MSU College of Human Medicine recruits molecular epidemiologist Allison Kuipers to study cardiovascular diseases alongside physicians

March 6, 2025

Leaving a promising tenure-track position at the University of Pittsburgh to join the College of Human Medicine “was a huge leap of faith,” Allison Kuipers said.

She has no regrets.

“I’m excited to be here,” Kuipers, PhD, an associate professor with joint appointments in the departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Biostatistics, said six weeks after settling into her office in the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building in Grand Rapids. “I’m feeling good about it.”

For more than 16 years, Kuipers conducted research at the University of Pittsburgh, where she had earned her bachelor’s degree and a PhD in epidemiology. When Michigan State University contacted her about joining its research team, “I didn’t know much about it,” she conceded.

And then she met with Charles (“Chaz”) Hong, MD, PhD, chair of the College of Human Medicine’s Department of Medicine.

“He was very exciting,” she said, which turned out to be contagious.

“We are making a transformative investment to build the department’s research portfolio in Grand Rapids,” said Chaz Hong, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Medicine. “Recruiting distinguished investigators like Dr. Kuipers is a big step toward this goal and bringing bench-to-bedside research directly into the clinical setting in order to improve patient health.”

Kuipers’ research focuses on cardiovascular disease and other chronic, age-related diseases, specifically on identifying molecular biomarkers in the blood that could be linked to those diseases. Finding those biomarkers – including genes, proteins, and other substances – could lead to earlier diagnosis, treatment, and possibly prevention of disease.

Kuipers is a principal investigator of a long-term study of epidemiological predictors of cardiovascular disease on the Caribbean island of Tobago.

While epidemiology gave her the tools to study diseases in populations, she longed to collaborate with physicians who could use her findings to treat patients. The College of Human Medicine, in partnership with Corewell Health’s Frederik Meijer Heart & Vascular Institute, offered that opportunity.

“Dr. Kuipers is a scientist that brings extensive research knowledge and expertise to Grand Rapids,” said Dr. Vikram Kashyap, endowed chair, Frederik Meijer Heart and Vascular Institute, and vice president, cardiovascular health at Corewell Health. “Her collaboration with our cardiovascular teams on research and innovation can potentially transform patient care and outcomes. We hope we can continue to expand these efforts in the future with MSU and welcome Dr. Kuipers to our team.”

Kuipers will serve as a scientific advisor at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which will provide access to the health system’s cardiovascular research infrastructure for her collaborative work with physician researchers.

MSU and Corewell Health have “made those investments to be sure the environment is strong for this kind of research.” Kuipers said. “That was really intriguing to me.”

Personal considerations also made the move to Michigan appealing for Kuipers, a native of central Pennsylvania – her late father was from Holland and her husband from East Lansing.

“It all just sort of made sense,” she said. “Just being here, it’s amazing the excitement everybody has for what we’re doing.

Kuipers is the college’s first researcher based exclusively in the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building in Grand Rapids. Hong said he envisions working with other departments to “build a vibrant community of world-class researchers” alongside Kuipers to benefit the health and economy of Grand Rapids and beyond.

“I am part of that change, hoping to see it grow and manifest in more medical research,” said Kuipers. “I can’t tell you how much I love it.”

 

By Pat Shellenbarger