Prof. Gerd P. Pfeifer received his PhD in biochemistry from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. Earlier in his career, he worked at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in Los Angeles where he held the Lester M. and Irene C. Finkelstein Chair in Biology. In 2014 he joined the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The laboratory studies genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of cancer. One focus is on DNA methylation. In parallel, the lab investigates mechanisms of DNA damage formation and mutations in human cells and their link to cancer mutations. Another area of major interest is photobiology and UV radiation effects. Dr. Pfeifer was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2015. Over the years, he has mentored and trained young scholars including 10 graduate students and over 25 postdoctoral fellows in various aspects of cancer biology.