Cornerstone University Announces Dr. Nathan Lanning as Dean of the School of Health, Science & Technology
Cornerstone University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Nathan Lanning as the new dean of the School of Health, Science & Technology, bringing decades of respected scientific research, academic leadership, teaching, publishing, mentoring, and Christ-centered commitment to this pivotal role.
On July 29, Dr. Lanning joined Cornerstone, after an extensive national search, at a time of growing opportunity in science and health care amid significant cultural, ethical, and technological shifts. Dr. Lanning is a cellular and molecular biologist with deep expertise in mitochondrial systems biology, cancer cell metabolism, and cell signaling. As part of the university’s Cornerstone Advantage™ — a distinctive approach to preparing graduates with moral clarity, market-aligned skills, and a compelling and sophisticated Christian worldview — his leadership will help shape future scientists, health care and technology professionals to develop solutions to challenges grounded in Biblical truth and wisdom.
“Cornerstone University is delighted to welcome Dr. Lanning,” said Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, president of Cornerstone University. “His distinguished scientific background and leadership will strengthen and expand how we advance our mission of preparing influencers in the world for Jesus Christ. We look forward to how Dr. Lanning will help to extend Cornerstone’s reach to prepare students with a vibrant Christian worldview of science that is foundational, not an add-on. Under his guidance, we will develop innovative and world-class on campus and online programs that promote human dignity, advance human flourishing, and equip the next generation for faithful stewardship in a changing world.”
As dean, Dr. Lanning will serve as the school’s chief spiritual, academic, and administrative leader, embodying Cornerstone’s mission to advance academic excellence through Cornerstone’s Christian worldview integration, developing superb, market-ready programs, and expanding excellence in teaching and student mentoring. A key priority will be the launch of new online undergraduate, graduate, and post-baccalaureate programs, enabling Cornerstone’s reach to extend nationally and globally. With a focus on sustained innovation and impact, Dr. Lanning will lead efforts to achieve significant enrollment growth, positioning Cornerstone’s School of Health, Science & Technology as the Destination of Choice for Christian education in science and health fields.
“I’m excited to join Cornerstone University and fully affirm that the Christian worldview isn’t something added onto the sciences — it’s foundational because it is true,” said Dr. Lanning. “It shapes how we understand reality, truth, goodness, and beauty through the Biblical lens of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. These truths of Scripture inspire both students and faculty to pursue scientific excellence as an act of worship — loving God with their minds, applying Biblical truth to discovery, and preparing to serve faithfully in health and science careers with integrity, excellence, and purpose.”
Dr. Lanning holds a Doctor of Philosophy in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan and completed a prestigious NIH postdoctoral fellowship at the Van Andel Institute. He earned his Bachelor of Science in biology with an emphasis in genetics and cellular & molecular biology at Grand Valley State University.
He has recently served as a senior research scientist at the Van Andel Institute, studying Wnt signaling and rare childhood diseases. He has held academic appointments as associate professor and faculty fellow at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine and served as principal investigator at California State University, Los Angeles, where he led federally funded research in mitochondrial signaling and disease. He has lectured at Grand Valley State, Van Andel Institute Graduate School and Grand Rapids Community College.
In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Lanning has served as a teaching mentor, program coordinator, and academic leader at UCLA and CSU Los Angeles, where he advanced initiatives in faculty development, educational effectiveness, and curriculum assessment. He is a member of the American Society for Cell Biology and an editorial board member of the journals Biology and Frontiers in Oncology.
