Undergraduate university: Grand Valley State University (B.S. in biomedical sciences)

Thesis: Characterizing the probabilistic inheritance of non-genetic obesity in a mouse model of Neuronatin deficiency.

Mentor: J. Andrew Pospisilik, Ph.D.

Experience: Mitch worked at VAI for almost 10 years on a variety of different projects in different fields. He first worked for three years as an undergraduate intern with Dr. Brian Haab identifying and investigating diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. He then worked for six years with Dr. Bart Williams investigating the roles of Wnt-signaling in tissue (mainly bone) development and homeostasis as well as disease. Just prior to joining Van Andel Institute Graduate School, he worked with Dr. Heidi Lempradl utilizing Drosophila to investigate the intergenerational inheritance patterns of metabolism.

Hometown: Greenville, MI

Hobbies: Mountain biking and cycling (pretty much any outdoor activity really); building things and home projects; time with friends, family and our pets.

PUBLICATIONS

Yang CH*, Fagnocchi L*, Apostle S, Wegert V, Casani-Galdón S, Landgraf K, Panzeri I, Dror E, Heyne S, Wörpel T, Chandler DP, Lu D, Yang T, Gibbons E, Guerreiro R, Brás J, Thomasen M, Grunnert LG, Vaag AA, Gillberg L, Grundberg, E, Conesa A, Körner A, PERMUTE, Pospisilik JA. 2022. Independent phenotypic plasticity axes define distinct obesity subtypes. Nat Metab.

*Co-first authorship
**Highlighted in News & Views
***Mitch McDonald is part of PERMUTE