2020 Graduate School Commencement Program

Lindsey Cunningham
Dissertation: Exploring retromer deficiency as a mechanism of
LRRK2-induced Parkinson’s disease
Thesis Adviser: Dr. Darren Moore
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Next Step: Undecided
2020 Van Andel Institute Graduate School Commencement
Graduating Student Bios
Minge Du
Dissertation:
Structural studies of bacterial pili assembly by the
usher and chaperone
Dr. Huilin Li
Zibo, Shandong Province, China
Thesis Adviser:
Hometown:
Current Position: Postdoctoral fellow, Li Laboratory,
Van Andel Institute
Guillermo Flores
Dissertation: Disrupting the EWS/FLI-RNAPII axis as a therapy
for Ewing sarcoma
Thesis Adviser: Dr. Patrick Grohar
Hometown: Holland, Michigan
Current Position: Completing M.D. studies at Michigan State
University College of Human Medicine
Jamie Grit
Dissertation:
Thesis Adviser:
Hometown:
Next Step:
Genetic and epigenetic regulation of cell signaling
guides the clinical progression of NF1-related
neurofibromas
Dr. Matt Steensma
Byron Center, Michigan
Postdoctoral fellow, Steensma Laboratory,
Van Andel Institute
Nicole Vander Schaaf
Dissertation: The role of DNA methylation and Dnmt1 in
intestinal tumorigenesis
Thesis Adviser: Dr. Peter Laird
Hometown: Three Rivers, Michigan
Current Position: Assistant professor, Olivet Nazarene University