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Cell biology

Overview

Department of Cell Biology

Our health, and consequently our lives, depend on the coordinated activities of our individual cells; diseases arise when the activities of these individual cells become derailed.

Through our combined expertise in different cell types and communication mechanisms and using state-of-the-art approaches, scientists in VAI’s Department of Cell Biology pursue fundamental research to understand how our cells grow, communicate, survive, assemble into tissues and organs, respond to the environment, and change with age.

This transformative work will yield new diagnostic and treatment strategies to improve the quality of life for people with cancer, bone diseases and rare disorders.

Our Faculty

Yvonne Fondufe-Mittendorf, Ph.D.

Interim Chair, Department of Cell Biology; Professor, Department of Epigenetics

Epigenetic Regulation and Environmental Impacts

Clifford Cho, M.D.

Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Translational Cancer Immunology

Stephanie Grainger, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Wnt Signaling in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development and Cancer

Brian Haab, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Pancreatic Cancer Identification Using Glycans

Matt Steensma, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Musculoskeletal Oncology

Bart Williams, Ph.D.

Director, Core Technologies and Services; Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Cell Signaling and Carcinogenesis

Tao Yang, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology

Skeletal Biology

AFFILIATE FACULTY

Melissa Hoyer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurodegenerative Science

Neuronal Organelle Quality Control and Health

ADJUNCT FACULTY

André Bachmann, Ph.D., M.S.

Adjunct Faculty, Department of Cell Biology

Primary Institution: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Caleb Bupp, M.D., FACMG

Adjunct Faculty, Department of Cell Biology

Primary Institution: Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

Jeff MacKeigan, Ph.D.

Adjunct Faculty, Department of Cell Biology

Primary Institution: Michigan State University College of Human Medicine

Paul Mark, M.D., FACMG

Adjunct Faculty, Department of Cell Biology

Primary Institutions: Corewell Health & Michigan State University

DEPARTMENT STAFF

Wendy Fritz

Senior Administrative Assistant I, Department of Cell Biology

Zachary Klamer, M.S.

Bioinformatics Analyst II, Department of Cell Biology

Recent Publications

Our Impact

We're raising thousands to save millions

We’re turning hope into action for the millions of people around the world affected by diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s. Find out how you can help us make a difference.

  • 121 peer-reviewed papers published in 2023
  • 62 peer-reviewed papers published in high-impact journals in 2023
  • 55 clinical trials launched to date
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