Dr. James M. Gentile, an internationally respected leader in science education who served at Hope for 30 years, passed away at the age of 79 on Jan. 9, 2026, in Zeeland, Mich.
Gentile started at Hope in 1976, when he joined the biology faculty. He was promoted to associate professor in 1982 and was appointed the Kenneth G. Herrick Professor of Biology in 1984. Among other service to Hope, he chaired the department of biology from 1986 until being appointed dean of the Natural and Applied Sciences in 1988, and served in that role until 2005. At that time, he temporarily left Hope for Tucson, Ariz., to become president of Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) and served in that leadership role until returning to Hope in 2013 as a dean in the same department he left. He retired from Hope in 2015.
His research programs focused on plant activation of environmental carcinogens and on the connection between inflammation and cancer. He was program director for numerous grants from the public and private sectors to support his own research as well as institutional education and research.
Dr. Gentile worked with over 125 undergraduate students in collaborative research in his laboratory and authored and co-authored more than 150 research articles, book chapters, book reviews, Huffington Post blogs and special reports in areas of scientific research and higher education. Across his career, his research and education work were recognized with several awards: The Alexander Hollaender Research Excellence Award from the Environmental Mutagen Society; the Cancer Medallion of the Japanese National Cancer Institute; and the Science Medal of Distinction of Pisa, Italy. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a National Associate of the National Academies of Sciences, and a National Academies education mentor. He was also honored by Illinois State University with an Alumni Achievement Award and election to the university Hall of Fame, and was given a Special Achievement Award by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
(Read more about Dr. Gentile鈥檚 work history here).
Dr. Gentile is survived by his wife, Glenda; son, Michael, and Michael's wife, Tricia; along with their two daughters Makayla and Isabella; and his sister Geraldine Wagner. He also had many nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his father, Michael A. Gentile, and mother, Theresa Russo-Jeras.
A mass in Dr. Gentile's honor will take place at 11 a.m., Sat., Jan. 17, 2026, at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, located at 480 152nd Avenue in . A visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. A celebration of life will be held at 91自拍论坛 sometime this spring.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to "Gentile Interdisciplinary Lectures" at 91自拍论坛.
Arrangements are by the Dykstra Funeral Home-Northwood Chapel and the full obituary is found .