MSU Research Foundation | Office of Research and Innovation

Michigan State University Research Foundation with spartan helmet

The MSU Research Foundation pushes the boundaries of research and discovery by reinvesting over $10 million annually back into the brightest minds at MSU. The Foundation bridges the gap between intellectual property and startup venture, leading the way in early-stage investments throughout Michigan, crafting an ecosystem for high-tech, high-growth startup businesses and collaborators to thrive.

Formed in 1973, the MSU Research Foundation is an independent foundation chartered to promote, encourage, and aid scientific investigation and research at the university; assist with patent matters and perform trust functions for the university’s fundraising organization.

MSURF partners with the Office of Research and Innovation and generously supports several programs including those outlined below. Learn more about how the MSU Research Foundation supports the university, venture creation, and economic development.

MSU Research Foundation Website

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Internal Grants

MSU offers several programs for research development across disciplines including the arts and humanities.

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Shared Research Infrastructure

Support for shared research resources advance MSU's cutting-edge research priorities and equip university researchers with the needed tools for discovery.

Tetrad

Designed to foster new cross-unit and cross-college collaborations among faculty who have not worked together before.

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Grant Development Workshops

Tailored services and development workshops to help MSU researchers successfully compete for external funding for their research and creative pursuits.

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MSURF Professorships

A title awarded to outstanding faculty who combine externally recognized, exemplary scholarly accomplishments with clear professional relevance to specific areas of MSU scholarly need, disciplinary development, or research or creative emphasis.

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Plant Science Excellence

Investing in continued excellence and leadership in the plant sciences at MSU.

News

NIH Awards Multi-University Team Over $4M to Improve Women’s Health

Sep 15, 2026

A $4.6 million NIH award is supporting an MSU-led research team working to improve women’s health through advanced computer models that account for hormonal changes across the lifespan.

Henry Ford + MSU Innovation Fund Announces First Investments

Jul 30, 2026

The Henry Ford + MSU Innovation Fund has made its first investments, supporting two early-stage companies developing technologies to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient care.

Research Foundation Announces New Rosenberg Center Headquarters

Jun 16, 2026

The MSU Research Foundation is investing $20 million in the new Rosenberg Center, a campus hub that will bring together startups, researchers, investors and industry partners to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship.

Frank Honored for Advances in Sociological Methods

Jun 15, 2026

MSU Research Foundation Distinguished Professor Kenneth Frank received the American Sociological Association’s Paul F. Lazarsfeld Award for pioneering contributions to sociological research methods.

MSURF Sponsored Research

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Automation Alley: Xiaobo Tan Finding Creative Uses for Soft Robots

What if a soft robot like Baymax in the Disney animated film Big Hero 6 were real? Xiaobo Tan, MSU Foundation Professor and Richard M. Hong Endowed Chair, and his team are working to bring that science fiction to life by designing robots made of soft materials that are safer for both human interaction and delicate objects.

Basso Lab Featured in New York Times

At Sandborn Farms in Portland, Michigan, a drone recently swept low over cornfields, delivering fertilizer only where data showed it was needed most. This careful approach not only saves money and boosts yields but also helps protect air, water, and soil by avoiding unnecessary fertilizer use.

MSU Team Develops Scalable Climate Solutions for Agricultural Carbon Markets

New research from MSU, led by agricultural systems scientist Bruno Basso, tackles a key flaw in agricultural carbon markets: inaccurate “baselines” used to measure climate benefits, which can distort carbon credit calculations and undermine market trust.

Dr. Maryam Goudarzi speaks with Doug Gage in a meeting

Critical Mass: Core Upgrades Pave Way for Spartan Science

A revamped facility space, installation of advanced instruments, and the vision of a new director are providing Spartan scientists with the tools they need to achieve cutting-edge science at MSU’s Mass Spectrometry and Metabolomics Core.

A photo collage of three professors recently elected to the national Academy of Sciences

MSU Faculty Elected to the National Academy of Sciences

Three Michigan State University faculty members have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for 2025. Christoph Benning, Jianguo "Jack" Liu and Philip Robertson are among the 120 members and 30 international members being recognized for their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Spartan Researchers Make Every Drop Count

College of Natural Science Assistant Professor Anthony Kendall and College of Engineering Associate Professor Annick Anctil are part of an interdisciplinary team. Together, with Kansas Geological Survey and Kansas State University, they created a system to increase groundwater and preserve aquifers by harnessing the power of solar panel arrays.