[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1098-E1099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN RECOGNITION OF DR. GEORGE VANDE WOUDE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 7, 2009

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the achievements of 
Dr. George Vande Woude. After a long and successful career in cancer 
research, Dr. Vande Woude has recently decided to retire from his 
administrative post, and I appreciate the opportunity to recognize him 
and his body of work.
  Dr. Vande Woude earned his Master of Science degree and doctorate 
from Rutgers University. Early in his career, he served the federal 
government as a research virologist for the United States Department of 
Agriculture at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and shortly after 
began a long tenure at the National Institutes of Health. Initially, he 
joined the National Cancer Institute as Head of the Human Tumor Studies 
and Virus Tumor Biochemistry Sections. Thereafter, he served in a 
variety of different organizations within the Institute from 1972 until 
1999, when he was selected to be the first Director of the newly 
created Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
  Dr. Vande Woude's commitment to public service and improving the 
health of our nation has undoubtedly saved many lives. His pioneering 
research has resulted in new ways to isolate and detect cancer cells, 
and has led to earlier treatments and interventions. By identifying the 
biological players in cancer tumor progression and development, Dr. 
Vande Woude and his laboratory have supported expansive research which 
was instrumental in finding innovative strategies to eliminate harmful 
cancer cell precursors.
  Dr. Vande Woude has made significant and substantial contributions to 
our current understanding of the molecular biology of cancer. His 
career is peppered with many firsts, including being the first to use 
recombinant DNA technology to isolate certain retroviruses and compare 
their behavior. He was first to determine the structure and sequence of 
DNA precursors which are instrumental in the development of cancer. His 
laboratory was first to demonstrate that a normal gene could be 
activated as a cancerous gene. These findings provided a foundation for 
the search for active cancerous cells (oncogenes) in tumors. His long-
term studies of the mos oncogene have led to the first direct 
connection between cancer cells and the enzymes which regulate cell 
cycles. Equally important was his discovery of the human met oncogene 
that is involved in a wide range of cancers and has become a leading 
candidate for new cancer therapies. There are numerous other 
advancements which have emerged from Dr. Vande Woude's laboratory, all 
of which have helped the healthcare community understand how to combat 
cancerous tumors and address their risks even prior to development.
  His efforts have gone beyond personal excellence. Over the years, Dr. 
Vande Woude has mentored more than 70 postdoctoral fellows, students, 
and visiting scientists. By investing in future generations, he has 
inspired countless researchers, and his legacy will last far beyond his 
personally prolific research.
  Dr. Vande Woude has been honored as an elected Fellow of both the 
American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of 
Sciences, and is a recipient of the National Institutes of Health Merit 
Award, the Robert J. and Claire Pasarow Foundation Award for Cancer 
Research, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in Technology Transfer from 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He has also served 
on advisory panels too numerous to name and authored and edited 
hundreds of research articles and other publications.
  Undoubtedly, ``retirement'' for Dr. Vande Woude will be in name only, 
as he continues to keep a fierce pace of life and contribute in a 
variety of ways to the advancement of science and the education of 
future generations. He will maintain a role at the Van Andel Institute 
as a Distinguished Scientific Fellow and head of the Laboratory of 
Molecular Oncology. Grand Rapids has been blessed by his leadership at 
the Van Andel Institute, and the world will note and remember his 
contributions to science and education for generations to come.

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