2022 Annual Report

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Van Andel Institute Principal Investigators Van Andel Institute for Research is home to a team of scientists dedicated to improving the health and enhancing the lives of current and future generations through groundbreaking biomedical research. LEADERSHIP Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon) Chief Scientific Officer; Director, Cancer Center Dr. Peter A. Jones 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. Jones is a past president of the American Association for Cancer Research, a Fellow of the AACR Academy, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He is co-leader of the Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team. Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon) President and Dean, Van Andel Institute Graduate School; Professor, Department of Epigenetics Dr. Steven J. Triezenberg is the dean of Van Andel Institute Graduate School. His lab, which closed in 2018 after 31 years of productive research, explored the genetic and epigenetic control systems of viruses to understand how infections progress and to reveal new ways to stop them. His discoveries with herpes simplex viruses opened up new possibilities for antiviral drug development and revealed new insights into how human cells control gene expression. Bart Williams, Ph.D. Director, Core Technologies and Services; Professor Dr. Bart Williams 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 cancer spread to the skeleton. Dr. Williams also serves as director of VAI’s Core Technologies and Services, which provide technology and specialized expertise to Institute scientists and collaborators. 20
Department of Epigenetics Virtually all 37.2 trillion cells in our bodies have the same DNA, the spiraling molecule that contains the genetic instructions required to make us who we are. But if every cell works from the same playbook, how and why does the human body have so many different types of cells? Why do some become skin cells while others become muscle cells, heart cells or brain cells? The answer is epigenetics — a complex set of processes that determine when and to what extent certain genetic instructions are carried out. Epigenetic processes are vital for healthy cellular function, and when things go awry, they can play major roles in disease. By investigating the epigenetic processes that finetune DNA, our scientists aim to pinpoint the origins of complex diseases and determine how they are impacted by our past and present, and how they influence future generations. Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D. Interim Chair and Professor Dr. Xiaobing Shi investigates the mechanisms that regulate DNA and gene expression to better understand how they impact cancer development. His research has led to the discovery of several new “readers” of epigenetic marks that may serve as targets for cancer treatment. Stephen B. Baylin, M.D. Director’s Scholar; Professor Dr. Stephen Baylin studies the body’s genetic control systems — called epigenetics — searching for vulnerabilities in cancer. Baylin is a pioneer in this field and was among the first to trace the epigenetic causes of cancer. His studies have led to new therapies for breast, lung and colorectal cancers, among others. He is co-leader of the Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team, a Director’s Scholar at VAI and the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University. Nick Burton, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dr. Nick Burton explores how our environment, especially microbes, can impact our health and the health of our offspring — even before they are born. His research has extensive implications for understanding how epigenetics contributes to human disease and how the environment we are exposed to today affects not only our own health but also our children’s. Yvonne Fondufe- Mittendorf, Ph.D. Professor Dr. Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf investigates how environmental factors, such as toxicants, impact our genetic code and contribute to cancer. Her research is illuminating powerful new insights that could influence our understanding of health and disease, providing a path forward for new strategies for cancer prevention and treatment. Peter W. Laird, Ph.D. Professor Dr. Peter W. Laird 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 an international leader in this effort and has helped design some of the world’s state-ofthe-art tools to aid in epigenetics research. Laird is also a principal investigator for the National Cancer Institute’s Genome Data Analysis Network and played a leadership role in The Cancer Genome Atlas, a multiinstitutional effort to molecularly map cancers. Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D. Professor Dr. Gerd Pfeifer 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 effect of tobacco smoke on genetic and epigenetic systems to the discovery of a mechanism that may help protect the brain from neurodegeneration. RESEARCH 1721
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Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents 2 A letter from D
Page 5 and 6: “From all of us at Van Andel Inst
Page 8 and 9: Department of Neurodegenerative Sci
Page 10 and 11: Department of Epigenetics Scientist
Page 12 and 13: Department of Cell Biology Our heal
Page 14 and 15: Department of Structural Biology Sc
Page 16 and 17: Department of Metabolism & Nutritio
Page 18 and 19: Translating impact from lab to clin
Page 20 and 21: Core Technologies & Services Van An
Page 24 and 25: Van Andel Institute Principal Inves
Page 30 and 31: A modern approach to graduate educa
Page 32 and 33: A modern approach to graduate educa
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Page 37 and 38: K-12 EDUCATION 35
Page 39 and 40: K-12 EDUCATION 37
Page 42 and 43: Carol Van Andel Angel of Excellence
Page 44 and 45: Design & Discovery Merging the insp
Page 46 and 47: Around the World Hosted by VAI’s
Page 48 and 49: Couture for a Cure Michigan’s pre
Page 50 and 51: Hope on the Hill & The Chocolate Fa
Page 52 and 53: Signature special event sponsors We
Page 54 and 55: A decade of support: Inside Jeffery
Page 56 and 57: Positivity & perseverance: Richard
Page 58 and 59: From Purple Community to JBoard Amb
Page 60 and 61: Running for family & research Nearl
Page 62 and 63: Philanthropy Circle of Hope Anonymo
Page 64 and 65: Van Andel Institute Board Members V
Page 66 and 67: Van Andel Institute Board of Govern
Page 68: 333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids,

2022 Annual Report

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