2007 Annual Report

life sciences, and this is also evidenced by our growing number of
collaborative efforts with business, academia, clinical partners and
other researchers throughout the world.
In January, we signed an agreement with the National Cancer
Centre of Singapore forming the NCCS-VARI Translational Research
Program in Singapore. The three-year, $1.2 million program is funded
by the government of Singapore, and operates under the direction
of VARI Distinguished Investigator Bin Tean Teh, M.D., Ph.D. The
program focuses on the biology
behind varying drug responses in
Asian versus non-Asian patients with
specific types of cancers.
In March, we announced the creation
of the Center for Molecular Medicine
(CMM) in partnership with Spectrum
Health. The $6 million joint venture
offers molecular technologies for
investigation of complex diseases like
cancer and heart disease at the DNA,
RNA and protein levels. The CMM
combines Spectrum Health’s clinical,
laboratory and research resources,
and VAI’s research expertise with
the latest in molecular biological
technology.
Keeping ever in mind our dual
mission as both a research and
education institute, 2007 was also a watershed year for Van Andel
Education Institute, which saw the culmination of several years’ work
in some significant milestones and achievements, most notably as
the Van Andel Institute Graduate School welcomed its first three
Ph.D. candidates in cell and molecular biology in a convocation held
on August 20, 2007.
The NCCS-VARI program ribbon cutting in Singapore (l to r): David
Van Andel, George Vande Woude, Bin Tean Teh, and Khee Chee Soo
Underlying all of our efforts on both the research and education
side is the quest to fulfill our mission to improve the health and
enhance the lives of generations to come. Perhaps no other
achievement of the past year fulfills the definition of that mission
quite as well as the success of the Institute’s Compassionate Care
Protocol. A groundbreaking study in personalized molecular
medicine undertaken with several clinical partners, this protocol
utilizes a highly advanced database and set of analytical tools
developed in Van Andel Research Institute’s labs to profile a
patient’s tumor and integrate that
information with the individual’s
genetic profile to develop the
therapy most likely to be effective.
The study continues in 2008 with
the hope of enrolling up to 200
local cancer patients. We are
excited by the possibilities of the
coming year.
We are a relatively young facility,
but we’ve made remarkable
progress in the eight short years
since we opened our doors.
2007 was a year of significant
achievement and we look ahead
with the expectation that our
growing number of partnerships,
international recognition, an
expanded facility and the hard work
and passion of our researchers,
educators and staff will allow us to continue to make those lifechanging
discoveries.
David Van Andel
Chairman and CEO, Van Andel Institute
VAI Chairman
and CEO
www.vai.org
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