Arthur Branstrom

Alumni

The Bay College Alumni Association is proud to announce Gladstone native Arthur Branstrom as Bay College’s 2015 Distinguished Alumni of the Year. Art was acknowledged at Bay College’s Awards Dinner held on April 28, 2015.

After graduating high school, Art received an Associate degree in Applied Science from Bay College in 1981. He continued his education at Northern Michigan University, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor in Science degree in Biochemistry. After graduating from NMU, Art attended Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, receiving a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. Post-doctoral studies in the field of infectious diseases took place at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington, DC.

While attending Bay College, Art served on the Student Government Council and actively participated in working with staff to implement policies that benefited students. The motivating instructors in the science division sparked his interest in science that still burns today. As Art stated, “After thirty five years, the instructors who still come to mind for laying down the foundation for my career in science are Mr. Ziemba, Mr. Leinberger, and Mr. Haeusler.”

To pursue job opportunities, Art relocated from Michigan to the states of Ohio, Maryland and lastly New Jersey, where he currently resides. His career efforts over the past twenty-five years have been focused in the area of infectious diseases, both in vaccine development and small molecule drug discovery. Currently, Art is Vice President, Biology, at PTC Therapeutics, Inc., an innovative biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics.

Art married the former Mary Gaudette from Rock in 1985. Even though their three children were raised outside of Michigan, they consider the UP home. Art and Mary own property on Stonington Peninsula, where they enjoy spending vacation time and visiting family and friends.