VAI Folio

THIS IS WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT.
It’s a vision that empowers us to set lofty goals and gives us the
confidence to pursue them.
AREAS OF RESEARCH & EDUCATION
EPIGENETICS
Epigenetics examines how
the instructions in our DNA
are used to determine cell
form and function. VAI
scientists are investigating
the role of epigenetics in
health and diseases like
cancer, neurodegenerative
disorders and diabetes,
with the goal of developing
new prevention and
treatment strategies that
could help millions of
people around the world.
CANCER
Cancer encompasses
more than 100 different
diseases characterized by
uncontrolled cell growth.
At VAI, scientists are
investigating how and why
cancer begins and the
mechanisms that allow it
to spread — key steps to
designing life-changing
diagnostic and treatment
strategies.
PARKINSON’S DISEASE
& NEURODEGENERATIVE
DISORDERS
Thanks to recent
advances, VAI scientists
are narrowing down the
factors that contribute
to neurodegenerative
diseases like Parkinson’s
and working to translate
these findings into new,
life-changing therapies.
METABOLISM
& NUTRITION
Metabolism is a vast array
of chemical reactions that
power every biological
process in our bodies,
from regulating appetite to
ensuring that the immune
system can fight off viruses
and bacteria. VAI scientists
are studying metabolism
and how it is impacted by
nutrition and our own genetics
to improve, predict,
prevent, diagnose and treat
disease.
BONE DISEASE
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
GRADUATE EDUCATION
K–12 EDUCATION
VAI scientists study several
aspects of bone biology,
from the mechanisms that
give rise to healthy bone
tissue to those that cause
disease, with the goal of
developing new, more
effective treatments.
Understanding how the
smallest parts of the
human body work together
gives us vital insight into
health and disease. VAI
scientists seek to reveal
the molecular architecture
of these critical building
blocks, notably the vast
array of proteins that carry
out our biological functions.
The Graduate School
develops the next
generation of scientists
through its innovative,
problem-based Ph.D.
program in molecular and
cellular biology. Students
conduct rigorous science
and translate findings
into clinical applications,
blending discovery with
invention and insight
with application.
Through hands-on student
programs, innovative
project-based learning and
transformative professional
development for teachers,
VAI is ushering in a new era
in K–12 education — one
where students develop
not only knowledge, but
also their ability to apply
that knowledge to making
the world a better place.
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