Van Andel Institute appoints cancer epigenetics expert Dr. H. Josh Jang as assistant professor

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (July 1, 2025) — Van Andel Institute has appointed cancer epigenetics expert H. Josh Jang, Ph.D., as an assistant professor in its Department of Cell Biology.

Jang pursues new cancer treatments by studying the interactions between genetics, epigenetics and metabolism in tumors and their surroundings. His research also aims to improve cancer immunotherapies so they are effective for more people.

Epigenetics are processes that switch genes “on” or “off” without changing the DNA sequence itself. Epigenetic errors are well-known contributors to cancer and serve as possible targets for treatment.

“Cancer cells frequently exhibit aberrant surface proteins due to epigenetic and metabolic dysregulation, which alters the tumor microenvironment and influences responses to immunotherapy,” Jang said. “At VAI, the strong expertise in epigenetics, metabolism and cancer biology offers an ideal environment to uncover and translate novel combination therapy approaches quickly into cancer clinical trials.”

Jang earned his Ph.D. in molecular genetics and genomics from Washington University in St. Louis. He then joined Van Andel Institute in 2020 as a VAI Fellow under the mentorship of Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon) and Stephen B. Baylin, Ph.D. As part of his postdoctoral research, Jang participated in the Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer® Epigenetics Dream Team, a multi-institutional collaboration that evaluates promising combination therapies for cancer in clinical trials. His work focused on a specific class of immunotherapy treatment called immune checkpoint inhibitors, which supercharge the immune system’s cancer-fighting abilities.

Learn more about research in the Jang lab ➔

Jang has received several prestigious awards for his research including a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence grant and a SPORE Epigenetic Therapies: Career Enhancement Program Award, both from the National Cancer Institute.