![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Header-9-scaled.jpg)
Graduate School Faculty
Our faculty is primarily made up of Van Andel Institute (VAI) investigators, each of whom have a Ph.D., M.D. or equivalent academic degree and a distinguished record of scholarship and contributions to the scientific community.
Adjunct faculty members may supplement the permanent faculty. These may include visiting scientists from other research institutes, faculty members from local colleges or universities, postdoctoral fellows at VAI or practicing professionals.
Meet the Faculty
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED-Marie-Adams_090816_001-e1676388234581.jpg)
Marie Adams, M.S.
Director, Genomics Core
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Stephen-Baylin_SELECTED_121014_004-e1676318935409.jpg)
Stephen Baylin, M.D.
Co-leader, Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team
Director’s Scholar and Professor, Department of Epigenetics
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Dr.-Sarah-Bodbyl-SELECTED-scaled-e1676389037183.jpg)
Sarah Bodbyl, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Van Andel Institute Graduate School
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Lena-Brundin_SELECTED_031114_298-e1676391379659.jpg)
Lena Brundin, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science
Behavioral Medicine
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Nick-Burton_110421_001-scaled-e1706300187975.jpg)
Nick Burton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming
Maternal Effects on Metabolism and Host-Microbe Interactions
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Gerry-Coetzee-2021-e1683299753262.jpg)
Gerhard (Gerry) Coetzee, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science
Post-GWAS Functionality
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Juan-Du_SELECTED_042419_009-e1676392185650.jpg)
Juan Du, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Structural Biology
Structural Biology and Electrophysiology
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Stephanie-Grainger_080421_007-1-scaled-e1677079603357.jpg)
Stephanie Grainger, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Wnt Signaling in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development and Cancer
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Carrie_Garveel_2B-e1676313084800.jpg)
Carrie Graveel, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist, Department of Cell Biology; Assistant Dean for Student Research Experience, Van Andel Institute Graduate School
MET signaling, RTK signaling in breast cancer progression and therapeutic resistance, mouse models, targeted therapeutic approaches to breast cancer
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Yvonne-Fondufe-Mittendorf_102721_001-e1676316142376.jpg)
Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Regulation and Environmental Impacts
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Brian-Haab_100520_001-e1676313348213.jpg)
Brian Haab, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Pancreatic Cancer Identification Using Glycans
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Michael-Henderson_070721_001-e1676391153963.jpg)
Michael Henderson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science
Protein Pathologies and Genetic Risk in Neurodegeneration
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED-Galen-Hostetter_060514-e1676388048836.jpg)
Galen Hostetter, M.D.
Director of Pathology, Pathology and Biorepository Core
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Derek_Janssens_Ph.D.png)
Derek Janssens, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Regulation of Hematopoiesis and Leukemia
![Dr. Peter Jones, Van Andel Institute](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Selected-Peter-Jones_081619_001-e1676319108321.jpg)
Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon)
President and Chief Scientific Officer
Epigenetic Therapies
![Image of Russell Jones, Ph.D.](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DSC_9933-scaled-e1679506062860.jpg)
Russell Jones, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming
Cancer and Immunometabolism
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Connie-Krawczyk_SELECTED_081518_001-e1676315037477.jpg)
Connie Krawczyk, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming
Immunology, Epigenetics and Metabolism
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Peter-Laird_SELECTED_042418_001-e1676392357103.jpg)
Peter W. Laird, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics; Peter and Emajean Cook Endowed Chair in Epigenetics
Cancer Epigenetics
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Heidi-Lempradl_SELECTED_081518_001-e1676391998209.jpg)
Adelheid (Heidi) Lempradl, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming
Intergenerational Inheritance of Nutritional States
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED_001_Huilin-Li_012317-scaled-e1717080769731.jpg)
Huilin Li, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Structural Biology; Ralph and Grace Hauenstein Endowed Chair in Structural Biology
Cryo-EM, Structural Biology, DNA Replication and Epigenetics
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED_Wei-Lu_111517_001-1-scaled-e1677079632808.jpg)
Wei Lü, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Structural Biology
Cryo-EM and Structural Biology
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Darren-Moore_SELECTED_012317_001-e1705599604955.jpg)
Darren Moore, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science; Director, MiND Program
Molecular Neurodegeneration
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Sara-Nowinski_070721_001-e1676391864164.jpg)
Sara Nowinski, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming
Mitochondria and Metabolism
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED_Gerd-Pfeifer_012318_003-e1676392097935.jpg)
Gerd Pfeifer, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic and Genetic Pathways in Human Disease
![Image of Dr. J. Andrew Pospisilik](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Andrew-Pospisilik_SELECTED_081518_001-e1676391924130.jpg)
J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Epigenetic Origins of Heterogeneity and Disease
![Scott Rothbart](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Scott-Rothbart_SELECTED_012318_001-e1676392371687.jpg)
Scott Rothbart, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Chromatin and Epigenetic Regulation
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Laurent-Roybon_062123_003-scaled-e1705599517465.jpg)
Laurent Roybon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science; Director, MiND iPSC Program
Patient-Based Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hui-Shen_100422_014-TU-e1677079328114.jpg)
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Xiaobing-Shi_SELECTED_050318_001-scaled-e1677079287541.jpg)
Xiaobing Shi, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Histone Modifications and Chromatin Regulation
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SELECTED_Matt-Steensma_031016_001-1-scaled-e1677079544796.jpg)
Matt Steensma, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Musculoskeletal Oncology
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dr-Eric-Swindell-Courtesy-of-Van-Andel-Institute-scaled-e1701800286809.jpg)
Eric C. Swindell, Ph.D.
Dean and Chief Academic Officer, Van Andel Institute Graduate School
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Selected-Piroska-Szabo_012318_001-e1677079490672.jpg)
Piroska Szabó, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Developmental Programming
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Dr.-Tim-Triche-_-©-Van-Andel-Institute--scaled-e1713893204672.jpg)
Tim Triche, Jr., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics
Translational Biological Informatics
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Hong-Wen_SELECTED_050318_001-1-scaled-e1705437793960.jpg)
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Bart-Williams_103023_002-scaled-e1701287401534.jpg)
Bart Williams, Ph.D.
Director, Core Technologies and Services; Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Cell Signaling and Carcinogenesis
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Mary-Winn_042222_007-1-1-e1653681526375.jpg)
Mary Winn, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Core Technologies and Services
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Evan-Worden_090821_001_SELECTED-e1676391894319.jpg)
Evan Worden, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Structural Biology
Structural Biology of Epigenetic Complexes
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Tao-Yang_SELECTED_060514_001-e1676391840160.jpg)
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/YangYang2-scaled-e1718112318494.jpg)
Yang Yang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Structural Biology
Structural Basis for Neurodegenerative Diseases
![](https://www.vai.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Qiang-Zhu-6-e1659383746186.jpg)
Qiang Zhu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science
Genetics, Epigenetics and Therapeutic Innovation in Neurodegenerative Diseases