Principal Investigators

VARI Leadership

Peter Jones Scott Jewell

Peter Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc., is a Scott Jewell, Ph.D., leads pioneer in , a growing Van Andel Research Institute’s field that explores how genes Core Technologies and Services, are regulated and provides new which provides technology and avenues for developing therapies specialized expertise for research for and other diseases. His investigators. Cores and services discoveries have helped usher in an entirely new include and , cryo- EM, class of drugs that have been approved to treat optical imaging, , , blood cancer and are being investigated in other and biorepository, small-animal imaging, vivarium tumor types. Dr. Jones is a member of the National management and transgenics. Jewell is a past Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of president of the International Society for Biological Arts & Sciences. He and his colleague Dr. Stephen and Environmental Repositories (ISBER). Baylin co-lead the Van Andel Research Institute– Stand Up To Dream Team. Dr. Jones is the Institute’s chief scientific officer and Steven J. Triezenberg director of its Center for Epigenetics. Steven J. Triezenberg, Ph.D., explores the genetic and epigenetic control Patrik Brundin systems of viruses to understand how infections progress and to Patrik Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., reveal new ways to stop them. His investigates molecular discoveries with herpes simplex mechanisms in Parkinson’s viruses have opened up new possibilities for antiviral disease with the goal of drug development and have revealed new insights developing new therapies into how human cells control gene expression. In aimed at slowing or stopping addition to running a lab at VARI, Dr. Triezenberg is the disease progression or repairing damage. founding dean of Van Andel Institute Graduate School. He is one of the top-cited researchers in the field of neurodegenerative disease and leads international efforts to repurpose drugs to treat Parkinson’s. Brundin is director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Science and associate director of research for VARI.

Bart Williams

Bart Williams, Ph.D., 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 the spread of cancer to the skeleton. Williams is director of the Center for Cancer and Cell Biology.

1 Van Andel Research Institute | 1 Center for Epigenetics Research areas: Epigenetics, cancer, heart disease, neuroepigenetics, development, blood and structural biology

Stephen Baylin Huilin Li

Stephen Baylin, M.D., studies the Huilin Li, Ph.D., uses cryo-electron body’s genetic control systems — microscopy (cryo-EM) to reveal called epigenetics — searching for the most basic building blocks of vulnerabilities in cancer. Baylin is a DNA replication and other systems leader in this field, ranking among the vital for life. He has been at the first to trace epigenetic causes of cancer. vanguard of cryo-EM for more than His studies have led to new therapies for common cancers, 20 years, and his research has implications for some like breast, lung, colorectal and many others. He is co- of the world’s most critical public health concerns, leader of the VARI–SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team with including tuberculosis, cancer, mental illness and Dr. Peter Jones, co-director of Johns Hopkins’ Cancer many more. He is a professor in the Center for Biology Division and associate director for research at Epigenetics. Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Stefan Jovinge Gerd Pfeifer

Stefan Jovinge, M.D., Ph.D., develops Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D., studies how the ways to help the heart heal itself and body switches genes on and off, a has led dozens of clinical trials in biological process called methylation regenerative medicine. As a critical care that, when faulty, can lead to cancer cardiologist and scientist, he uses a or other diseases. His studies range bench-to-bedside approach in an effort from the effects of tobacco smoke to give patients with serious heart conditions longer, on genetic and epigenetic systems healthier lives. The clinical platform for his research is the to the discovery of a mechanism that may help protect Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at Spectrum Health’s the brain from neurodegeneration. Pfeifer’s studies Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, and the basic science have implications across a range of diseases, including effort in regenerative medicine is performed at VARI. He cancer, Parkinson’s, diabetes and many others. Pfeifer serves as director of the DeVos Cardiovascular Research is a professor in the Center for Epigenetics. Program.

Peter W. Laird Scott Rothbart

Peter W. Laird, Ph.D., seeks a detailed Scott Rothbart, Ph.D., studies the ways understanding of the molecular in which cells pack and unpack DNA. foundations of cancer with a particular This complex process twists and coils focus on identifying crucial epigenetic roughly two meters of unwound DNA alterations that convert otherwise into a space less than one-tenth the healthy cells into cancer cells. He is width of a human hair. Although this widely regarded as an international leader in this effort process is impressive, it is also subject to errors that can and has helped design some of the world’s state-of-the cause cancer and other disorders. Rothbart seeks new art tools to aid in epigenetics research. Laird is a principal targets for drug development in this process. He is an investigator for the National Cancer Institute’s Genome assistant professor in the Center for Epigenetics. Data Analysis Network and played a leadership role in The Cancer Genome Atlas, a multi-institutional effort to molecularly map cancers. He is a professor in the Center for Epigenetics.

Van Andel Research Institute | 2 Hui Shen Timothy J. Triche, Jr.

Hui Shen, Ph.D., develops new As a statistician and computational approaches to cancer prevention, biologist with an interest in clonal detection and treatment by evolution and cancers of the blood, studying the interaction between Tim Triche, Jr.’s, Ph.D., work focuses genes and their control systems, on wedding data-intensive molecular called epigenetics. Her research phenotyping to adaptive clinical focuses on women’s cancers, particularly ovarian trial designs in an effort to accelerate the pace of cancer, and has shed new light on the underlying drug targeting and development in rare or refractory mechanisms of other cancer types, including breast, diseases. Triche is an assistant professor in the Center kidney and prostate cancers. She is an assistant for Epigenetics. professor in the Center for Epigenetics.

Piroska Szabó

Piroska Szabó, Ph.D., studies the flow of epigenetic information from parents to their offspring, with a focus on how epigenetic markers are remodeled during egg and sperm production and how these markers are rewritten after fertilization. These processes have profound implications for fertility and embryo development. Disturbances in epigenetic remodeling are thought to contribute to disease conditions lasting well into adulthood. Szabó is an associate professor in the Center for Epigenetics.

Center for Neurodegenerative Science Research areas: Parkinson’s disease, depression/suicide, aging, disease, Alzheimer’s disease and neuroepigenetics

Lena Brundin Gerhard Coetzee

As a psychiatrist and a scientist, Lena Gerhard Coetzee, Ph.D., searches Brundin, M.D., Ph.D., seeks ways to the human genome for minuscule diagnose and treat depression and changes that contribute to the onset, suicidality by studying inflammation progression and drug resistance of of the nervous system. Her findings many diseases, including cancer, may lead to earlier interventions Parkinson’s and rare and heritable for depressive patients and for the development of a disorders. His team deploys genome sequencing new class of antidepressants that targets the immune technologies and high-powered computational arrays system. She also investigates how inflammatory to tease out patterns and interactions of markers and mechanisms can damage nerve cells in Parkinson’s treatment targets from among the human genome’s disease. She is an associate professor in the Center for more than three billion DNA base pairs. Coetzee is a Neurodegenerative Science. professor in the Center for Neurodegenerative Science.

2 Van Andel Research Institute | 3 Jeffrey Kordower Darren Moore

Jeffrey Kordower, Ph.D., is an Darren Moore, Ph.D., seeks new international authority on the onset diagnostic and treatment approaches of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and for Parkinson’s by investigating the Huntington’s diseases, and works inherited form of the disease, which to develop new procedures aimed accounts for 5 to 10 percent of cases. at slowing disease progression or He aims to translate the understanding reversing damage to the brain. He holds a primary of these genetic mutations into better treatments and appointment at Rush University in Chicago and is new diagnostic tools for Parkinson’s, both inherited a Director’s Scholar at VARI, where he focuses on and non-inherited. Discoveries in Moore’s lab routinely designing preclinical studies and clinical trials to elucidate the faulty molecular interactions that transform translate these new approaches into meaningful healthy, functioning neurons into diseased ones. Moore is changes for people suffering with movement a professor in the Center for Neurodegenerative Science. disorders.

Viviane Labrie Center for Cancer and Cell Biology

Viviane Labrie, Ph.D., studies the Research areas: Asthma, diabetes, neurofibromatosis dynamic interplay between the type 1, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, sarcoma, structural human genome and its control biology, and blood, bone, breast, colorectal, pancreatic system — the epigenome — to and prostate cancers understand how neurodegenerative diseases start and progress in an Juan Du effort to develop improved diagnostics and treatments. Labrie’s scientific pursuits have deepened the Juan Du, Ph.D. seeks to understand the understanding of conditions including Parkinson’s, brain’s intricate communication systems Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and lactose intolerance. using state-of-the-art structural biology She has also developed new methods for epigenome approaches, such as cryo-EM. She is an analysis. She is an assistant professor in the Center for assistant professor in the Center for Neurodegenerative Science. Cancer and Cell Biology.

Jiyan Ma Patrick Grohar

Jiyan Ma, Ph.D., studies Patrick Grohar, M.D., Ph.D., develops abnormal proteins that cause new drugs to treat bone cancer in neurodegenerative diseases, children, in addition to pursuing including Parkinson’s disease and a deeper understanding of the prion diseases in humans and mechanisms underlying sarcomas animals. His lab has developed new and related conditions. Once proven ways to understand how these proteins spread and safe and effective in the lab, his team translates these cause diseases in humans and animals. The lab is also potential therapies into clinical trials for children with few developing new approaches to diagnose and treat other options. He is an associate professor in the Center these devastating disorders. Ma is a professor in the for Cancer and Cell Biology and a pediatric oncologist at Center for Neurodegenerative Science. Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Van Andel Research Institute | 4 Brian Haab Karsten Melcher

Brian Haab, Ph.D., searches for Karsten Melcher, Ph.D., studies new ways to diagnose and stratify molecular structure and cellular pancreatic cancers based on the communication, which have chemical fingerprints tumors implications for finding new leave behind. Part of the problem treatments for serious health threats, Haab aims to solve is that cancers including cancer, diabetes and often look and behave normally — until after they’ve obesity. His expertise extends beyond human cells — started making people sick. Haab is sleuthing out his research into plant hormones may one day lead to clues to build a library of diagnostic tools that will heartier crops that resist drought and help meet the help providers diagnose tumors earlier and optimize nutritional demands of a growing global population. treatment. He is a professor in the Center for Cancer Dr. Melcher is an associate professor in the Center for and Cell Biology. Cancer and Cell Biology.

Xiaohong Li Lorenzo Sempere

Xiaohong Li, Ph.D., studies how and Lorenzo Sempere, Ph.D., studies the why various cancers, particularly role of microRNAs in the origin and prostate and cells, growth of cancer. These very short migrate from their original site and strands of genetic material were spread to the bone. These cells stay discovered just over 15 years ago dormant but might wake up years and are now recognized as dynamic later and grow to become bone metastases, causing regulatory modules of the larger human genome. debilitating pain and complicating treatment. Li hopes Sempere targets microRNAs in an effort to develop that a better understanding of metastatic cancers will new cancer drugs, specifically for pancreatic and breast lead to new diagnostic tests and targeted therapies. cancers. He is an assistant professor in the Center for She is an assistant professor in the Center for Cancer Cancer and Cell and Biology. and Cell Biology.

Wei Lü Matt Steensma

Wei Lü, Ph.D., is working to unravel Matt Steensma, M.D., studies the how brain cells communicate with genetic and molecular factors that each other. Using techniques such cause benign tumors to become as cryo-EM, his work has contributed cancers in order to find vulnerabilities to the field’s understanding of that may be targeted for treatment. molecules that play crucial roles in As a scientist at VARI and a practicing the development and function of the nervous system. surgeon at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s He is an assistant professor in the Center for Cancer Hospital, he is committed to translating scientific and Cell Biology. discoveries into treatments that improve patients’ lives.

4 Van Andel Research Institute | 5 Ning Wu Tao Yang

Ning Wu, Ph.D., investigates Tao Yang, Ph.D., studies the signaling the interface between cellular systems that govern skeletal stem cells metabolism and cellular signaling, and the role they play in diseases such particularly as they relate to cancer. as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. On the most basic level, cancer Bones are the largest producer of adult is a disease of uncontrolled cell stem cells, which mature into cartilage, growth, and Wu believes that understanding a tumor’s fat or bone tissue — a process that falters with age. Yang voracious energy requirements and altered signaling seeks a better understanding of these systems in search pathways will lead to new treatments that optimize of new treatments for degenerative bone disorders. He is existing combination therapies and identify novel an assistant professor in the Center for Cancer and Cell therapeutic targets. She is an assistant professor in the Biology. Center for Cancer and Cell Biology.

George Vande Woude H. Eric Xu

George Vande Woude, Ph.D., is a H. Eric Xu, Ph.D., explores the structure titan in cancer biology. He is the of molecules in the body’s complex founding director of Van Andel hormone signaling system, which plays Research Institute, which he led a vital role in health and disease. He is for a decade. His discovery and particularly known for his discoveries description of the MET receptor in defining the structure of molecules tyrosine kinase as an , together with its critical to the development of new drugs for cancer, activating ligand hepatocyte growth factor, have diabetes and many others. He is a professor in VARI’s led to new possibilities for cancer therapies and Center for Cancer and Cell Biology and serves as director revolutionized the way scientists view the disease, of VARI–SIMM Research Center in Shanghai, China. especially in tumor progression. He is a distinguished scientific fellow, emeritus, in the Center for Cancer and Cell Biology and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Van Andel Research Institute | 6 Core Technologies and Services

Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Flow Cytometry

Manager: Megan Bowman, Ph.D. Manager: Rachael Sheridan, Ph.D., CCy The Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core provides efficient, high-quality The Flow Cytometry Core provides computational and statistical expertise high-quality, comprehensive for Van Andel Research Institute cytometry services and expertise laboratories and external organizations to scientists at VARI and external in the analysis and interpretation of collaborators. Core staff also offer data. The Core maintains workflows for the processing assistance with data analysis, grant preparation and and analyzing of genomic data sets, supports the design production of high-quality graphics for publication. of rigorous and reproducible experiments and proposals, assists in the preparation of manuscripts, and provides education and training in the use of cutting-edge software and analysis methods. Genomics

Manager: Marie Adams, M.S.

David Van Andel Advanced Cryo-Electron The Genomics Core is home to a Microscopy Suite high-caliber and extensive catalog of genomic and epigenomic Director: Huilin Li, Ph.D. sequencing and iScan array Manager: Gongpu Zhao, Ph.D. options as well as genotyping and cytogenetic services. Core staff The David Van Andel Advanced collaborate closely with individual investigators on Cryo-Electron Microscopy Suite project design and data analysis, ensuring a high harnesses revolutionary technology level of service from start to finish. to visualize some of life’s smallest — yet most vital — components. It encompasses a suite of state-of-the- art cryo-electron microscopes (cryo- Optical Imaging EM), which are supported by expert staff and a robust high-performance Manager: Corinne Esquibel, Ph.D. computing cluster with extensive cloud capabilities. The Optical Imaging Core offers numerous imaging resources to address a broad variety of research questions, from gene expression analysis to cell motility.

6 Van Andel Research Institute | 7 Pathology and Biorepository Core

Director: Scott Jewell, Ph.D. Associate Director: Galen Hostetter, M.D.

The Pathology and Biorepository Core integrates extensive anatomic pathology expertise with the best practices in biorepository management to ensure high-quality biospecimens and analysis for internal investigators and external collaborations. The Institute’s Biorepository is nationally and internationally recognized, and is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (no. 8017856).

Small-Animal Imaging Facility

The Small-Animal Imaging Facility encompasses a broad range of imaging and image analysis tools for use with biologic specimens and rodents, giving scientists crucial, non-invasive tools for observing disease pathology and novel phenotypes in intact systems.

Vivarium and Transgenics

Director: Bryn Eagleson, MLAS Manager: Audra Guikema, B.S., LVT, RLAT

The Vivarium and Transgenics Core develops and supports high-quality mouse modeling services for VARI investigators, collaborators and the greater research community. The Institute’s state-of-the-art Vivarium is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation

Updated April 2018 Van Andel Research Institute | 8