Van Andel Institute
Encyclopedia
Van Andel Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Grand Rapids, Michigan
. The Institute’s mission is to improve the health and enhance the lives of current and future generations through disease research and science education. VAI was founded by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 and is composed of two complementary institutes: Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) and Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI). VARI scientists study the genetic, cellular, and molecular origins of cancer
and other diseases and work to translate those findings into effective therapies for patients. VAEI provides a continuum of learning through a variety of educational programs that help to prepare tomorrow’s scientists.
– looking for what occurs to cause disease in individual cells, and using that information to identify biomarkers
that can help predict and diagnose diseases, and lead to the development of safer, more effective drugs. The research at VARI has primarily focused on cancer, but is expanding into other diseases such as osteoporosis
, Parkinson’s, and diabetes. The Institute’s Phase II building expansion included the addition of space for the new Jay Van Andel Parkinson Research Lab. VAI co-founder Jay Van Andel
suffered from Parkinson disease for over 10 years before his death in 2004.
From 1999 until 2009, former National Cancer Institute
administrator George Vande Woude, Ph.D., served as VARI’s research director and helped to build the research programs that exist today. Before joining VARI, Dr. Vande Woude was Director of the Basic Research Program at the Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center as well as the Director for the Division of Basic Sciences at the National Cancer Institute. In the early 1980s, Dr. Vande Woude’s laboratory discovered the human MET
oncogene
, which is now an important target in the development of anti-cancer drugs.
(TGen) in Phoenix, Arizona
. TGen is poised to translate the discoveries generated in laboratories from both organizations into real solutions for patients through its clinical research site at Scottsdale Healthcare.
As part of the alliance, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen's President and Research Director, took on the same role at VARI in 2009. Prior to heading TGen, Dr. Trent served for 10 years as the founding Scientific Director of the Division of Intramural Research for the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health
in Bethesda, Maryland. Under his guidance, NHGRI’s Division of Intramural Research became an internationally recognized research center in human genetics.
Through the Out-of-School-Time Cohort Program, groups of students learn to think and act like scientists over the course of three years, asking their own questions about different species, ecosystems, and genetics and answering them with the tools of science.
Through Science on Saturday, students and adults form two-person teams and explore some aspect of the natural world. This one-day program encourages students’ interest in science while building community support for science education.
Teachers learn alongside their students through Classroom Science Investigations, a unique professional development program tailored to each teacher’s needs. Teachers learn methods that will help them in the classroom while students are engaged in science.
Partners for Sustainable Innovation is a professional development initiative that brings teachers, workforce partners, and Science Academy staff together to determine how the requirements for life science careers can be integrated into the classroom in an engaging way.
are helped to graduate to the baccalaureate level through research experience while dual-enrolled at Grand Valley State University
.
program that prepares students for careers in biomedical disease research. The program includes an innovative problem-based curriculum that simulates how scientists approach new research questions, laboratory rotations, seminars and workshops, and optional teaching and hospital experiences.
graduate programs conduct one of their laboratory rotations at VARI and can complete their thesis project at the Institute if they choose.
to be constructed in two phases; the first phase was completed in 2000 and Phase II opened in December 2009. The building is set into a steep hill at the beginning of "Grand Rapids Medical Mile
".
The facility has many unique design elements and benefits, including:
in Grand Rapids, which includes Van Andel Institute, Spectrum Health System
, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Secchia Center, the GVSU Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, and other medical-related developments.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. The Institute’s mission is to improve the health and enhance the lives of current and future generations through disease research and science education. VAI was founded by Jay and Betty Van Andel in 1996 and is composed of two complementary institutes: Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) and Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI). VARI scientists study the genetic, cellular, and molecular origins of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and other diseases and work to translate those findings into effective therapies for patients. VAEI provides a continuum of learning through a variety of educational programs that help to prepare tomorrow’s scientists.
Van Andel Research Institute
VARI’s primary work has been in basic researchBasic Research
Basic Research is an herbal supplement and cosmetics manufacturer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that distributes products through a large number of subsidiaries. In addition, their products are sold domestically and internationally through a number of high-end retailers. Dennis Gay is the...
– looking for what occurs to cause disease in individual cells, and using that information to identify biomarkers
Biomarker (medicine)
In medicine, a biomarker is a term often used to refer to a protein measured in blood whose concentration reflects the severity or presence of some disease state...
that can help predict and diagnose diseases, and lead to the development of safer, more effective drugs. The research at VARI has primarily focused on cancer, but is expanding into other diseases such as osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
, Parkinson’s, and diabetes. The Institute’s Phase II building expansion included the addition of space for the new Jay Van Andel Parkinson Research Lab. VAI co-founder Jay Van Andel
Jay Van Andel
Jay Van Andel was an American businessman best known as co-founder of the Amway Corporation, along with Richard DeVos. He also served as Chairman of the U.S...
suffered from Parkinson disease for over 10 years before his death in 2004.
From 1999 until 2009, former National Cancer Institute
National Cancer Institute
The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
administrator George Vande Woude, Ph.D., served as VARI’s research director and helped to build the research programs that exist today. Before joining VARI, Dr. Vande Woude was Director of the Basic Research Program at the Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center as well as the Director for the Division of Basic Sciences at the National Cancer Institute. In the early 1980s, Dr. Vande Woude’s laboratory discovered the human MET
C-MET
c-Met is a proto-oncogene that encodes a protein known as hepatocyte growth factor receptor . The hepatocyte growth factor receptor protein possesses tyrosine-kinase activity...
oncogene
Oncogene
An oncogene is a gene that has the potential to cause cancer. In tumor cells, they are often mutated or expressed at high levels.An oncogene is a gene found in the chromosomes of tumor cells whose activation is associated with the initial and continuing conversion of normal cells into cancer...
, which is now an important target in the development of anti-cancer drugs.
TGen Partnership
Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) has a strategic alliance and affiliation agreement with the Translational Genomics Research InstituteTranslational Genomics Research Institute
The Translational Genomics Research Institute , is a non-profit genomics research institute established in 2002 by Jeffrey Trent, the founding Scientific Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute , in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.TGen seeks to employ genetic discoveries to improve...
(TGen) in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
. TGen is poised to translate the discoveries generated in laboratories from both organizations into real solutions for patients through its clinical research site at Scottsdale Healthcare.
As part of the alliance, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen's President and Research Director, took on the same role at VARI in 2009. Prior to heading TGen, Dr. Trent served for 10 years as the founding Scientific Director of the Division of Intramural Research for the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
in Bethesda, Maryland. Under his guidance, NHGRI’s Division of Intramural Research became an internationally recognized research center in human genetics.
Van Andel Education Institute
Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI) is dedicated to strengthening science education and preparing and motivating individuals to pursue science or science-related professions. Educational programs and initiatives at Van Andel Institute include:Science Academy
The Science Academy offers science education programs for students, teachers, and the community and studies how students learn science to have an impact on science education nationally. The Science Academy offers hands-on programs that can not only change the way students think about science, but also how they think about the world around them and their future in it.Through the Out-of-School-Time Cohort Program, groups of students learn to think and act like scientists over the course of three years, asking their own questions about different species, ecosystems, and genetics and answering them with the tools of science.
Through Science on Saturday, students and adults form two-person teams and explore some aspect of the natural world. This one-day program encourages students’ interest in science while building community support for science education.
Teachers learn alongside their students through Classroom Science Investigations, a unique professional development program tailored to each teacher’s needs. Teachers learn methods that will help them in the classroom while students are engaged in science.
Partners for Sustainable Innovation is a professional development initiative that brings teachers, workforce partners, and Science Academy staff together to determine how the requirements for life science careers can be integrated into the classroom in an engaging way.
GRAPCEP: Grand Rapids Area Pre-College Engineering Program
High school students who plan to major in science or genetic engineering in college have the opportunity to work in a research laboratory and learn research methods and workplace success skills.Internships
College and university students are mentored by professionals in their chosen field while working in VARI labs; programs include the Frederik and Lena Meijer Student Internship Program and the Grand Rapids Medical Education and Research Center Medical Student Summer Research Internship Program.Bridges to the Baccalaureate
Minorities under-represented in medical research who attend Grand Rapids Community CollegeGrand Rapids Community College
Grand Rapids Community College is a community college located in the city of Grand Rapids in the U.S. state of Michigan. GRCC offers an Associate's degree, a variety of certification programs, occupational training, and other learning opportunities for the surrounding community.-Campuses:In...
are helped to graduate to the baccalaureate level through research experience while dual-enrolled at Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University
Grand Valley State University is a public liberal arts university located in Allendale, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1960, and its main campus is situated on approximately west of Grand Rapids...
.
VAI Graduate School
Van Andel Institute Graduate School is a unique Ph.D.Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
program that prepares students for careers in biomedical disease research. The program includes an innovative problem-based curriculum that simulates how scientists approach new research questions, laboratory rotations, seminars and workshops, and optional teaching and hospital experiences.
VAI-MSU Graduate School Program
Students in one of five Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
graduate programs conduct one of their laboratory rotations at VARI and can complete their thesis project at the Institute if they choose.
NIH T-32 Training Program for Veterinary Students
Students from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University train in hypothesis-based medical research while mentored by faculty; students may complete a research rotation at VARI.Postdoctoral Fellowships
Scientists beginning their research careers after graduate school advance their knowledge and research experience by working in the lab under the mentorship of a scientific investigator, attending seminars, and interacting with staff and students.Architecture
Located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Andel Institute's building was designed by famed architect Rafael ViñolyRafael Viñoly
Rafael Viñoly is an Uruguayan architect living in the United States.-Biography:He was born in Montevideo, Uruguay to Román Viñoly Barreto, and Maria Beceiro ....
to be constructed in two phases; the first phase was completed in 2000 and Phase II opened in December 2009. The building is set into a steep hill at the beginning of "Grand Rapids Medical Mile
Grand Rapids Medical Mile
Grand Rapids Medical Mile is a designated area within the city of Grand Rapids, MI. It began with medical-related development in the Hillside District Grand Rapids, Michigan, bordering both sides of Michigan Street. More than a decade later it encompasses an area five times larger...
".
The facility has many unique design elements and benefits, including:
- Windows and glass roof structures that cascade down both sides of the building provide abundant natural light, even to several laboratories; the flow of the glass roof structures evoke the rapids of the nearby Grand RiverGrand River (Michigan)The Grand River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Michigan. It runs through the cities of Jackson, Eaton Rapids, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven.-Description:...
- Open spaces and layout foster random encounters and the free exchange of ideas among employees working in different areas
- On-site cafeteria
- Demonstration lab for visitors to view research in progress
- Interactive discovery wall for visitors to learn about the Institute's history, milestones, and impact
- Library with research journals, computer access, fireplace, and comfortable seating
- Next door to the recently renovated Crescent Park
- Interior design that reflects the diversity of the Institute's staff
- Custom-designed modular lab benches and work surfaces that are adjustable and easy to reconfigure
- Innovative system of climate control based on integrated design of walls, roofs and lab fixtures
- "Life," by world-famous artist Dale ChihulyDale ChihulyDale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor and entrepreneur.-Biography:Chihuly graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma, Washington. He enrolled at the College of the Puget Sound in 1959...
, is a 14-foot glass sculpture reminiscent of the DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
double-helix that spirals from the ceiling in the lobby - Phase II will be LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental DesignLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
certified to have minimal impact on the environment
Medical Mile
Van Andel Institute serves as the cornerstone of the West Michigan biomedical research and life sciences corridor. The past decade has seen more than $1 billion in private and philanthropic investment in research and clinical infrastructure along the Medical MileGrand Rapids Medical Mile
Grand Rapids Medical Mile is a designated area within the city of Grand Rapids, MI. It began with medical-related development in the Hillside District Grand Rapids, Michigan, bordering both sides of Michigan Street. More than a decade later it encompasses an area five times larger...
in Grand Rapids, which includes Van Andel Institute, Spectrum Health System
Spectrum Health
Spectrum Health System, commonly known as Spectrum Health, is a not-for-profit, integrated, managed care health care organization based in West Michigan. Spectrum Health's subsidiaries include hospitals, treatment facilities, urgent-care facilities, as well as physician practices that serve the...
, the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is an academic division of Michigan State University , and grants the Doctor of Medicine degree. CHM was founded in 1964 as the first community-integrated medical school, and has a program that emphasizes patient-centered care and a...
Secchia Center, the GVSU Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, and other medical-related developments.