumers Credit Union Purple Community 

5K, the Bee Brave 5K, and collaborations with schools, 

entertainers, musicians and local sports teams have 

brought VAI’s mission to a wide variety of new audiences. 

“Purple Community is exactly that — a community of 

people connecting and reaching out to businesses, 

schools, family, friends and coworkers to create hope. 

Hope for their loved ones facing devastating diseases 

we research right here at VAI — and our job at Purple 

Community is to help these individuals who have a 

passion for our mission by giving them the resources to 

host successful fundraising events,” Owen said. “Whenever 

I meet an event organizer, volunteer or participant, and 

they share their stories with me, those stories drive 

me and the entire team here at VAI to make Purple 

Community the force it is today — I’m just so humbled 

and honored to be a part of it all.” 

To learn more about Purple Community and how you can get 

involved, visit purplecommunity.org. 

ASHLEY OWEN WITH PURPLE COMMUNITY EVENT VOLUNTEERS. 

Duncan Lake Middle School in Caledonia, Michigan, sits 

tucked away between sprawling farmland and rolling 

country roads. From the outside, its brown brick building 

looks like an average middle school anywhere in the United 

States but inside, its students have achieved something 

extraordinary. 

For more than a decade, the school’s student council has 

planned and hosted an event that has inspired their quiet, 

rural community and raised more than $100,000 to benefit 

cancer research at Van Andel Institute (VAI). By working 

together and passing the torch to successive generations 

of students, Duncan Lake has redefined what young 

people can do when their hearts and minds are united by a 

common cause. 

Hannah Jablonski, a 23-year-old recent college graduate, 

remembers being a creative, expressive eighth-grader at 

Duncan Lake. As a member of the school’s student council, 

she worked with her classmates to plan and organize the 

very first Cancer Walk in 2008. 

“It all started because we wanted to do something to give 

back and support good causes and, because we knew a 

lot of people were affected by cancer, we decided to do 

the first Cancer Walk,” Jablonski said. “It was such a good 

experience. When you’re a student and you have the 

freedom to plan an event like this, and you know that you 

can make a difference in the world, it’s really impactful.” 

DUNCAN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS AWARDED A CAROL 

VAN ANDEL ANGEL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD IN 2018 FOR THEIR 

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & IMPRESSIVE FUNDRAISING EFFORTS. 

“This event really shows kids that they 

can give back to their community and that 

creating change is doable.” 

— Elizabeth Alexander 

“Every year, you can see the sixth-graders falling in love 

with the event and getting excited about how they can 

support cancer research and, the cool thing is, when those 

enthusiastic kids get to eighth-grade, they are the leaders 

taking charge,” Alexander said. 

Since the very first Cancer Walk was organized by Jablonski 

and her classmates, the event has become a source 

of fun, camaraderie and community that has unified 

students, teachers and their families and friends behind an 

important mission. 

“This event really shows kids that they can give back to 

their community and that creating change is doable,” 

Alexander said. “Personally, I lost two family members to 

cancer in the last few years, and this event is a source 

of hope — hope that the Institute’s researchers might 

one day find a treatment or cure that could help people 

survive.” 

Jablonski is proud that the Cancer Walk gives so many 

people hope for the future, and she continues to spread 

the message all these years later. While in college, 

Alexander surprised Jablonski by inviting her to speak 

at a pep rally to say a few words about the event she 

helped create. Jablonski was shocked that Alexander had 

remembered her after all these years and that the small 

event she and her classmates organized had raised more 

than six figures. 

“In 2018, we were able to work with more than 80 volunteers and help grassroots fundraisers host 121 events.” 

— Ashley Owen 

Elizabeth Alexander, enrichment coordinator at Duncan 

Lake, has worked for the past decade with students like 

Jablonski to help them plan their Cancer Walk. Since the 

very first event, Alexander has been impressed with the 

students’ ability to take charge of their event and take pride 

in their work. 

DUNCAN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CELEBRATE AT THEIR 

ANNUAL CANCER WALK. 

“It’s really an inspiration to know that a few kids in middle 

school can organize an event, raise an impressive amount 

of money and make a difference in the lives of people 

living with cancer,” Jablonski said. “I have always believed 

that you get as much as you give into the world, and these 

kids are giving a lot.” 



NEVER STOP GIVING BACK — SALLY SCHAAFSMA, PURPLE COMMUNITY CABINET VOLUNTEER CHAIR 

PHILANTHROPY 

As the Purple Community Cabinet volunteer chair, 

Schaafsma also has the opportunity to share her 

professional work experience and mentor the team’s 

junior volunteers and interns. 

Memorials 

Society of Hope 

For Sally Schaafsma, volunteering isn’t a hobby or 

an occasional activity — it’s a full-time job. When 

Sally retired from a successful career as a teacher and 

businesswoman, she knew she wanted to spend her days 

helping others, giving back to her community and making 

the world a better place. Today, Schaafsma volunteers 

with a number of Grand Rapids-based charities and 

organizations, including Van Andel Institute’s (VAI) Purple 

Community. 

SALLY SCHAAFSMA 

“I call myself a community volunteer, and I have always 

wanted to use my skills and abilities to help — wherever I 

could,” Schaafsma said. 

Working alongside Purple Community associates, interns 

and other volunteers, Schaafsma uses her organizational 

skills and leadership abilities to help the team prepare 

for the many grassroots fundraising events they organize 

throughout the year. 

“One of my favorite aspects of volunteering with Purple 

Community is working with people from all different age 

groups, and in particular with the younger people just 

starting their careers — I feel like I can really help them 

and share the knowledge that comes from my years of 

experience,” Schaafsma said. “It really gives me a great 

feeling to work with so many wonderful young people.” 

The Institute’s mission and work in biomedical research 

and science education drew Schaafsma to volunteer with 

Purple Community. 

“Like so many people, my family has been directly 

affected by the diseases VAI studies,” Schaafsma said. 

“It’s important to support scientists and organizations 

who are doing research that will help find new therapies 

and, ultimately, cures for these diseases. I love having the 

opportunity to share information about the Institute’s 

work with people at Purple Community events, and it’s 

even better when we get new people involved in our 

mission.” 

Schaafsma believes volunteering is one of the most 

meaningful things a person can do with their time, and 

she hopes others will join her in helping build the Purple 

Community volunteer program. 

“There are so many ways to volunteer,” Schaafsma said. 

“Everyone has skills they can give to an organization, 

whether it’s behind the scenes or working with the public. 

Every one of us can help our communities and the causes 

we believe in.” 

2018 was a year of great loss for Van Andel 

Institute. We said farewell to longtime friends 

and supporters, Don Maine, Gordon Van Harn 

and John Canepa. They will remain forever in our 

hearts. 

Donald W. Maine 

A member of the Van Andel Education Institute Board 

of Trustees and Chair of the Finance and Compensation 

Committees for more than 11 years, Don was a devoted 

friend and enthusiastic champion of the Institute from our 

beginning. 

Don was a fixture on the educational scene in West 

Michigan. He was fascinated with entrepreneurial thinking, 

and his vision guided Davenport University from a small 

college into a fully accredited university. As the former 

president and chancellor, he was beloved at Davenport 

and throughout our community. A mentor to many, Don 

made people feel special in everything he did. He gave 

freely of his time and expertise, serving on multiple boards 

and receiving numerous accolades along the way. 

Gordon Van Harn 

An early leader of the Institute, Gordon Van Harn served 

with us for 18 years. 

Following a stellar academic career that included serving as 

Calvin College’s provost and academic dean for the natural 

sciences, Gordon joined the VAEI Board of Trustees in 2000 

and served with distinction as Director of VAEI from 2001 

to 2009. It was Gordon’s vision to create a Graduate 

School and he was instrumental, along with Dr. Steven J. 

Triezenberg, in securing the VAIGS charter from the 

state of Michigan to confer degrees. He was a passionate 

and creative leader who also brought great focus to the 

Institute’s efforts to impact K–12 science education. 

John Canepa 

A longtime friend and a dedicated supporter of the 

Institute, John founded the VAI Board of Governors and 

participated in governance for our Institute as a member of 

the Finance and Compensation Committees. 

John was a man of vision, talent and action. A gifted 

financial expert originally from Boston, he saw incredible 

possibility for Grand Rapids. He brought people and ideas 

together to infuse new life into our region. Through Grand 

Action, John was instrumental in revitalizing Grand Rapids, 

beginning with his support for the building of Van Andel 

Arena in 1996. Our community has been transformed by 

John’s belief in us. 

The Society of Hope recognizes individuals 

and couples who have notified us that they 

will include Van Andel Institute in their will 

or other deferred giving plan. Through our 

acknowledgment of and gratitude to these 

exceptional people, we hope that their 

generosity will inspire others. 

Vivian G. Anderson 

Stanley & Blanche Ash 

Kevin & Michelle Bassett 

Philip & Shirley Battershall 

John & Nancy Batts 

Fred & Julie Bogaert 

Bill & Marilyn Crawford 

Barbara Erhards 

J. Scott Grill 

Joan Hammersmith 

Arthur Joseph Jabury 

Ms. Maryanna Johnson 

Reneé Kuipers 

Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Long 

Jamie Mills & Jim Nichols 

LG & Helen Myers 

Jone E. Phillips 

Ronald Rutkowski 

Alan R. Ryan 

George Sietsema 

Eva Sonneville 

Fred L. Tape 

Hylda & Alvin Tuuk 

John E. VanFossen 


SIGNATURE SPECIAL EVENT SPONSORS 

We are grateful to have extraordinarily dedicated signature event sponsors. 

Thank you for partnering with us and supporting our mission throughout the year. 

INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP TEAM 

LEADERSHIP 

Al & Robin Koop Foundation 

Alliance Beverage 

Amway 

Amway Grand Plaza Hotel 

Aon 

Aquinas College 

Artistry 

Autocam Medical 

B.D.’s BBQ 

Belwith Products 

Bengtson Center for Aesthetics 

& Plastic Surgery 

Betz Industries 

BHS Insurance 

Franco & Alessandra Bianchi 

David & Jill Bielema 

Blue Water Custom Homes 

Bluewater Technologies 

Chuck & Christine Boelkins 

Buist Electric 

Jerry & Suzanne Callahan 

Cancer & Hematology Centers 

of Western Michigan, P.C. 

Carnelian Energy Capital 

Cascade Rental 

Center for Physical 

Rehabilitation 

Chad Bassett 

Cheeky Strut 

The Chop House 

CityFlatsHotel 

CitySen 

Coldwell Banker 

Colliers International 

Comfort Research 

Consumers Credit Union 

Cork Wine & Grille/Vintage 

Prime & Seafood 

Cornerstone University 

Blake Crabb 

Crowe LLP 

Mimi Cummings 

Cumulus Media 

Tom & Tracy Curran 

The Currie Foundation 

Custer, Inc. 

CWD Real Estate Investment 

Czech Asset Management 

Davenport University 

David & Carol Van Andel 

Family Foundation 

Jerry & Karen DeBlaay 

Rachel Decker 

Deloitte 

Brian DeVries & Barbara Pugh 

Dick & Betsy DeVos Family 

Foundation 

Discovery Financial, LLC 

Divani 

Eastbrook Homes 

Edward Jones 

Eenhoorn, LLC 

Eileen DeVries Family 

Foundation 

Ellis Parking Company 

Emmanuel Hospice 

Erhardt Construction 

Eurest 

Everett’s Landscape 

Management Inc. 

Fifth Third Bank 

First National Bank of Michigan 

Foremost Insurance Group 

Fred L. Hansen Corporation 

Gallagher 

Grand Rapids Christian Schools 

Grand Rapids Griffins 

Grand Rapids Symphony 

Grand Valley State University 

Gravity Taphouse Grille 

Martin & Peggy Greydanus 

Dr. Jana Hall 

Paul & Sheryl Haverkate 

Harvey Automotive 

Kurt & Madelon Hassberger 

HealthBridge 

Ken Hoffman & Lisa Rose 

Hope College 

Howard Miller 

Huizenga Group 

Bill & Starr Humphries 

Ben & Molly Hunting 

Ice Sculptures, LTD 

iHeartMedia Inc. 

Integrated Architecture 

Iron 

Jandernoa Foundation 

Jeffery Roberts Design 

John Hancock Financial Services 

Dr. Peter A. & Veronica Jones 

K3NOW Neuroscience 

Optimized Wellness 

Kindel Grand Rapids 

King Street Capital Management 

Craig & Debra Kinney 

Kitchen 67 

Blake & Mary Krueger 

Lake Michigan Credit Union 

Lanning & Stafford Families 

Ray & Jeannine Lanning 

Leigh’s 

Leo’s 

Lighthouse Charitable Gift Fund 

Lighthouse Group 

Gary & Vicky Ludema 

Macatawa Bank 

Making the Turn Against 

Parkinson’s 

McAlvey Merchant & Associates 

McDonnell Investment 

Management 

McShane & Bowie, P.L.C. 

Media 3 Design 

MedNow 

Meijer Foundation 

Deborah Meijer 

Mercy Health 

Metro Health — University of 

Michigan Health 

MGD Technologies, Inc. 

Michigan State University 

College of Human Medicine 

MLive Media Group/The 

Grand Rapids Press 

Modern Day Events & Floral 

Neiman Marcus 

Norris, Perné & French LLP 

NorthStar Commercial 

Nothing Bundt Cakes 

Oppenheimer & Company Inc. 

— Michael J. Murdock, Director 

of Investments 

Orthopaedic Associates 

of Michigan 

Osteria Rossa 

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. 

John & Kristine Palmer 

Lee & Alexandra Perez 

Perper Design 

Peter C. & Emajean Cook 

Foundation 

Pioneer Construction 

Pitsch Companies 

Plante Moran 

Plastic Surgery Associates & 

Grand Pearl Spa 

Preusser Jewelers 

Priority Health 

Reds at Thousand Oaks 

Regal Financial Group 

Renew Family Dental 

Res-Com Electric 

Reserve Wine & Food 

Tom & Brenda Rinks 

Robert DeNooyer Chevrolet 

Rocket Science 

Rockford Construction 

RoMan Manufacturing Inc. 

Rowerdink Inc. 

John & Therese Rowerdink 

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 

Rycenga Building Center 

SanChez Bistro 

The Sandi Gentry Team — Re/Max 

Lakeshore 

Scott & Jan Spoelhof Foundation 

Secrest Wardle 

Tony & Dawn Semple 

Dan Shapiro & Joe Mangini 

The Sharpe Collection 

six.one.six 

Slows Bar BQ 

Sobie Meats, LLC 

Dan & Carol Springer 

Rob & Susan Stafford 

Standard Lumber 

Steelcase 

Stephen Klotz Family Foundation 

The Steve & Amy Van Andel 

Foundation 

Tom & Mary Stuit 

Suburban Landscapes 

Sweetie-licious 

Taconic Charitable Foundation 

Thomas S. Fox Family 

Todd Wenzel Automotive 

Townsquare Media 

The Tupper Group of 

Merrill Lynch 

Uccello’s Ristorante 

US Bank 

US Signal 

Mike & Michelle Van Dyke 

Van Dellen Steel, Inc. 

Van Eerden Foodservice 

Dave & Beth Van Portfliet 

Brian & Lori Vander Baan 

Marc & Ashley Veenstra 

The Veldheer, Long, Mackay 

& Bernecker Group of Merrill 

Lynch 

Veolia North America 

Virginia Tile 

Warner Norcross + Judd LLP 

Wells Fargo 

West Michigan Woman 

Wheelhouse 

Dr. Bart & Wendy Williams 

Williams Kitchen & Bath 

Greg & Meg Willit 

Wolverine Worldwide 

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine 

Zip Xpress Inc. 

Jim & Jane Zwiers 

“Your belief in our work and your 

dedication, commitment and 

generosity have served as the 

Institute’s bedrock since it was 

founded in 1996. We are eternally 

grateful.” 

— David Van Andel 


Van Andel Institute Chairman & CEO 

David Van Andel is Chairman and CEO of Van Andel 

Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is also an 

entrepreneur involved in several other business interests 

in the natural and life science products industries. 

The son of Jay Van Andel, founder of Van Andel Institute 

and co-founder of Amway Corporation, David is currently 

a member of Amway’s Board of Directors and serves on 

its Executive, Governance and Audit committees. Before 

leading Van Andel Institute, he had held various positions 

at Amway since 1977, including chief operating officer 

of Amway’s Pyxis Innovations Business Unit, and was 

senior vice president — Americas and Europe, overseeing 

Amway business activities in North America and 22 

European and 11 Latin American affiliates. 

Jerry Callahan, Ph.D., M.B.A. 

Vice President, Innovation & Collaboration Officer 

Jana Hall, Ph.D., M.B.A. 

Chief Operations Officer 


Chief Scientific Officer, Van Andel Research Institute 

Timothy Myers, M.B.A, C.P.A. 

Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 

Terra Tarango 

Director & Chief Education Officer, Van Andel Education Institute 

Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D. 

President & Dean, Van Andel Institute Graduate School 

Linda Zarzecki, M.B.A 

Vice President of Human Resources 



BOARD & COUNCIL MEMBERS 

LEADERSHIP 

Van Andel Institute Trustees 


Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Van Andel Institute 

Joan Budden 

President & CEO, Priority Health 

John Kennedy 

President & Chief Executive Officer, Autocam Medical 

Mark Meijer 

President, Life E.M.S. Ambulance 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) MARK MEIJER, JOHN KENNEDY & 

DAVID VAN ANDEL (NOT PICTURED) JOAN BUDDEN. 

Van Andel Research Institute Trustees 



Tom R. DeMeester, M.D. 

Professor & Chairman Emeritus, Department 

of Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of 

Southern California 

James B. Fahner, M.D. 

Chief, Pediatric Hematology & Oncology; Senior 

Administrative Physician for Philanthropy & Community 

Relations, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital 

Michelle Le Beau, Ph.D. 

Professor of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology; 

Director, University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer 

Center; Director, Cancer Cytogenetics Laboratory, 

University of Chicago 

George Vande Woude, Ph.D. 

Distinguished Scientific Fellow, Founding Research Director, 

Van Andel Research Institute 

Max S. Wicha, M.D. 

Distinguished Professor of Oncology; Professor, 

Department of Internal Medicine; Founding Director, 

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center 

Van Andel Education Institute Trustees 



James E. Bultman, Ed.D. 

Former President, Hope College 

Susan Keipper Meell 

Chief Executive Officer, MMS Education 

Juan R. Olivarez, Ph.D. 

President Emeritus, Aquinas College; Past President & 

CEO of Kalamazoo Foundation & Grand Rapids Community 

College 

Teresa Weatherall Neal 

Superintendent of Schools, Grand Rapids Public Schools 

Van Andel Research Institute External 

Scientific Advisory Board 

Tony Hunter, Ph.D. (ESAB Chair) 

Professor, Molecular & Cell Biology Laboratory; American 

Cancer Society Professor; Renato Dulbecco Chair; Deputy 

Director, Salk Institute Cancer Center 

Marie-Francoise Chesselet, M.D., Ph.D. 

Distinguished Professor of Neurology & Neurobiology, 

Emerita, UCLA 

Van Andel Research Institute External Scientific Advisory Board (continued) 

Sharon Y.R. Dent, Ph.D. 

Professor & Chair, Department of Epigenetics & Molecular 

Carcinogenesis; Director, Science Part; Director, Center for 

Cancer Epigenetics, MD Anderson Cancer Center 

Howard J. Federoff, M.D., Ph.D. 

Chancellor, Health Affairs; Dean, School of Medicine, 

University of California Irvine School of Medicine; 

CEO, UC Irvine Health System 

Theresa Ann Guise, M.D. 

Jerry W. & Peg S. Throgmartin Professor of Oncology, 

Professor of Medicine; Professor of Pharmacology, 

Department of Medicine, Indiana University School 

of Medicine 

Arthur D. Riggs, Ph.D. 

Director, Diabetes & Metabolism Research Institute at City 

of Hope; Director Emeritus, Beckman Research Institute 

of City of Hope 

Max S. Wicha, M.D. 

Madeline & Sidney Forbes Professor of Oncology; Founding 

Director Emeritus; Director, Forbes Institute for Cancer 

Discovery, University of Michigan Comprehensive 

Cancer Center 

Van Andel Institute Graduate School 

Board of Directors 

James Fahner, M.D. 

Chief, Pediatric Hematology & Oncology; Senior 

Administrative Physician for Philanthropy & Community 

Relations, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital 

Michael J. Imperiale, Ph.D. 

Vice President of Research — Policy & Compliance; 

Professor & Associate Chair, Department of Microbiology & 

Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School 


Chief Scientific Officer, Van Andel Research Institute 

Pamela Kidd, M.D. 

Former Medical Director, Hematology & Flow Cytometry 

Laboratories of Spectrum Health & Helen DeVos Children’s 

Hospital 

Karen Klomparens, Ph.D. 

Former Dean of the Graduate School & Senior Advisor to 

the Provost, Michigan State University 

Juan R. Olivarez, Ph.D. 

President Emeritus, Aquinas College; Past President & 

CEO of Kalamazoo Foundation & Grand Rapids Community 

College 

Danny R. Welch, Ph.D. 

Founding Chair, Department of Cancer Biology, University 

of Kansas Cancer Center 



BOARD & COUNCIL MEMBERS (continued) 

LEADERSHIP 

Van Andel Institute Board of Governors 

CO-CHAIRS: TIM LONG & VICKY LUDEMA 

JBoard Ambassadors 

CO-CHAIRS: RACHEL MRAZ & CHAD BASSETT 

Kurt Arvidson 

Tony & Kathleen Asselta 

Jeffrey Battershall 

Franco & Alessandra Bianchi 

David & Jill Bielema 

Chuck & Christine Boelkins 

Chuck & Sara Booth 

Patrick & Kristine Brady 

Joan Budden 

Jerry & Suzanne Callahan 

Tom & Tracy Curran 

Dave & Karen Custer 

Stephen J. Czech 

Thomas DeJonge 

Robert DeVilbiss 

Dick & Betsy DeVos 

Douglas & Maria DeVos 

Richard DeVos 

Mark Eastburg 

Michael & Lynette Ellis 

Mathew & Jennifer Fahrenkrug 

Thomas & Mickie Fox 

Dan & Lou Ann Gaydou 

Gary Granger 

Martin & Margaret Greydanus 

Jefra Groendyk 

Dr. Thomas J. Haas 

Dr. Jana Hall 

Tom Hammer 

Paul & Rosemary Heule 

Dirk & June Hoffius 

Earle & Kyle Irwin 

Mike & Sue Jandernoa 

Lynne Jarman-Johnson 

Dr. Peter A. & Veronica Jones 

John & Nancy Kennedy 

Craig & Debra Kinney 

Reneé Kuipers 

Raymond & Jeannine Lanning 

Kenneth Larm 

Wayne & Terry Lobdell 

Ray B. Loeschner 

Timothy & Kimberly Long 

Gary & Vicky Ludema 

David Madiol 

Michael R. McGraw 

Hank & Liesel Meijer 

Mark & Mary Beth Meijer 

Rusty & Jennifer Merchant 

Jack H. Miller 

Jamie Mills & Jim Nichols 

Mike & Rachel Mraz 

Dr. Juan & Mary Olivarez 

Garry & Pat Ringnalda 

Jeffery Roberts 

John & Therese Rowerdink 

H. Gideon Sanders 

Tim & Barbie Schowalter 

Peter & Joan Secchia 

Tony & Dawn Semple 

George & Missy Sharpe 

Kasie Smith 

John & Judy Spoelhof 

Robert & Susan Stafford 

Thomas & Mary Stuit 

Duke Suwyn 

Steve & Cheryl Timyan 

Dr. Steven & Laura Triezenberg 

Stephen & Anne Tuuk 

David & Carol Van Andel 

Steve & Amy Van Andel 

Maria Van Til 

Dr. George Vande Woude 

Brian & Lori Vander Baan 

Allen & Nancy VanderLaan 

Don VanDine 

David & Beth VanPortfliet 

Christopher & Dana Vinton 

Phillip & Kathleen Vogelsang 

Tom Welch 

Geoffrey & LeeAnne Widlak 

Scott & Rebecca Wierda 

James & Sue Williams 

Greg Willit & Meg Miller Willit 

Leslie & Jane Wong 

James & Jane Zwiers 

Dr. Dorothy C. Armstrong 

Keegan Balk 

Robert & Katie Barcelona 

Chad Bassett 

Lindsay Benedict 

Christopher Billmeier 

Paige Cornetet 

Blake Crabb 

Jenna DeBest 

Aaron & Afton DeVos 

Samuel DeVries 

Tad Dobre 

Alex Ehlert-VanBeveren 

Jennifer Fischer 

David Granger 

Mary Hilger 

April Hirdes 

Ken Hoffman & Lisa Rose 

Jordan Hoyer 

Jason & Brandi Huyser 

Eric Jones 

Alison Keutgen 

Kevin & Katie Kileen 

Eric Kovalak 

Michael & Andrea Leestma 

Michael Lomonaco 

Casey Lowery 

Geoff Ludema 

Peter Medema 

Elizabeth Mines 

Mike & Rachel Mraz 

Christopher & Alyssa Nance 

Dana Nicholson 

Kendra Osowski 

Matt & Beth Osterhaven 

Gregory Paplawsky 

Eric Payne 

Stacy Peck 

Leland & Alexandra Perez 

Justin Pinto 

Cody Pletcher 

Nicole Probst 

Jeff & Deidre Remtema 

Charlie & Tanya Rowerdink 

Alex Schrotenboer 

Lisa Schrotenboer 

Lindsay Slagboom 

Jon & Allison Sleight 

Meriden Smucker 

Joseph Spoelhof 

Timothy Streit 

Mark Stuit 

Elizabeth Terhorst 

Bob Tsironis 

Aaron & Hailey Van Andel 

Chris Van Andel 

Jesse & Heather Van Andel 

Kyle Van Andel 

Daniel VandenBosch 

Sarah Vander Baan 

David & Sarah Vanderveen 

Sydney Vinton 

Alison Waske Sutter 

Allie Wittenbach 

Aaron Wong 

Megan Zubrickas 

Thank you, Board of Governors. 

Thank you, JBoard Ambassadors. 

As members of the Van Andel Institute Board of Governors, you serve as ambassadors who help advance the Institute’s mission and vision in the local community. 

Thank you for being our partners and contributing significantly to our success. 

As JBoard Ambassadors, you are leaders who exhibit the power of young professionals to make a difference. We appreciate the energy and dedication you bring to the Institute. 

Thank you for your vision and your friendship in our efforts to improve the health and enhance the lives of current and future generations. 



333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 | P 616.234.5000 | vai.org

2018 Annual Report

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