Jim Gentile, Ph.D. is President of Research Corporation. He comes to Research Corporation most recently from Hope College in Holland, MI where he held an endowed professorship in biology and served for twelve years as Dean for the Natural Sciences. Jim received his B.S. degree from St. Mary’s University in Winona, MN, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Illinois State University. He spent two years in postdoctoral studies in the Department of Human Genetics at Yale School of medicine before assuming his previous position at Hope.
His research has focused on the role of metabolism in the conversion of natural, and xenobiotic, agents into mutagens and carcinogens. He and his colleagues were the first to define the unique processes through which plant systems use their unique biochemistry to metabolize agents into carcinogens that can affect humans, and his current research investigations are targeted towards gaining an understanding of the role of chronic inflammation in mammals and cancer causation. Among his many awards he has received Medallions of Scientific Achievement from the National Cancer Institute of Japan and from the Provincia Di Pisa, Italy; the Alexander Hollaender Research Excellence Award from the Environmental Mutagen Society; and has been named an AAAS Fellow.
He is a former member of the Science Advisory Board for the U.S. EPA and of the State of Michigan Hazardous Waste Site Review Board. He is currently a National Associate of the National Research Council (NRC), where he is a current member of the NRC Life Science Board and a previous member of the NRC Committee on Undergraduate Science Education. He played a leadership role in the highly praised NRC publication Biology 2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Research Biologists and is a sought-after speaker on issues involving the integration of scientific research and education.
Jim is a past-President of the Environmental Mutagen Society and currently serves as President for the International Association of Environmental Mutagen Societies. He is the past Editor-in-Chief for the international journal Mutation Research and is a current member of Editorial Boards for four international journals. He is a past Councilor for the Council on Undergraduate Research, a former Governor for the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research, and a current member of the Executive Committee for Project Kaleidoscope. He currently is the Co-Chairperson of the National Academies Summer Institutes for Education in Biology and a National Academies Education Mentor in the Life Sciences.
Over the years he has been a program director for grants from many public (FIPSE, NIH, NSF, USEPA, WHO) and private (HHMI, Beckman Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Research Corporation, Sherman Fairchild Foundation, W.M. Keck Foundation) sectors to support education and research. During his career he has had the opportunity to work with over 120 undergraduate students in collaborative research in his laboratory and has authored more than 100 research articles, book chapters, book reviews and special reports in areas of scientific research and higher education.
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