August 28, 2008
Van Andel Institute (VAI) researchers have found that curcumin, a component of the curry spice turmeric, blocks herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) infections that commonly result in facial cold sores. Finding out how curcumin blocks the infections will be key to developing a treatment for cold sore sufferers.
August 19, 2008
Researchers at Van Andel Institute (VAI) and Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research have identified an important enzyme required for cancer cell survival. Lowering levels of the enzyme caused a wide variety of cancer cells to die, reduced proliferation of cancer cells, and sensitized cancer cells to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, such as the drug Taxol. The cells in the study included pancreatic, prostate, and lung cancer cells.
August 18, 2008
In a ceremony attended by Van Andel Institute (VAI) officials, faculty, students and their families, VAI Graduate School today marked the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year with an opening convocation held at Van Andel Institute’s Tomatis Auditorium. Van Andel Education Institute Director Gordon Van Harn, Ph.D., delivered the keynote address.
August 06, 2008
A recent finding by Van Andel Institute (VAI) researchers could have prognostic value and eventually lead to a new non-chemotherapy treatment for Wilms’ tumor, the most common type of kidney cancer that affects children. The finding resulted from collaboration between the Laboratory of Cancer Genetics at VAI, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, the Gerber Foundation, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern University.
August 04, 2008
Van Andel Institute (VAI) hosts speakers from some of the most respected academic, federal, and private research institutes in the nation and around the world through its ongoing Han-Mo Koo Seminar Series, dedicated to the memory of VAI Principal Investigator Han-Mo Koo, who passed away in 2004 following a six-month battle with cancer.
August 04, 2008
The West Michigan Shores chapter of the Society for Technical Communication has awarded Van Andel Institute (VAI) an Award of Excellence for its 2007 Van Andel Research Institute Scientific Report. The award was presented to VAI Scientific Editor David Nadziejka and designer Brad Hineline.
July 31, 2008
Van Andel Institute (VAI) has won a Bronze 2008 Telly Award in the category of “Best Corporate Image TV” for its television commercial featuring Senior Scientific Investigator Nicholas S. Duesbery, Ph.D. The 29th Annual Telly Awards received 13,500 entries from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries.
July 31, 2008
Researchers in the Laboratory of Structural Sciences at Van Andel Institute (VAI) have determined how the parathyroid hormone (PTH), which is currently used to treat osteoporosis, precisely binds to its receptor. Drug developers can use this information to aid in the design of more potent therapies for osteoporosis that lack the undesired side effects such as nausea, constipation, muscle weakness, dizziness, leg cramps, and joint pain of current drugs.
July 22, 2008
Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) is one of nine top U.S. institutions collaborating on the newly-formed Ivy Genomics-Based Medicine Project (Ivy G.B.M. Project). The goal of the project is to identify how brain tumors with different genetic features respond to different treatment regimens to ultimately provide physicians with the tools they need to offer patients personalized medicine - the most effective treatment options based on the specific genetic profile of their tumor.
June 18, 2008
Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI) this week launched its new Middle School Program. The program builds on the success of earlier elementary school programs to expand inquiry-based science education to the middle-school level, and offers an additional series of unique professional development opportunities targeting middle school science teachers.
June 18, 2008
Van Andel Institute announces the hiring of four new staff members to expand its capabilities in the areas of donor development and cultivation, international business development and middle school science education: Laurie Ward has been named Director of Development, Gerilyn May joins VAI as Senior Administrative Assistant in the Communications and Development department, Hung Nguyen-Quang begins work at VAI as International Business Analyst, and Randy Schregardus joins Van Andel Education Institute (VAEI) as Middle School Science Specialist.
May 06, 2008
Van Andel Institute hosted the 2008 Michigan Prostate Research Colloquium on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3, an annual event that provides research institutions an opportunity to share their latest research with peers. This year’s event, entitled “Frontiers in Urologic Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies” focused on kidney/renal and prostate cancer research.
March 05, 2008
Michael J. Jandernoa, the former chairman of the board and CEO of Perrigo Company, the nation’s largest manufacturer and marketer of store brand over-the-counter drug and nutritional products, was elected to the Van Andel Institute (VAI) Board of Trustees on February 25. His term is to be effective immediately.
February 26, 2008
Van Andel Institute (VAI) has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Children’s Memorial Research Center (CMRC) of Chicago for use of its XenoBase software and database system.
February 19, 2008
Researchers at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) have slowed the growth of human tumors growing in a mouse model of a common form of kidney cancer by using lethal toxin (or LEPIMAT), the toxin that causes anthrax. LEPIMAT blocks a specific signaling pathway in tumor cells that is required for tumor growth.
February 12, 2008
The Winterfest Celebration hosted by the Peninsular Club on February 7, 2008 raised over $65,000 to benefit Parkinson research at Van Andel Institute.
January 11, 2008
Brian Haab, Ph.D., senior scientific investigator in the Laboratory of Cancer Immunodiagnostics at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI), has been named to the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Proteome Research for a three-year period beginning January 1, 2008.
January 08, 2008
James B. Fahner, M.D., the current and founding division chief of pediatric hematology & oncology and senior administrative physician for philanthropy and community relations at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, has been appointed to the Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) Board of Trustees, effective January 1, 2008.