2017 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 

2017

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 Beyond the Brain 

8 Translating Discovery into Life-Changing Care 

10 Meet Van Andel Research Institute’s 

Principal Investigators 

16 Investigating Life's Smallest Components 

18 Going Further, Together 

20 Education 

22 Connecting Two Worlds 

24 Van Andel Education Institute, NASA & the 

Girl Scouts Team Up to Take Girls to the Stars! 

25 Bea Aldrink Idema Foundation Provides 

Students with a Summer of Discovery 

26 Donors & Philanthropic Partners 

28 Profiles in Hope — Van Andel Institute Donors 

Turn Love & Loss into Action 

30 Events Photos 

36 A Perfect Day, an Unforgettable Memory 

38 Sources of Funding 

39 Society of Hope 

40 Signature Special Event Sponsors 

41 Institute Leadership Team 

42 Board & Council Members 

VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2017

A Letter from David Van Andel 

Dear Friends, 

This has been a year of extraordinary progress. Your 

generous support has helped us expand collaborations, 

achieve record levels of grant funding, publish more 

scientific advances than ever before and move closer to 

solving the mysteries surrounding some of humanity’s 

most devastating diseases. 

Our collaborations with researchers, educators and worldclass 

organizations have united us all with a common 

goal — to conquer diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s as 

quickly as possible. In Grand Rapids, we are discovering 

new ways to work together and build a critical mass of 

talent in the region. At the same time, we’re reaching 

out across the world, expanding collaborations with an 

impressive list of leading organizations, scientists and 

physicians. 

External recognition for the work we do has reached 

an all-time high and is reflected in the 37 new funding 

awards our scientists earned in 2017 totaling $27.7 

million, including $23.6 million in federal grants. We also 

broke another Van Andel Institute record in 2017, with 

publications of scientific discoveries reaching an all-time 

high — 145 scientific papers, 132 of them peer-reviewed. 

Many of these studies were published in prestigious 

journals, such as Nature and Proceedings of the National 

Academy of Sciences, which reinforces the real-world impact 

of our work. 

Discoveries at VAI are providing important clues to better 

understand how our bodies function in health and disease. 

To aid in this endeavor, we installed one of the world’s most 

powerful microscopes, called a cryo-electron microscope. 

Already, it is revealing intricate molecular secrets, detailing 

three-dimensional, atomic-level portraits of life’s smallest 

components, which will help us understand disease and 

devise new targets for drug therapies. In addition, our 

Parkinson’s research is unlocking vital clues to how the 

disease may be triggered through inflammation and factors 

in the nose and gut. 

As we move into our third decade, we continue to push 

toward creating a better tomorrow through the work we do 

today. Your encouragement and generosity help us build 

that brighter future for generations to come. Thank you for 

all you’ve done to help us achieve these vital goals. 

Warmly, 

David Van Andel 

Van Andel Institute Chairman & CEO 

2 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2017

VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2017 | 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. 

4 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE 

ANNUAL REPORT 2017


Beyond the Brain Do the secrets of Parkinson's lie in the nose, the gut and inflammation? 

In 1817, British surgeon James Parkinson penned the 

first medical description of the disease that now bears 

his name. He chronicled a singular, inexplicable disorder 

that afflicted his patients — usually people advanced in 

age — with tremors and rigidity, eventually robbing them of 

their ability to move. 

Two hundred years have passed since then, and in many 

ways, the causes of Parkinson’s have continued to defy 

definition. But now, thanks to recent breakthroughs and 

technological advancements, scientists are chipping away at 

the seemingly impenetrable façade of Parkinson's disease, 

revealing a complex tapestry of causes, symptoms and 

molecular mechanisms that may revolutionize patient care 

and improve the lives of millions around the globe. 

Connecting the dots 

For much of the time since the initial publication of James 

Parkinson’s Essay on the Shaking Palsy, Parkinson’s disease 

was considered a purely motor condition, largely attributed 

to a brain progressively starved of the neurotransmitter 

dopamine, which controls voluntary movement. Like many 

other conditions, Parkinson's was viewed as one disease 

with likely one cure out there somewhere, waiting to be 

discovered. 

The reality, said Dr. Patrik Brundin, Van Andel Research 

Institute associate director of research, isn’t quite so 

clear cut. 

“Parkinson’s is an incredibly diverse disease and can vary 

widely from person to person,” Brundin said. “Its study 

and treatment necessitate a sophisticated approach and 

require us to recognize there may not just be one solution 

but many.” 

Under Brundin’s leadership, scientists in the Institute’s 

Center for Neurodegenerative Science working with 

collaborators around the world are tackling Parkinson’s 

from every angle, investigating its risk factors, its causes 

and its vulnerabilities. Their goal? To find ways to slow or 

stop its progression, something no current therapy can do. 

Moving past motor symptoms 

We now know that a host of seemingly unrelated 

symptoms can predate a Parkinson’s diagnosis by years, or 

even decades. Chief among them are the loss of a person’s 

sense of smell and intestinal issues, such as constipation. 

“For a long time, we didn’t entirely grasp the significance 

of these other, non-motor symptoms,” Brundin said. “Now, 

we understand they are not only important precursors 

but also hint at the very basis of the disease itself. If we 

understand what’s happening early on in the disease, 

before motor symptoms appear, we can harness that 

knowledge to find ways to slow or possibly prevent it.” 

In a series of discoveries, the most recent published in 

2017, Brundin’s team revealed how a toxic protein called 

alpha-synuclein, long linked to Parkinson’s, travels from 

the nose into the olfactory bulb, the area of the brain 

responsible for processing scents. From there, these 

proteins move from cell to cell, clogging up the molecular 

machinery required to keep cells healthy and functioning. 

These proteins eventually reach a region rich with 

dopamine-producing cells, where scientists theorize alphasynuclein 

wreaks havoc, killing cells and starving the brain 

of the chemical needed for movement. 

The nose isn’t the only place harboring a reserve of toxic 

proteins with a direct route to the brain. Something similar 

may also be happening in the gut, which is connected to 

the brain via the “superhighway” of the vagus nerve, one 

of the longest nerves in the human body. It’s here that 

Assistant Professor Dr. Viviane Labrie is searching for 

reasons why normal alpha-synuclein changes into its toxic 

form and how this process — and its spread to the brain — 

could be prevented. 

“While the gut and the nose are clearly very different, 

they have one important thing in common — frequent 

contact with the outside world, through breathing and 

food consumption, respectively,” Labrie said. “Although 

environmental factors play a role in Parkinson’s disease, 

they can’t be the only things. We all breathe, and we all eat, 

but we all don’t get Parkinson’s. There has to be something 

else at play.” 

The tipping point 

The secret may lie, at least partially, in yet another normal 

process gone haywire. Inflammation is the body’s response 

to insult or injury, a manifestation of a marshaled immune 

system that sends a chemical flood to help heal a wound 

or respond to a stressor. There is a catch though — for 

inflammation to help rather than hurt, it must be silenced 

when it’s no longer needed. When inflammation sticks 

around, it can disrupt normal cellular function, interfering 

with processes such as the removal of toxic forms of alphasynuclein. 

“We’re learning, thanks to intense research in our lab and 

in the labs of our colleagues, that inflammation likely plays 

a central role in the incredibly complicated process that 

triggers Parkinson’s,” said Associate Professor Dr. Lena 

Brundin. “Reducing inflammation is a promising therapeutic 

strategy that may provide a tremendous opportunity to 


RESEARCH 

attack the disease from a new direction.” 

Here again, the nose may harbor important clues. Fueled 

by a set of new Department of Defense grants totaling 

$4.37 million, Dr. Patrik Brundin and collaborators at 

University of Southern California and Michigan State 

University are investigating the role of air pollution as a 

potential contributing factor to Parkinson’s. Their theory? 

That environmental factors such as pollution build on 

a person’s specific genetic influences and age — the 

single greatest risk factor for Parkinson’s — setting off an 

uncontrolled inflammatory chain reaction. 

Bringing it together 

In all, Parkinson’s is likely the result of a complex mix of 

genetics, epigenetics and environmental triggers that 

set a cascade of problems into motion. Some cause the 

abnormal clumping of alpha-synuclein, turning it from a 

harmless protein into a toxic one, while others bog down 

cellular machinery, interfering with processes designed to 

keep cells healthy. Genetic and epigenetic factors almost 

certainly are at play as well, influencing individuals’ risk of 

developing the disease. Each newly identified contributing 

factor reveals a chink in the armor of Parkinson’s, ripe for 

targeting by new or repurposed medications. 

“We’ve come a long way since James Parkinson put ink to 

paper, from viewing the disease as a one-size-fits-all motor 

disorder to our current understanding of Parkinson’s as a 

diverse multi-system event,” Dr. Patrik Brundin said. 

“Together with collaborators around the world, our 

scientists are pushing forward quickly. We’re on the edge 

of ushering in a monumental change in how Parkinson’s 

patients are diagnosed and treated. I’m more excited — 

and hopeful — now than ever before.” 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) DR. VIVIANE LABRIE, DR. LENA BRUNDIN & DR. PATRIK BRUNDIN. 


Translating Discovery into Life-Changing Care 

When it comes to defeating cancer and Parkinson’s 

disease, collaboration is one of our strongest assets. 

That’s why Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) teamed up 

with Stand Up To Cancer, the American Association for 

Cancer Research, The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, The Michael J. 

Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and other leading 

organizations, scientists and physicians — to see what we 

can do when our collective expertise and resources are 

combined. The result is a slate of clinical trials, critical steps 

on the road from the lab to the doctor’s office that ensure 

new treatments are safe and effective. If successful, these 

therapies could help improve the lives of millions of people 

suffering from these devastating diseases. Active clinical 

trials include the following. 

Cancer 

The VARI–SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team has six ongoing 

clinical trials at medical centers across the U.S. and in 

Copenhagen, Denmark. Two of these trials — non-small 

cell lung cancer and bladder cancer — are supported by 

two of 10 inaugural SU2C Catalyst ® grants, totaling nearly 

$5.5 million. The trials are evaluating new combination 

treatments for: 

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood 

cancer that is notoriously difficult to treat and has poor 

long-term survival. 

Bladder cancer, a tough-to-treat cancer that is the sixth 

most common type of cancer diagnosed in the U.S. 

*Supported by a SU2C Catalyst ® grant 

Metastatic colorectal cancer, the second leading cause 

of cancer death in men and women combined in the U.S. 

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and AML, which 

also are the subjects of a small pilot study that is 

investigating whether a simple addition to the standard 

care regimen may improve the current therapy’s ability to 

impede cancer cell growth and destroy cancer cells. This 

combination is also being explored in patients with clonal 

cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) — thought 

to be a potential precursor to MDS in some patients. 

MDS and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), 

two blood cancers that are incurable with current drugs 

and that may progress to AML, a much more aggressive 

cancer. 

Non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of 

lung cancer, which accounts for more than 80 percent of 

cases. Lung cancers are a major public health problem and 

claim more lives annually than any other type of cancer. 

*Supported by a SU2C Catalyst ® grant 


RESEARCH 

Parkinson's disease 

The Linked Clinical Trials (LCT) initiative, spearheaded by 

The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and supported by VARI, aims 

to shift the paradigm on Parkinson’s treatment from 

managing symptoms to slowing or stopping the disease’s 

progress. By investigating medications that are already 

approved to treat other conditions and that impact the 

same biological processes that are at play in Parkinson’s, 

scientists hope to cut the time it takes for new, more 

effective medications to be approved, getting them to 

the people who need them faster. Medications being 

investigated by LCT include the following. 

Ambroxol, a medication originally developed to treat 

respiratory ailments, which has shown promise in 

correcting an underlying molecular problem in Parkinson’s. 

Deferiprone, a medication that removes excess iron from 

the blood and that is being investigated for its potential 

to reduce high iron levels in the area of the brain most 

affected by Parkinson’s. 

EPI-589, an experimental drug originally designed to treat 

rare mitochondrial diseases in children. 

A growing body of evidence suggests similar dysfunctions in 

mitochondria, the power plants of cells, may also contribute 

to Parkinson’s. 

Exenatide, a Type 2 diabetes medication that has shown 

outstanding promise in lab experiments and clinical trials as 

a therapy that may slow the progression of Parkinson’s. 

Following positive results from a phase two trial reported in 

2017, plans for a larger, phase three trial are in the works. 

Liraglutide, a Type 2 diabetes medication that belongs 

to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists and prompts the 

release of insulin, thereby lowering glucose levels in the 

blood when bound to its receptor. 

Recent findings suggest that when liraglutide activates 

these receptors in the brain, the drug provides protection 

against degenerative damage to key brain cells, specifically 

those affected in Parkinson’s disease. 

Nilotinib, a medication originally developed to treat the 

blood cancer leukemia. This multicenter trial is supported 

by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, 

The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and VARI. 

Simvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medication that is 

part of the PD-STAT trial, which is underway at 21 medical 

centers across the United Kingdom. 

Learn more at vai.org/clinical-trials. 


Meet Van Andel Research Institute’s Principal Investigators 

Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) is composed of three centers and 32 principal 

investigators, each with their own area of expertise and research projects. 

VARI Leadership 

Peter Jones 

Chief Scientific Officer; 

Director, Center for 

Epigenetics 

Peter Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc., 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 & Sciences. He and his colleague 

Dr. Stephen Baylin co-lead the Van Andel Research 

Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team. 

Dr. Jones is the Institute's chief scientific officer and 

director of its Center for Epigenetics. 

10 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2017 

Patrik Brundin 

Associate Director of 

Research; Director, Center for 

Neurodegenerative Science 

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

investigates molecular mechanisms 

in Parkinson’s disease, and his 

goals are to develop new therapies aimed at slowing 

or stopping disease progression or 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. Brundin is director 

of the Center for Neurodegenerative Science and associate 

director of research for VARI. 

Bart Williams 

Director, 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. Williams is director of the 

Center for Cancer and Cell Biology. 

Steven J. Triezenberg 

Dean, Van Andel Institute 

Graduate School; Professor, 

Center for Epigenetics 

Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D., 

explores the genetic and epigenetic 

control systems of viruses to 

understand how infections progress and to reveal new 

ways to stop those infections. His discoveries with herpes 

simplex viruses have opened up new possibilities for 

antiviral drug development and have revealed new insights 

into how human cells control gene expression. In addition 

to running a lab at VARI, Dr. Triezenberg is the founding 

dean of Van Andel Institute Graduate School. 

Scott Jewell 

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. Cores and 

services include bioinformatics and biostatistics, cryo- 

EM, confocal microscopy and quantitative imaging, flow 

cytometry, genomics, pathology and biorepository, smallanimal 

imaging, vivarium management and transgenics. 

Jewell is a past president of the International Society for 

Biological and Environmental Repositories (ISBER).

RESEARCH 

Center for Epigenetics 

Research areas: Epigenetics, cancer, heart disease, 

neuroepigenetics and structural biology 

Stephen Baylin 

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 Jones, co-director of Johns 

Hopkins’ Cancer Biology Division and associate director for 

research at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Stefan Jovinge 

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 Hospital's Fred and 

Lena Meijer Heart Center, and the basic science effort in 

regenerative medicine is performed at VARI. He serves as 

director of the DeVos Cardiovascular Research Program. 

Peter W. Laird 

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. He is a 

professor in the Center for Epigenetics. 

Huilin Li 

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. He is a 


Gerd Pfeifer 

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. Pfeifer is a 


Scott Rothbart 

Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., studies 

the ways in which cells pack and 

unpack DNA. This complex process 

twists and coils roughly 2 meters 

of unwound DNA into a space less 

than 1/10 th 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. He is an assistant professor in the Center for 

Epigenetics. 


Meet Van Andel Research Institute’s Principal Investigators (continued) 

Hui Shen 

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. She is an assistant professor in the Center for 

Epigenetics. 

Piroska Szabó 

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 on fertility and embryo 

development. Disturbances in epigenetic remodeling are 

thought to contribute to disease conditions lasting well into 

adulthood. Szabó is an associate professor in the Center 

for Epigenetics. 

Tim Triche 

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. Triche is an assistant professor in the Center for 

Epigenetics. 

Center for Neurodegenerative Science 

Research areas: Parkinson’s disease, depression/ 

suicide, aging, prion disease, Alzheimer’s disease and 

neuroepigenetics 

Lena Brundin 

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 

for 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. She is an associate professor in the 

Center for Neurodegenerative Science. 

Gerhard Coetzee 

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 high-powered computational 

arrays to tease out patterns and interactions of markers 

and treatment targets from among the human genome’s 

more than three billion DNA base pairs. Coetzee is a 

professor in the Center for Neurodegenerative Science. 

Jeffrey Kordower 

Jeffrey Kordower, Ph.D., is an 

international authority on the onset 

of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and 

Huntington’s diseases, and works 

to develop new procedures aimed 

at slowing disease progression 

or reversing damage to the brain. He holds a primary 

appointment at Rush University in Chicago and is a 

Director’s Scholar at VARI, where he focuses on designing 

preclinical studies and clinical trials to translate these new 

approaches into meaningful changes for people suffering 

with movement disorders. 


RESEARCH 

Viviane Labrie 

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 

understanding of conditions including Parkinson's, 

Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and lactose intolerance. 

She has also developed new methods for epigenome 

analysis. She is an assistant professor in the Center for 

Neurodegenerative Science. 

Jiyan Ma 

Jiyan Ma, Ph.D., studies 

abnormal proteins that cause 

neurodegenerative diseases, 

including Parkinson’s disease and 

prion diseases in humans and 

animals. 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. Ma is a professor in the Center for 


Darren Moore 

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. Moore is a professor in the Center for 


An award-winning year 

In 2017, we celebrated the election of two of our 

own into prestigious societies, reflecting a lifetime of 

scientific achievement and reinforcing the Institute’s 

growing reputation as a home for innovative and 

impactful research. 

Dr. Peter Jones 

Chief Scientific Officer 

In addition to being awarded a 7-year, $7.8 million 

Outstanding Investigator Award from the National 

Institutes of Health, Dr. Jones was inducted into the 

American Academy of Arts & Sciences, an elite group that 

includes more than 250 Nobel laureates and 60 Pulitzer 

Prize winners. His election comes a year after he was 

named to the National Academy of Sciences. 

Dr. Stephen Baylin 

Director’s Scholar, VARI 

Co-Head of Cancer Biology, Johns Hopkins University 

Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center 

In May 2017, Dr. Baylin became the third VARI-affiliated 

scientist to be elected to the prestigious National Academy 

of Sciences, which was founded in 1863 to advise the 

country on matters of science and technology. He joins 

Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Peter Jones and Dr. George 

Vande Woude, the Institute’s founding research director 

and distinguished scientific fellow, emeritus, among the 

society's storied ranks. 

With the elections of Drs. Jones and Baylin, 

VARI is now home to: 

3 members of the National Academy of Sciences 

3 members of the American Association for the 

Advancement of Science 

3 fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research 

2 members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences 


Meet Van Andel Research Institute’s Principal Investigators (continued) 

Center for Cancer and Cell Biology 

Research areas: Asthma, diabetes, neurofibromatosis 

Type 1, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, sarcoma, tuberous 

sclerosis and blood, bone, breast, colorectal, pancreatic 

and prostate cancers 

Juan Du 

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. She is an 

assistant professor in the Center 

for Cancer and Cell Biology. 

Patrick Grohar 

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 these potential therapies are proven safe and 

effective in the lab, his team translates these potential 

therapies into clinical trials for children with few other 

options. He is an associate professor in the Center for 

Cancer and Cell Biology and a pediatric oncologist at 

Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. 

Brian Haab 

Brian Haab, Ph.D., searches for new 

ways to diagnose and stratify 

pancreatic cancers based on the 

chemical fingerprints tumors left 

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. He is a professor in 

the Center for Cancer and Cell Biology. 

Xiaohong Li 

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 up to become bone metastases, 

causing debilitating pain and complicating treatments. Li 

hopes that a better understanding of metastatic cancers 

will lead to new diagnostic tests and targeted therapies. 

She is an assistant professor in the Center for Cancer and 

Cell Biology. 

Wei Lü 

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. He is an assistant professor in the Center 

for Cancer and Cell Biology. 

Karsten Melcher 

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. 

Dr. Melcher is an associate professor in the Center for 

Cancer and Cell Biology. 


RESEARCH 

Lorenzo Sempere 

Lorenzo Sempere, Ph.D., studies 

the role of microRNAs in the origin 

and growth of cancer. These very 

short strands of genetic material 

were discovered just over 15 

years ago and are now recognized 

as dynamic regulatory modules of the larger human 

genome. Sempere targets microRNAs in an effort to 

develop new cancer drugs, specifically for pancreatic and 

breast cancers. He is an assistant professor in the Center 

for Cancer and Cell and Biology. 

Matt Steensma 

Matt Steensma, M.D., studies 

the genetic and molecular 

factors that cause benign 

tumors to become cancers 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. 

George Vande Woude 

George Vande Woude, Ph.D., 

is a titan in cancer biology. He 

is the founding director of 

VARI, 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 

distinguished scientific fellow, emeritus, in the Center for 

Cancer and Cell Biology and a member of the National 

Academy of Sciences. 

Ning Wu 

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 fundamentally 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. She is an assistant professor in 

the Center for Cancer and Cell Biology. 

H. Eric Xu 

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. 

Tao Yang 

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. He is an 

assistant professor in the Center for Cancer and 

Cell Biology. 


Investigating Life's Smallest Components 

At first glance, the image rotating on Dr. Huilin 

Li’s computer screen looked like a tangled mass of 

ribbons, with teal whorls looping through blue ones 

and an elegantly spiraling pink whorl running through 

the middle. 

But Li’s trained eyes saw so much more — a critical piece 

of molecular machinery responsible for helping copy DNA, 

the instructions for life, revealed in never-before-seen 

detail thanks to a revolutionary technology called 

cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). 

For Li and his colleagues in Van Andel Research Institute’s 

(VARI) growing team of structural biologists, cryo-EM offers 

an unprecedented look at a world that is minuscule in size 

and massive in impact, a realm of tiny molecular workers 

that control every aspect of biological function in health 

and disease. 

“Cryo-EM is like space exploration in reverse — rather 

than seeking out the cosmos with powerful telescopes, 

technology is turned inward, revealing the structures of 

life’s smallest components in remarkable clarity,” Li said. 

“Because the shape of molecules is intimately linked to 

their role in the body, understanding exactly what they look 

like has immense potential for improving human health.” 

The right tools and the right people at the right time 

Although cryo-EM has been around for decades, advances 

in technology and technique have only recently turned it 

into a scientific juggernaut, even landing cryo-EM a coveted 

spot as Nature Method’s Breakthrough of the Year in 2015. 

Discovery after discovery continue to reinforce cryo-EM's 

value as a research tool, evidenced by the breathtaking 

images of previously elusive molecules that frequently 

adorn the covers of scientific journals around the world. 


One thing was clear — to be a structural biology 

powerhouse, VARI needed to join the cryo-EM community. 

With the generous support of CEO David Van Andel and the 

hard work of people across the Institute, VARI’s $10 million 

David Van Andel Advanced Cryo-Electron Microscopy Suite 

was up and running by early 2017 — a massive undertaking 

and an even more impressive achievement given the 

extensive renovations, installations and recruitment efforts 

required for completion. 

“The opening of our cryo-EM facility is a testament to the 

Institute’s commitment to life-changing science and the 

exemplary vision of our leadership, board and scientific 

team,” said Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Peter Jones. “Cryo-EM 

gives us insight that has never before been attainable. We 

believe the result will be nothing short of a revolution in 

our biological understanding that will lead to more effective 

medications for a multitude of diseases.” 

The crown jewel of the facility is an FEI Titan Krios from 

Thermo Fisher Scientific, a behemoth of a microscope that 

can visualize molecules 1/10,000 th the width of a human 

hair. There are fewer than 120 Krioses in use globally, 

placing the Institute in the elite company of some of the 

world’s top-tier research organizations. 

As the suite was being built, VARI also grew its structural 

biology team, recruiting cryo-EM experts whose strengths 

aligned with the Institute’s mission of impacting human 

health. These new recruits joined VARI scientists 

Dr. H. Eric Xu and Dr. Karsten Melcher, both internationally 

recognized structural biologists who played key roles in 

bringing cryo-EM to VARI. 

The first to arrive were facility manager Dr. Gongpu Zhao, 

“Each day, our scientists 

are pushing the boundaries 

of what was once thought 

to be impossible, always 

with an eye on building a 

better tomorrow.” 

Dr. Peter Jones 

whose previous achievements included producing the 

first cryo-EM images of the HIV-1 virus’s inner shell, and Li, 

whose work has revealed mechanisms at the very basis of 

life. They were joined in 2017 by Dr. Wei Lü and 

Dr. Juan Du, who use cryo-EM to investigate molecules 

crucial to development and function of the brain and the 

nervous system. 

The team didn’t waste any time getting to work. 

From idea to application 

The beauty of cryo-EM lies in its speed and its ability to 

allow scientists to view molecular structures in their natural 

state, rather than the tough-to-produce crystallized form 

that some gold standard methods require. It works by flash 

freezing molecules and scanning them with an electron 

beam, a process that generates hundreds of thousands 

of two-dimensional images that are then assembled via 

computer into a three-dimensional portrait. 

The results are stunning in their clarity, allowing novel

RESEARCH 

observations that push scientific research into new 

directions and open additional avenues for therapeutic 

development. Because the function of a molecule is closely 

tied to its shape, the ability to see a molecule's structure in 

intricate detail gives scientists powerful insights that may 

be translated into new medications for a host of diseases. 

Think of it like a lock and key: If you know what the lock 

looks like, you can cut a key to fit it. In much the same way, 

scientists can design medications that link up with specific 

proteins, correcting a dysfunctional process. The result? A 

new, hopefully more effective treatment. 

In 2017, the first two structures determined wholly on the 

Institute’s Krios were announced in prestigious journals. 

In October, Li and collaborators at Cold Spring Harbor 

Laboratory and Imperial College London published a 

portrait of Mcm2-7 helicase, a molecular complex that 

triggers DNA replication and plays a key role in the cell 

divisions that sustain life, in the Proceedings of the National 

Academy of Sciences. In December, Lü and Du’s images of 

the TRPM4 receptor, a protein that may be an important 

drug target for stroke and traumatic brain injury, appeared 

in the pages of Nature. 

Both are exceptional achievements on their own, but 

together, they are a herald of discoveries to come. 

“Science often comes down to the details, meaning that 

sometimes the smallest things may help solve the biggest 

problems,” Jones said. “Each day, our scientists are pushing 

the boundaries of what was once thought to be impossible, 

always with an eye on building a better tomorrow.” 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) 3D STRUCTURE OF TRPM4 RECEPTOR; 3D STRUCTURE OF MCM2-7 HELICASE. 


Going Further, Together Building a culture of collaboration in Grand Rapids 

In the past 30 years, Grand Rapids has undergone 

a renaissance — one that has revitalized the city's 

economy and transformed a formerly sleepy hilltop 

into a thriving center of scientific discovery and 

innovation. 

Once known as a manufacturing hub, the city is becoming 

a leader in research aimed at improving human health, 

a reputation that grows each day thanks to a vibrant 

community of scientists, educators and health care 

professionals who call Grand Rapids home. 

Nowhere is this more evident than the city’s Medical Mile, 

a stretch of Michigan Avenue that includes Van Andel 

Institute (VAI), Spectrum Health, Michigan State University 

(MSU) College of Human Medicine, Grand Valley State 

University, Ferris State University, Grand Rapids Community 

College and University of Michigan-Metro Health, and is 

close to collaborators such as Mercy Health and Mary 

Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. The impact of these 

organizations and of the community’s investment in their 

success is undeniable — since the groundbreaking of 

Breaking records 

As the economic impact of the Medical Mile continues to 

grow, so, too, does the amount of external funding earned 

by VARI scientists. 

Attaining federal funding is of special importance because 

it serves as a stamp of scientific validation, thanks in 

part to rigorous application and peer-review processes, 

and communicates to the world at large that third-party 

experts have found the work robust and valuable. 

the Institute in 1996, the Medical Mile has sparked more 

than $3 billion in research, education and health care 

infrastructure and is now home to more than 65 scientists 

and their labs. 

“The spirit of teamwork is alive and well in Grand Rapids, 

and is propelling the city to international prominence,” 

said Dr. Peter Jones, the Institute’s chief scientific officer. 

“No single organization did this alone; instead, it was a 

collaborative effort bolstered by a dedicated, passionate 

community that achieved the success we have today.” 

In September 2017, the Medical Mile continued its 

trajectory with the opening of Michigan State University’s 

Grand Rapids Research Center, just down the hill from VAI. 

The six-story, 162,800-square-foot facility will house 44 labs 

dedicated to a mission that parallels the Institute’s — to 

enhance health through cutting-edge biomedical research. 

VAI and MSU have long collaborated on an institutional 

and an individual level, thanks in part to the many MSU 

scientists whose labs resided at the Institute until the 

Another important metric used to measure the Institute’s 

scientific impact is the publication of discoveries in 

scientific journals. 

We’re pleased to report that in 2017, VARI scientists 

excelled on both fronts, earning more peer-reviewed 

federal grant funding and publishing more scientific papers 

than any other year in the Institute’s history. 

Grand Rapids Research Center opened in the fall and 

the close proximity of MSU College of Human Medicine’s 

Secchia Center, just across Michigan Avenue. With both 

organizations charting a course toward ambitious growth, 

which will at least double the number of world-class 

scientists in Grand Rapids, we plan to take our partnership 

to the next level. 

By sharing core scientific services, such as high-powered 

sequencing technology and analytical expertise, 

investigators at MSU and VAI will have an even more robust 

scientific support system bolstering their efforts. The goal 

is to further build a dynamic scientific environment, one 

in which investigators can focus on their life-changing 

research with easy access to the necessary resources. 

“We expect the results of our continued collaboration to 

be nothing short of transformative,” Jones said. “Together 

with all of our colleagues in Grand Rapids, we look 

forward to making our vision of a healthier, better 

tomorrow a reality.” 

In 2017, VARI scientists ... 

• Received 37 new awards totaling $27.7 million 

(life of award) 

• Of those, 18 awards, or $23.6 million, are federal grants 

(life of award) 

• Published 145 publications, 132 of which are 

peer-reviewed 


RESEARCH 


Van Andel Education Institute 

is dedicated to creating classrooms where curiosity, creativity and critical 

thinking thrive. 

Van Andel Institute Graduate School 

develops future leaders in biomedical research through an intense 

problem-focused Ph.D. degree in cell and molecular genetics. 



Connecting Two Worlds 

Dylan Dues is a graduate student on a decidedly 

difficult path — a path that requires long hours 

spent absorbing information, laboratory work and 

multiple rotations in a clinical setting. Dues is on his 

way to becoming a physician–scientist — a rare specialty 

that serves as a bridge between the research lab and 

clinical work with patients. Enrolled in the unique M.D./ 

Ph.D. Dual Degree Program established by Van Andel 

Institute Graduate School (VAIGS) and the Michigan 

State University (MSU) College of Human Medicine, he is 

at the very beginning of a lifelong professional journey. 

Dues became interested in pursuing this demanding 

degree after working as a lab technician in one of VAI’s 

Parkinson’s disease research labs and volunteering as 

an undergraduate student on a neurology team at Le 

Bonheur Children's Hospital in Germantown, Tennessee. 

As a volunteer working alongside a team of physicians, 

he got to see firsthand the limits of therapeutic options 

available for epilepsy and other neurological disorders. 

He also developed a deeper understanding of the 

importance of biomedical research in the development 

of new therapies. 

“Volunteering at the children’s hospital made me reflect 

on the multitude of reasons people seek medical care, 

and how limited we really are regarding what we can 

offer them,” Dues said. “Because of biomedical research, 

we know more than ever about human diseases, 

but there are still a lot of barriers between what we 

understand scientifically and how that knowledge can be 

translated into effective therapies for patients.” 

Working as a physician–scientist will give Dues the 

opportunity to cross the many barriers that separate the 

lab from the clinic and focus on providing the best care 

possible for his patients and those who might benefit 

from his research. 

“If I am working as a physician and I find something 

interesting or difficult to treat, as a trained scientist, I 

can take what I’ve learned in the clinic back to the lab 

and study it further — and being able to do that is pretty 

rare,” Dues said. “And conversely, working as a scientist 

with direct access to the clinic, I can be the missing link 

between what is known now, what we might discover 

later and how these lab discoveries might impact a 

patient’s treatment in the future.” 

Uniquely positioned for translational research 

Started in 2010, the collaborative M.D./Ph.D. Dual 

Degree Program was designed to offer a path for 

students who wanted to work in two symbiotic but 

separate worlds. Students enrolled in the program work 

toward a medical degree at MSU’s College of Human 

Medicine while also pursuing a Ph.D. degree at VAIGS. 

The program integrates curriculum and hands-on lab 

and clinical training that is tailor-made for ambitious 

students like Dues who want to work in the lab and the 

clinic. According to Dr. Steven J. Triezenberg, president 

and dean of VAIGS, the program is a continuation of the 

Institute’s commitment to science education that has a 

lasting and profound impact on human health and 

well-being. 

“Van Andel Institute Graduate School’s mission is to 

train scientists who are working on medically relevant 

questions that might one day impact patient care,” 

Triezenberg said. “Physician–scientists are uniquely 

positioned for translational research because they have 

the opportunity to see problems in the clinic firsthand 

that need to be solved, and then they can use their skills 

in the lab to develop new therapeutic solutions.” 

“Graduate students at the 

Institute are treated like 

budding professionals. It’s 

exciting to be in a program 

where faculty have a real 

interest in seeing you become 

a physician–scientist.” 

Dylan Dues 

As medicine becomes more personalized and granular, 

Triezenberg sees physician–scientists playing a greater 

role in medicine. 

“I think we will see interest in this program increase in 

the next few years,” Triezenberg said. “National studies 

have highlighted the importance of people who can 

function comfortably in two worlds and can find ways 

to make connections between them in order to benefit 

patient care.” 

The Institute’s mission to develop improved treatments 


EDUCATION 

for patients, focus on basic as well as translational 

research and culture of collaboration gives Dues a 

learning experience that is tailor-made for his passion. 

“Graduate students at the Institute are treated like 

budding professionals. It’s exciting to be in a program 

where faculty have a real interest in seeing you become 

a physician–scientist,” Dues said. “People tell me I’m 

crazy all the time for taking so much on, but I’ve never 

been one to shy away from a difficult problem or an 

insurmountable task. I’m where I need to be.” 

DYLAN DUES 


Van Andel Education Institute, NASA & the Girl Scouts Team Up to Take Girls to the Stars! 

The sky was not the limit for Girl Scouts who attended 

Van Andel Education Institute’s (VAEI) inaugural Journey 

Through a Life in Space camp in early June 2017. Young 

space explorers participated in hands-on activities, learning 

about space travel and rocket science, navigating the solar 

system and discovering how life in space might affect the 

human body. The camp was a partnership between VAEI, 

NASA and the Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore, 

and featured a curriculum developed by NASA. Campers 

also met with a NASA engineer and a Van Andel Research 

Institute scientist to learn about future career opportunities 

in science-related fields. 

“It’s wonderful to see so many young women passionate 

about science — working together collaborating, and 


learning what it means to be a scientist working for NASA 

or Van Andel Research Institute,” said Lisa Neeb, VAEI 

instructional specialist. “The camp experience we were able 

to give these girls was the result of different organizations 

coming together to create a learning experience unlike 

anything we’ve ever done before. Collaborating with wellknown 

organizations like NASA and the Girl Scouts enabled 

us to create a very special program.” 

VAEI’s summer space camp is one of the many ways the 

Institute partners with local and national organizations 

to bring new and exciting science education programs 

to students. 

“It’s really encouraging to see that organizations are 

GIRL SCOUTS AT VAEI 

interested in working with Van Andel Education Institute 

to make science education more engaging and impactful,” 

Neeb said. “I know we will continue to look for more 

ways to work with national science organizations, 

community groups, nonprofits, museums and zoos in 

order to continue to provide the very best educational 

opportunities we can for our students. It’s exciting to 

think of what we can do next.” 

In 2017, Van Andel Education Institute 

worked directly with 925 students and 

more than 1,300 teachers. 

Since NexGen Inquiry ® was launched in 

April 2015, more than 4,000 teachers 

have signed up to use it, and more 

than 114,000 student assignments 

have been issued through this 

groundbreaking platform.

Bea Aldrink Idema Foundation Provides 

Students with a Summer of Discovery 

EDUCATION 

STUDENT AT SUMMER CAMP 

Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI) hosted an 

inaugural summer camp program for 60 enthusiastic 

young students across West Michigan in July 2017. 

Fourth- through seventh-grade students from a variety 

of backgrounds were offered a unique opportunity 

to experience the joy of discovery and embrace their 

curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills through the 

program. Students learned how to develop supportive 

learning relationships and expand their understanding of 

basic scientific principles, all while building friendships and 

having fun. 

“Van Andel Education Institute 

encourages students to be 

passionate, engaged learners 

and helps them explore 

the incredible world 

of scientific discovery.” 

Bea Aldrink Idema 

The camp was made possible through a generous gift from 

the Bea Aldrink Idema Foundation, a West Michigan–based 

nonprofit organization that has long supported VAEI’s 

commitment to biomedical research and science education. 

While growing up in a farming family in Allendale, Michigan, 

Bea developed a zest for life, people and helping others 

in her community. Supporting educational initiatives has 

long been a passion for Bea and her extended family — 

in addition to investing in the Institute, the Bea Aldrink 

Idema Foundation has contributed generously to academic 

institutions throughout Grand Rapids. 

“Van Andel Education Institute encourages students to 

be passionate, engaged learners and helps them explore 

the incredible world of scientific discovery,” Bea said. “Our 

Foundation is proud to support the Institute’s programs 

that are inspiring students and illuminating the beauty and 

complexity of the natural world.” 

Because of the Foundation’s generosity, VAEI is able to 

extend the summer camp programming into 2018 and 

expand the curriculum to include second- through 12thgrade 

students. The Institute will also use these funds to 

partner with organizations such as NASA, the Girl Scouts 

of America, the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and the 

Grand Rapids Public Museum to design summer camps 

that cover a variety of scientific subjects. Terra Tarango, 

VAEI director and education officer, is grateful to partner 

with the Foundation to create a unique program that takes 

learning out of textbooks and places it in an active, hands-on 

educational environment. 

“We are so appreciative of the Bea Aldrink Idema 

Foundation’s generosity and support for our mission,” 

Tarango said. “The Foundation’s gift has enabled us 

to broaden the number of students we serve and to 

enhance the experience for all campers. With professional 

equipment, creative curriculum and hands-on learning 

experiences, our campers will gain not only the science 

content they learn at camp but also treasured memories 

and a lifelong passion for learning!” 

STUDENTS AT SUMMER CAMP 


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. 



Profiles in Hope — Van Andel Institute Donors Turn Love & Loss into Action 

Blake Crabb 

Blake Crabb 

always looks for an 

opportunity to tell 

people about Purple 

Community and 

Van Andel Institute 

(VAI). As a past 

co-chair of the Purple 

Community Cabinet 

and a current member 

of the Institute’s JBoard 

Ambassadors, Crabb 

has given presentations, met with community members and 

worked hard to help organize successful fundraising events. 

For Crabb, the work is all deeply personal. 

“I discovered Purple Community within a month of my mom 

being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” Crabb said. “One 

of the first things I asked the Purple Community team was 

if VAI researches pancreatic cancer, and they said, ‘We 

absolutely do, and by the way, would you like to meet one of 

our scientists?’” 

Crabb’s mother fought the disease aggressively, but after 

two years of treatment, the cancer spread to her liver 

and even further, to her lymph nodes. Blake and his mom 

decided to take her off treatment to preserve her quality 

of life. He stayed by her side until the very end. 

“It was about 7:15 in the morning when she passed,” 

Crabb said. “I walked in to her room just after she took 

her last breath.” 

When Crabb’s mother passed away, it completely changed 

his perspective on what was important in life. He began 

searching for ways to cultivate hope. 


“After you are somebody’s main caregiver, you end up with 

an amazing amount of time, which makes you shift your 

sense of purpose,” Crabb said. “It made me look for ways 

to be hopeful, and I’ve come to understand that if you’re 

looking for hope, you definitely have to take action. You 

have to be able to look at a challenge and ask yourself, 

‘What can I do?’” 

Over the past several years, Crabb has worked with Purple 

Community team members and volunteers, organizing 

and inspiring others and leveraging his skills to support 

research into pancreatic cancer. 

“Volunteering your time is not about some massive 

undertaking — it’s really as simple as getting involved on 

the ground level and figuring out what motivates you,” 

Crabb said. “When you spread positive energy around and 

bring people together, it’s more likely you are going to end 

up with something that results not just in hope but maybe 

one day, a cure.” Watch Blake's story at bit.ly/BlakeCrabb. 

Pat Ringnalda 

There’s an 

unmistakable joyful 

energy at the Bee 

Brave 5K — an event 

Pat Ringnalda and 

her friends and family 

have organized for 

more than a decade. 

Ringnalda is a 

passionate advocate 

for breast cancer 

research, and her 

contagious positivity makes the Bee Brave 5K not only a 

successful fundraiser but also a way for people to come 

together in the spirit of hope. 

Since partnering with Van Andel Institute’s Purple 

Community in 2016, the event has raised nearly $140,000 

to benefit breast cancer research at the Institute. Ringnalda 

is encouraged by the outpouring of support she’s received 

for Bee Brave and its mission of hope. 

“When I think back to when I first started the event and was 

recruiting volunteers, friends and family members to help, 

I thought it would be temporary, but 10 years later, we are 

still here, working together to make this such a wonderful 

event,” Ringnalda said. 

Hosting an event for 10 years takes a great deal of effort, 

but when the demands weigh on her, Ringnalda often 

reflects on the people she’s had the opportunity to meet 

who are in the toughest fight of their lives. 

“One of my first event sponsors was a women’s exercise 

business in West Michigan,” Ringnalda said. ”When I 

would visit, I would see this woman named Lupita on the 

treadmill, and I could see she was battling cancer and trying 

to get healthy. She came to our first event with her whole 

family — and then in less than a year, she passed away. 

Stories like that remind me that our efforts are important, 

and we need to keep making a difference for everyone 

fighting cancer.” 

Bee Brave’s partnership with Purple Community has helped 

Ringnalda grow her event and connect her to a network 

of like-minded supporters. It is a partnership that has 

helped build on her vision and grow her popular event into 

something extraordinary. 

“If you’re thinking about doing an event, my answer is … 

stop thinking and do it now,” Ringnalda said. “Working with 

Purple Community connects your passion to an incredible 

group of people who are there to support you and help

you give back for a cause you care deeply about.” 

Watch Pat's story at bit.ly/PatRingnalda. 

Chelsea Westra 

Chelsea Westra never 

thought she would 

be organizing golf 

outings or leading a 

team of volunteers, 

but for more than a 

year, she has helped 

run Eagles for Eric, 

a West Michigan– 

based fundraising 

committee. Together 

with Purple 

Community, Westra has helped raised thousands of dollars 

to benefit osteosarcoma research. Named after her late 

husband, Eric, the committee is a tribute to the life they 

shared together and to Westra’s need to help others who 

have been affected by cancer. 

Westra’s first child, Arie, had just been born when Eric 

underwent surgery due to recurrent osteosarcoma, a 

rare bone cancer. The couple was devastated by the 

unexpected news, but they fought through it and sought 

out the best treatment possible. Four months later, a 

full-body bone scan confirmed that tumors had spread 

throughout his body. 

“Eric needed everything I had to help him,” Westra said. 

“Our parents and siblings really stepped up. My son, Arie, 

was essentially raised by my sister-in-law during the last 

few months Eric was sick — we missed the first time he 

crawled, and we missed a lot of those little milestones.” 

Eric passed away from the disease in 2016, and it was 

the most difficult thing Westra could ever imagine. 

Being Eric’s caregiver for those three years gave her a 

newfound understanding of the importance of research 

in developing new treatments for devastating diseases 

like osteosarcoma. 

During Eric’s first surgery, he donated a portion of his 

tumor to Dr. Matthew Steensma’s lab at the Institute to be 

used for osteosarcoma research. Westra views this act of 

generosity as a fitting way to honor the life of the man she 

loved so dearly. 

“A great heartache, like I had with Eric, really gives you a 

heart for great causes. And Van Andel Institute is what’s 

in my heart because it keeps Eric’s memory alive. It still 

feels like we can do something good with it, and hopefully, 

one day, because of what they’re able to do with Eric’s 

tumor, it won’t be a terminal diagnosis; it will be a beatable 

diagnosis,” Westra said. 

Through Westra’s work with Purple Community, she plans 

to play an active role in the Institute’s work to develop lifesaving 

therapies for people battling cancer. 

“Hope looks different to everyone,“ Westra said. “For me, 

hope looks like working hard so that my son, Arie, can see 

that maybe his dad isn’t here, but look at this amazing thing 

that happened because of his life.” Watch Chelsea's story at 

bit.ly/ChelseaWestra. 

David Bronkema 

David Bronkema’s 

faith and family mean 

the world to 

him. When he was 

diagnosed with 

Parkinson’s disease at 

the young age of 42, 

his thoughts instantly 

went to God and his 

children. 

“The thing that flooded 

my mind when I was driving home after being diagnosed 

was that my kids need to understand that God is good, not 

just when things are going well … I want them to know he is 

good all the time,” Bronkema said. 

PHILANTHROPY 

Bronkema’s strong Christian faith and need to do good in 

the world led him to become a dedicated supporter of 

Van Andel Institute’s Parkinson’s disease research, and 

he is optimistic that with donor support, the Institute’s 

scientists can help those diagnosed with this degenerative 

disease. 

“I’ll be honest and say I hope that there is a cure in my 

lifetime, so I try and live every day to the fullest, and never 

give up hope,” Bronkema said. “Just understanding all the 

great research taking place at the Institute should give 

anyone a real sense of hope that we are that much closer 

to a cure.” 

Bronkema is an ardent believer in the Institute’s ability 

to effect change and bring about new therapies for 

Parkinson’s, and he hopes more people will join him and 

support its mission. 

“If you want to change the way things are tomorrow, you 

have to get involved in what the Institute is doing today,” 

Bronkema said. “Whether it’s volunteering or donating 

through Purple Community, or giving a donation to benefit 

the Institute’s scientists, everyone can find a way to 

support the work happening here.” 

Facing the hardest battle of his life, Bronkema is 

encouraged by the Institute’s work and supported by the 

love of his family and his faith in God. “I have so much hope 

for what Van Andel Institute is doing, and because of that, 

I will never lose heart,” he said. Watch David's story at bit.ly/ 

DavidBronkema. 


Winterfest & The Art of Fashion & Research 


(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) 

JEFF BATTERSHALL & RICHARD ROANE; GEORGE SHARPE JR.; 

MODEL AT ART OF FASHION & RESEARCH; DEB CLARKE & PATRICK 

PLANK; DAVID VAN ANDEL; ALISON SHELTROWN; KEN DEWEY, 

CAROL VAN ANDEL & RENNE JANOVSKY.

A Conversation About Depression Hosted by Carol Van Andel & 

The Carol Van Andel Angel of Excellence Dinner & Awards Presentation 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) CAROL VAN ANDEL; 

DAVID & CAROL VAN ANDEL; PETER & JOAN SECCHIA; JOHN 

ZIMMERMAN; DR. ELIZABETH KOWAL & MARANDA; TIM LONG & 

CAROL VAN ANDEL; SUSAN JANDERNOA; MIKE & SUE LUNN. 


Purple Community 5K & Around the World 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) FEARLESS FLAMINGOS; 

LYNNE JARMAN-JOHNSON; MATT & ELIZABETH NELSON, 

DAN & MEGAN ROGERS & BLAKE CRABB; RACHEL MRAZ, 

CHAD BASSETT, TANYA & CHARLIE ROWERDINK; 5K PARTICIPANTS; 

CHRISTINA KELLER & REBECCA STEKETEE; THEA UNDERWOOD, 

ALEXANDRA PEREZ, CECILY MCCABE & KIM BYAM. 


Curiosity and Cocktails & Designs on a Cure 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) EMILY NICHOLS & KYLE 

OSOWSKI; JOANN WESTWATER, DAVID & CAROL VAN ANDEL & 

JEFFERY ROBERTS; TERRA TARANGO; JAN BYSLMA; 

DESIGNS ON A CURE SHOWROOM. 


VAI Golf Outing & Couture for a Cure 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) TIM LONG, KATHY & PHIL 

VOGELSANG & TIM MYERS; CAROL VAN ANDEL; VIOLINIST RITSU 

KATSUMATA; JACK DOLES, KURT HASSBERGER, DAVID VAN ANDEL, 

KIRK GIBSON & AARON VAN ANDEL; MODELS AT COUTURE FOR 

A CURE; REBECCA WIERDA, SHANE GABIER & CAROL VAN ANDEL; 

JOHN & DEB KAILUNAS WITH KIRK GIBSON. 


Hope on the Hill & A Conversation About Osteoporosis 

Hosted by Carol Van Andel 

EVENTS 

(STARTING AT THE TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT) DAVID & CAROL 

VAN ANDEL WITH BRIAN & LORI VANDER BAAN; OZ PEARLMAN 

ONSTAGE WITH A GUEST; DRS. BART WILLIAMS, MICHAEL 

JAKUBOWSKI, SUNDEEP KHOSLA & MARANDA; EVENT GUESTS 

DANCING; TONY GATES & TIM FEAGAN; CAROL VAN ANDEL. 


A Perfect Day, an Unforgettable Memory 

Jens Bach loved to see his grandson, Jake, play football. 

On a warm September afternoon, Jens sat in his wheelchair 

with his nurse, Joyce, at his side watching as Jake played in 

the Hope College Purple Community game. It wasn’t easy 

to see every part of the game, but he knew that Jake was 

wearing a jersey that had Jens “Flex” Bach stitched on the 

back in his honor. He was at the very end of his long fight 

with cancer, but Jens wanted to be there to watch Jake play, 

one last time. 

“It was a perfect day,” said Mary VanderVeen, Jens’ daughter 

and Jake’s mom. “My dad loved watching Jake’s games, 

and as the football season approached, it became clear 

that we didn’t have much time left with him, so the Purple 

Community game became an important event for us.” 

Mary and her husband, Scott, along with family and friends, 

came from all across the country to be there with Jens at 

the game. 

“My dad passed away almost one week after the Purple 

Community game. That game has come to mean so 

much to us as a family,” Mary said. “He was such a kind, 

gentle and strong man who loved his family, and having 

that moment with him was really something we will 

never forget.” 

Purple Community events do more than raise funds for 

research; they bring people together through a shared 

experience, and often, they create unforgettable memories. 

Every jersey has a name 

When Scott VanderVeen looked out in the stands during 

the game, he noticed that Jens and his family were among 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) COACH STUURSMA, MARGIE & JENS BACH, 

JAKE VANDERVEEN, CAROL & DAVID VAN ANDEL. 

hundreds of other people with their own stories of life, 

loss and love. 

“What is so great and moving about Purple Community 

games is that everyone there has a special relationship to 

the cause, and even though our family was there in a big 

group for Jens, it was so wonderful to see other families 

who were there supporting their loved ones,” Scott said. 

“Every player had a name on the back of their jersey, and 

I knew they were playing for someone who was important 

to them — someone they loved or maybe someone they 

lost in the fight against cancer.” 

Caroline Dykstra, assistant athletic director at Hope 

College, has seen firsthand how important Purple 

Community games are to families whose lives have 

been affected by cancer. For her and the athletes she 

works with, the events are a time of great emotion and 

great purpose. 

“Everyone who attends our games has a story about 

someone who has fought a battle with cancer,” Dykstra 

said. “Our partnership with Purple Community gives us 

the chance to honor people like Jens, give back to our 

community in a meaningful way and help raise funds for 

a cause we are incredibly passionate about.” 

When the game ended on that late-summer afternoon, 

and Jake said goodbye to his teammates and left the field, 

he walked toward his family and his grandfather Jens 

sitting in his wheelchair. Jens never had the chance to play 

football as a young man, but one week before he passed 

away, surrounded by his friends and family, Jake handed 

his grandfather the jersey he wore during the game. It 

was the least he could do for his biggest fan. 


PHILANTHROPY 

Purple Community 

Purple Community, Van Andel Institute’s grassroots 

fundraising and awareness program, 

connects individuals, schools, teams and 

businesses to the resources needed to support 

groundbreaking cancer and Parkinson’s disease 

research. In 2017, Purple Community members 

hosted more than 150 events throughout 

Michigan that raised more than $622,000. 

Purple Community events bring people from 

every walk of life together to celebrate the power 

of family, friendship and community action. They 

also give people the chance to honor those 

fighting disease and pay tribute to those who have 

lost their fight against cancer and Parkinson’s. 

Every event is a collection of stories — people 

coming together to support one another and help 

make the world a better, healthier place. 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) JENS' FRIENDS & FAMILY; 

DAVID & CAROL VAN ANDEL, HOPE COLLEGE FOOTBALL 

COACHES & TEAM; HOPE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WITH 

CAROL & DAVID VAN ANDEL. 


Sources of Funding 

Sources of Funding for Research & Education 

7% 

Private philanthropy 

19% 

Grants and contract 

revenue (direct) 

67% 

Endowment income 

7% 

Other 

Sources of Funding for Operating & Overhead Expenses 

76% 

Endowment income 

24% 

Grants and contract 

revenue 


Society of Hope 

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. 

PHILANTHROPY 

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 

Renee 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 

In Memoriam — Donald W. Maine 

With great sadness, we said farewell to Don Maine in 

February 2018. 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 an 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 to 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. 

Don was a great friend personally and of the Institute. He 

will be missed dearly. 

- David Van Andel 


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. 

ADAC Automotive 

Adamy Valuation 

Ag Business Solutions 

Alliance Beverage 

Amway 

Amway Grand Plaza 

AON 

Aquinas College 

Artistry 

ASI Interiors 

Atomic Object 

Barnes & Thornburg, LLP 

B.D.'s BBQ 

Belwith Products 

Matthew & Shari Berger 

BHS Insurance 

Franco & Alessandra Bianchi 

Dave & Jill Bielema 

Bluewater Technologies 

Charles & Christine Boelkins 

Buist Electric 

Calamos 

Jerry & Suzanne Callahan 

Caminiti Associates Inc. 

Scott & Heidi Campbell 

Cancer & Hematology Centers 

of Western Michigan 

Cascade Rentals 

Cheeky Strut 

Chemical Bank 

The Chop House 

CityFlatsHotel 

Coldwell Banker 

Colliers International 

Consumers Credit Union 

Cornerstone University 

Crowe Horwath, LLP 

Crystal Clean Auto Detailing 

Cumulus Media, Inc. 

Tom & Tracy Curran 

Currie Foundation 

Custer, Inc. 

CWD Real Estate Investment 

Cygnus 27 

Czech Asset Management, L.P. 

Davenport University 

David & Carol Van Andel Family 

Foundation 

Brian DeVries & Barbara Pugh 

The Dick & Betsy DeVos Family 

Foundation 

Discovery Financial, LLC 

Divani 

DK Security 

The Douglas & Maria DeVos 

Foundation 

Eastbrook Homes 

Eenhoorn, LLC 

Eileen DeVries Family 

Foundation 

Ellis Parking 

Erhardt Construction 

Eurest 

Extend Your Reach 

Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. 

Fifth Third Private Bank 

First & Main Management 

First National Bank 

John & Melynda Folkert 

FOODesign by Chef Brech 

Dan & Lou Ann Gaydou 

Goldman Sachs 

Good 

Grand Rapids Christian Schools 

Grand Rapids YMCA 

Grand Valley State University 

Grand Ventures 

Gravity Taphouse Grille 

Greenridge Realty 

Martin & Peggy Greydanus 

Dr. Jana Hall 

Fred L. Hansen 

Harvey Automotive 

Paul & Sheryl Haverkate 

Honigman 

Hope College 

Horwood Marcus & Berk 

Chartered 

Howard Miller 

Huizenga Group 

Ben & Molly Hunting 

Melissa & Ralph Iannelli 

Ice Sculptures Ltd. 

The I.C.N. Foundation 

iHeartMedia, Inc. 

Independent Bank 

Iron 

i understand 

Jandernoa Foundation 

Jeffery Roberts Design 

John Hancock Retirement Plan 

Services, LLC 

Dr. Peter & Veronica Jones 

Jim & Ginger Jurries 

JW Marriott Grand Rapids 

Keeler 

John & Nancy Kennedy 

Kerkstra Precast 

Kinney Family 

Kitchen 67 

Al & Robin Koop 

Lake Michigan Credit Union 

Ray & Jeannine Lanning 

Leigh's 

Leo's 

Lighthouse Group 

Gary & Vicky Ludema 

Macatawa Bank 

Marsha Veenstra State Farm 

Insurance 

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation 

Hospital 

McAlvey Merchant & Associates 

McDonnell Investment 

Management, LLC 

McShane & Bowie, P.L.C. 

Media 3 Design 

Meijer 

Mercy Health 

Metro Health 

Michigan State University - 

College of Human Medicine 

Mika Meyers, PLC 

Mike Bell, Inc. & Westwater 

Patterson 


Mitten CNC 

MLive Media Group/The Grand 

Rapids Press 

Modern Day Events & Floral 

Dave & Kim Moorhead 

Mike & Rachel Mraz 

Norris, Perné & French, LLP 

Investment Counsel 

Tim & Karen O'Donovan 

Orthopaedic Associates of 

Michigan 

Osteria Rossa 

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. 

Parkinson's Association of 

West Michigan 

Leland & Alexandra Perez 

Peter C. & Emajean Cook 

Foundation 

Pine Rest Christian Mental 

Health Services 

Pioneer Construction 

Pitsch Companies 

Preusser Jewelers 

Priority Health 

Radius Health, Inc. 

Reds at Thousand Oaks 

Regal Investment Advisors, LLC 

The Richard & Helen DeVos 

Foundation 

Tom & Brenda Rinks 

Rocket Science Creative 

Rockford Construction 

RoMan Manufacturing 

John & Therese Rowerdink 

Rowerdink, Inc. 

San Chez Bistro 

Scott & Jan Spoelhof Foundation 

Secchia Family Foundation 

SemelSnow Interior Design, Inc. 

The Sharpe Collection 

Nick & Karen Sherman 

six.one.six 

Slows Bar BQ 

Sobie Meats, LLC 

Soils & Structures 

Spectrum Health 

Square 1 Bank, a division of 

Pacific Western Bank 

Rob & Susan Stafford 

Standard Supply & Lumber Co. 

Steelcase 

Stephen Klotz Family Foundation 

The Steve & Amy Van Andel 

Foundation 

Thomas & Mary Stuit 

Taconic Charitable Foundation 

Thomas S. Fox Family 

Todd Wenzel Buick GMC 

Townsquare Media (Channel 

95.7, 100.5 The River 

& WFGR 98.7) 

Truscott Rossman 

U.S. Bank 

USA Financial 

Sharon Van Dellen 

Van Eerden Foodservice 

Company 

Dave & Beth Van Portfliet 

Brian & Lori Vander Baan 

The Veldheer, Long, Mackay 

& Bernecker Group of 

Merrill Lynch 

Russ & Chris Visner 

Waddell & Reed, Inc. 

Warner Norcross & Judd, LLP 

Watson Smith, Inc. 

Wells Fargo Bank 

West Michigan Woman 

Wheelhouse 

Dr. Bart & Wendy Williams 

Williams Kitchen & Bath 

Greg & Meg Willit 

Bob & Karen Wiltz 

Wolverine Worldwide 

Women's Lifestyle Magazine 

Jim & Jane Zwiers 


Institute Leadership Team 

LEADERSHIP 

“In Grand Rapids, we are 

discovering new ways to 

work together and build a 

critical mass of talent in the 

region. At the same time, 

we’re reaching out across 

the world, expanding 

collaborations with an 

impressive list of leading 

organizations, scientists 

and physicians.” 



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 

Peter Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. 

Chief Scientific Officer, 


Timothy Myers 

Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 

Terra Tarango 

Director & Education Officer, 


Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D. 

President & Dean, 


Linda Zarzecki 

Vice President of Human Resources 


Board & Council Members 

Van Andel Institute Trustees 


Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Van Andel Institute 

John Kennedy 

President & Chief Executive Officer, Autocam Medical 

Mark Meijer 

President, Life E.M.S. Ambulance 

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 of Hematology & Oncology, Helen DeVos 

Children’s Hospital 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) MARK MEIJER, JOHN KENNEDY & 

DAVID VAN ANDEL. 


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, 


Ralph Weichselbaum, M.D. 

Chairman, Department of Radiation; Head, Ludwig Center 

for Metastasis Research, University of Chicago 

Max S. Wicha, M.D. 

Distinguished Professor of Oncology; Professor, 

Department of Internal Medicine; Founding Director, 

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center 

(LEFT TO RIGHT) JUAN OLIVAREZ, DAVID VAN ANDEL, 

GORDON VAN HARN & JAMES BULTMAN. 

(NOT PICTURED) DONALD MAINE. 

Van Andel Education Institute Trustees 



James E. Bultman, Ed.D. 

Former President, Hope College 

Donald W. Maine 

Former President, Davenport University 

Juan R. Olivarez, Ph.D. 

President, Aquinas College 

Gordon L. Van Harn, Ph.D. 

Emeritus Provost & Professor of Biology, Calvin College


Board of Scientific Advisors 

Michael Brown, M.D. 

(Chair) Paul J. Thomas Professor of Genetics & Director 

of the Jonsson Center of Molecular Genetics, University of 

Texas Southwestern Medical Center 

Richard Axel, M.D. 

Professor of Neurosciences, Columbia University 

Joseph L. Goldstein, M.D. 

Chairman of the Department of Molecular Genetics, 

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 

Tony Hunter, Ph.D. 

Professor, Molecular & Cell Biology Laboratory; American 

Cancer Society Professor; Renato Dulbecco Chair; Director, 

Salk Institute Cancer Center 

Philip A. Sharp, Ph.D. 

Professor of Biology & Head of the Cancer Center, 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 


External Scientific Advisory Board 

Tony Hunter, Ph.D. 

(Chair) Professor, Molecular & Cell Biology Laboratory; 

American Cancer Society Professor; Renato Dulbecco 

Chair; Director, Salk Institute Cancer Center 

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

Charles H. Markham Professor of Neurology; Distinguished 

Professor of Neurology and of Neurobiology, Reed 

Neurological Research Center 

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

Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs; Dean of Medicine, 

University of California Irvine 

Theresa Guise, M.D. 

Professor of Medicine; Jerry W. & Peg S. Throgmartin 

Professor of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Division 

of Endocrinology, Indiana University 

Kristian Helin, Ph.D. 

Director, Biotech Research & Innovation Centre 

(BRIC); Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University 

of Copenhagen 

Sharon Y.R. Dent, Ph.D. 

Professor and Chair, Department of Epigenetics and 

Molecular Carcinogenesis; Director, Science Part; 

Director, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, MD Anderson 

Cancer Center 

Max S. Wicha, M.D. 

Distinguished Professor of Oncology; Professor, 

Department of Internal Medicine; Founding Director, 

University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center 


Advisory Council 



Nancy Ayres 

Former General Manager, Flexco 

Stephen Best 

Education Consultant, Michigan Department of Education 

James Boelkins, Ph.D. 

Former Provost, Hope College 

LEADERSHIP 

Joseph Krajcik, Ph.D. 

Professor, Department of Teacher Education at Michigan 

State University 

Carol Van Andel, B.A. 

Executive Director, David & Carol Van Andel 

Family Foundation 


Board of Directors 

James Fahner, M.D. 

Chief of Hematology & Oncology, Helen DeVos Children’s 

Hospital 

Michael J. Imperiale, Ph.D. 

Director, Doctoral Program in Cancer Biology; Associate 

Chair, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, 

University of Michigan 

Peter Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. 

Chief Scientific Officer, Van Andel Research Institute 

Pamela Kidd, M.D. 

Hematopathologist & Medical Director of the Hematology 

& Flow Cytometry Laboratories, Spectrum Health & Helen 

DeVos Children’s Hospital 

Gordon Van Harn, Ph.D. 

Emeritus Provost & Professor of Biology, Calvin College 


Board & Council Members (continued) 

Van Andel Institute Board of Governors 

CO-CHAIRS: TIM LONG & VICKY LUDEMA 

Cynthia Afendoulis 

Martin & Sue Allen 

Kurt Arvidson 

Tony & Kathleen Asselta 

James & Shirley Balk 

Jeffrey & Stephanie Battershall 

Stacie Behler 

Gregory & Rajene Betz 

Franco & Alessandra Bianchi 

David & Jill Bielema 

Chuck & Christine Boelkins 

Carrie Boer 

Patrick Brady 

Charles & Pam Brickey 

Drs. Patrik & Lena Brundin 

James & Martha Bultman 

Jerry & Suzanne Callahan 


John & Marie Canepa 

Matthew Cook 

Sam & Janene Cummings 

Dave & Karen Custer 

Stephen Czech 

Mark & Mary Jane de Waal 

Jerry & Karen DeBlaay 

Thomas DeJong 

Robert DeVilbiss 

Doug & Maria DeVos 

Richard DeVos 

John Dykema & Michele 

Maly-Dykema 

David Eisler 

Michael & Lynette Ellis 

Tim Emmitt 

Jim & Gail Fahner 

John & Melynda Folkert 

David & Judy Frey 

Dan & Lou Ann Gaydou 

Gary & Pam Granger 

Martin & Margaret Greydanus 

Jefra Groendyk 

Ronald Haan 

Dr. Thomas J. Haas 

James & Kathy Hackett 

Dr. Jana Hall 

David & Joyce Hecht 

Paul & Rosemary Heule 

John & Gwen Hibbard 

Bradley & Liz Hilton 

Dirk Hoffius 

Robert Hooker 

J.C. Huizenga & Dr. Tammy L. 

Born-Huizenga 

Allen & Helen Hunting 

Ben & Molly Hunting 

Douglas Hutchings 

Jose & Sue Infante 

Earle & Kyle Irwin 

Mike & Sue Jandernoa 

Lynne Jarman-Johnson 

Dr. Peter & Veronica Jones 

John & Deb Kailunas 

David & Nancy Kammeraad 

John & Nancy Kennedy 

James King & Stephanie Rubie 

Craig & Debra Kinney 

Stephen Klotz 

John Knapp 

Diane Kniowski 

Al & Robin Koop 

Raymond & Jeannine Lanning 

Ken Larm 

Wilbur & Sharon Lettinga 

Ray Loeschner 

Timothy & Kimberly Long 

Gary & Vicky Ludema 

Donald & Kathleen Maine 

Linda Martin 

Hendrik & Liesel Meijer 

Mark & Mary Beth Meijer 

Rusty & Jennifer Merchant 


Louis Moran 


Mark & Elizabeth Murray 

John & Gail Nowak 

Juan & Mary Olivarez 

Richard Pappas 

Donald & Ann Parfet 

Lewis Pitsch & Teresa 

Hendricks-Pitsch 

Pat Ringnalda 

Jeffery Roberts 

Eve Rogus 

Carol Rottman 

Doug Rottman 

John & Therese Rowerdink 

Michael & Cindy Schaap 

Peter & Joan Secchia 

George & Linda Sharpe 

George & Missy Sharpe 

Budge & Marilyn Sherwood 

Brent & Diane Slay 

Kasie Smith 

John & Judy Spoelhof 

Robert & Susan Stafford 

Thomas & Mary Stuit 

Duke Suwyn 

Renee Tabben 

Dr. Steven & Laura Triezenberg 

David & Carol Van Andel 

Steve & Amy Van Andel 

Michael & Michelle Van Dyke 

Daniel & Ann Marie 

Van Eerden 

Gordon & Mary Van Harn 

Maria Van Til 

Drs. Gordon & Margaret 

Van Wylen 

Brian & Lori Vander Baan 

Stuart & Nelleke Vander Heide 

Allen & Nancy VanderLaan 

Michael VanGessel 

David & Beth VanPortfliet 

Chris & Dana Vinton 

Russell & Christine Visner 

Phillip & Kathleen Vogelsang 

Geoffrey & LeeAnne Widlak 

Scott & Rebecca Wierda 

James & Sue Williams 

Greg Willit & Meg M. 

Miller Willit 

James & Jane Zwiers 

Thank you, Board of Governors. 

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. 


LEADERSHIP 

JBoard Ambassadors 

CO-CHAIRS: RACHEL MRAZ & CHAD BASSETT 

Dr. Dorothy C. Armstrong 

Troy & Jill Austin 

Jon & Jennifer Baldini 

Chad Bassett 


Natalie Cleary 

Paige Cornetet 

Blake Crabb 

Aaron & Afton DeVos 

Samuel DeVries 

William Dion 

Lindsey Dubis 

Bo & Jennifer Fowler 

Kevin Gardenier 

Linsey Gleason 

David Granger 

Crissy Hughes 

Jason & Brandi Huyser 

Jack Iott 

Eric Jones 

Allison Keutgen 

Kevin & Kathryn Kileen 

Michael Kooistra 

Eric & Caitlin Kovalak 

Michael & Jaimie Lomonaco 

Erica Lonn 

Kimberly Loomis 

Geoff Ludema 

Matthew McDonald 

Peter & Kim Medema 

Kate Meyer 

Elizabeth Mines 

Phillip & Amy Mitchell 

Evan & Caitlin Mlynarek 


Christopher & Alyssa Nance 

Kyle & Kendra Osowski 

Matt Osterhaven 

Gregory & Allyson Paplawsky 

Erin Paquet 

Leland & Alexandra Perez 

Laurie Placinski 

Elizabeth Pohl 

Nikki Probst 

Jeff & Deidre Remtema 

Adam & Liz Rhoda 

Charlie & Tanya Rowerdink 

Lindsay & Scott Slagboom 

Jon & Allison Sleight 

Meriden Smucker 

Steve Steketee 

Tim Streit 

Paul & Libby Stuit 

Charity Taatjes 

William Templin 

Elizabeth Terhorst 

Jane Tomaszewski 

Bob Tsironis 

Aaron & Hailey Van Andel 

Chris Van Andel 

Jesse Van Andel 

Kyle Van Andel 

Daniel VandenBosch 

David & Sarah Vanderveen 

Marc & Ashley Veenstra 

Alison & Bill Waske Sutter 

Amanda Whowell 

MeiLi Wieringa 

Charlie Wondergem 

Aaron & Amanda Wong 

Scott & Megan Zubrickas 

Thank you, JBoard members. 

As JBoard members, 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

2017 Annual Report

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?