2017 Annual Report

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