Van Andel Institute

10/22/2026

We are excited to introduce Van Andel Institute Graduate School's 20th student cohort!

They are, in alphabetical order: Sadie Blaszczyk; Faith Boyer; Ivan Ya Ran Chok; Katie Colesa; Taylor Cook; Kate DeMann; Sophie Derusha; Benjamin Howard; Madolyn Jarrett; Zihan Monshad; Seth Nelson; Junyi Shen; Mahek Vinod Bhandari; Elizabeth Widun; Jeremy Wilson; Yuyuan Zhang.

10/20/2026

We're so excited for this! Tune in to WOOD TV8 at 7 p.m. Wednesday to celebrate 30 years of discovery and hope at VAI.

Our crew has been interviewing Van Andel Institute scientists, educators, and experts for a 30th Anniversary television special. I am so excited to share the finished product with you Wednesday night at 7 PM on WOOD TV8!

10/16/2026

These moments are still on our minds! 📸👗

This year's Couture for a Cure brought the latest runway styles to VAI with stunning looks curated by Leigh's and an exclusive Hellessy presentation from designer Sylvie Millstein.

We would like to extend a special thanks to our guests, partners and title sponsor Amway Artistry for your meaningful support of research and education programs at VAI.

10/13/2026

There’s something special about the Bee Brave 5K! 🐝🩷

This event brings together people whose lives have been affected by cancer and share a passion for making a difference through research. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that sense of community and shared purpose feels especially meaningful.

To everyone who brings so much heart, energy and enthusiasm to this event year after year, thank you for making the Bee Brave 5K such a blast! Your support helps advance breast cancer research right here in West Michigan, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

10/09/2026

Another fabulous Couture for a Cure ✨ Thanks to all who made the night a success!

10/08/2026

Today’s the day! For years, Couture for a Cure has brought together fashion and philanthropy in support of research and education at VAI. As we get ready for another fabulous evening, we’re looking back at some of the unforgettable looks showcased over the years.

We can’t wait to welcome our guests tonight for an evening celebrating science, hope and progress!

10/06/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Derek Janssens, one of 42 scientists to receive a New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund! The five-year award will help Dr. Janssens and his team develop new tools to investigate how epigenetics regulates immunity-related genes, a relationship with vast implications for health.

Read more: https://www.vai.org/article/van-andel-institutes-dr-derek-janssens-receives-a-new-innovator-award-from-the-national-institutes-of-health-common-fund/

10/05/2026

A tee-rific day for a great cause! ⛳ Our annual Golf Outing brought our community together for some friendly competition in support of research and education at VAI. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event a success!

10/01/2026

"We are delighted to present the Tom Isaacs Award for 2026 to Esther. In both her consultant neurologist and researcher roles she has shown an outstanding commitment to bettering the lives of those affected by Parkinson’s.” - Helen Matthews, CEO, Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson’s and Van Andel Institute (VAI) are delighted to announce Dr Esther Sammler as the winner of the 2026 Tom Isaacs Award, which honours researchers who closely collaborate with the Parkinson’s community.

Dr Sammler’s win was announced at the annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease symposium and parallel Rallying to the Challenge meeting for people living with Parkinson’s, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The award was presented to Dr Sammler virtually by Cure Parkinson’s CEO Helen Matthews and Parkinson’s advocate Jessi Keaveney.

Find out more: https://buff.ly/ZjrCLw5

09/21/2026

An international team of scientists was analyzing results from a phase 2 clinical trial when they found something surprising: people with pre-cancer blood disorders and early-stage blood cancers who took daily doses of 1,000 mg oral vitamin C were significantly more likely to be alive after nearly three years of follow up than those who received a placebo.

The results, which must be confirmed by a larger clinical trial, point toward future opportunities to improve patient outcomes. The trial was led by the Van Andel Institute–Stand Up To Cancer® Epigenetics Dream Team.

“We are tremendously excited and cautiously optimistic that our results could one day translate into a simple way to improve care and outcomes for people with pre-leukemia disorders,” said VAI Distinguished Professor Dr. Peter A. Jones, co-corresponding author of the study and co-leader of the team.

Read more at the link in the comments.