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News

MSU's Agriculture Hall building

Writing Architect: Bridging Research and Classroom Practice to Strengthen Student Writing

A new tool from MSU researchers is giving teachers practical support to strengthen student writing by showing exactly where young writers need help and how to guide them.
A person watches video feeds of toy filled playrooms on a computer screen

Inside the Castle: Studying Social Motivation in Young Children With Autism

“The beauty of science is the more questions you ask, the more answers you get,” says Barbara Thompson, who studies social motivation in young children with autism. Kids play in a castle lab while researchers observe how they respond to connection.
A person filling a glass with water under a faucet

MSU Researchers Compare PFAS Exposure in Men And Women

PFAS encompass thousands of man-made chemicals found in everyday items such as nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, grease-resistant food wrappers and water-resistant clothing. The chemicals can stay in the bloodstream years after intervention has occurred, the study found. However, for those in the low-exposure group, men had a higher chance of retaining the PFAS in their blood long term.
Twisting tree branches on MSU campus with lawn and brick building behind

The Fish Doctors: Improving Aquatic Health Through Collaboration and Research

Fish producers have sought Kebus and Loch’s help in combatting one of the top diseases affecting salmon and trout—bacterial cold-water disease. Loch and his lab team have been working to develop a vaccine to combat this disease.
A grassland witha  blue sky in the background

New Research Examines Biodiversity Factors of Grasslands

Researchers from Michigan State University's Brudvig Restoration Ecology lab are working to solve a longstanding question in community ecology: How do regional and local factors jointly determine biodiversity?
Joe Hefner pointing at a wall display of human bone x-rays

MSU to Create First-of-Its-Kind Database for Analyzing Human Remains

Michigan State University is leading the effort to create a computer program that produces a holistic biological profile of human remains and makes the investigative process clearer and more efficient. The project called MOSAIC is funded through a $2.1 million grant from the National Institute of Justice.

A person holding a glass of water

New Study of PFAS Forever Chemicals Highlights Need to Reduce Contamination in Drinking Water

A new study involving researchers from Michigan State University has revealed concerning findings on the long-term impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, exposure in communities affected by industrial contamination in drinking water sourced near an abandoned paper mill landfill.
A dark empty lab with several lab coats hanging

The Uncertain Future of U.S. Cancer Research

Cancer research in the U.S. is backed by a complex system of interdependent funding. Partners rely heavily on each other and, when one struggles, the entire system suffers. Here, Jeffrey MacKeigan explains how cancer research funding works and what happens if there are cuts to those budgets.

Announcements
MSU Scientist Jason Rowntree Recognized for Sustainable Agriculture Research, Leadership
Jason Rowntree received NCR-SARE's Hero Recognition for his long-term leadership and contributions to sustainable agriculture across the North Central region.
12 MSU Scholars, Students Named Fulbright Finalists
The Fulbright Program has selected five Michigan State University faculty members and seven students as finalists for the 2026–27 academic year.
Seed Grants Nurture New Directions and Collaborations Campus Wide
MSU’s Ecology, Evolution and Behavior program awarded seed grants to 12 interdisciplinary research teams, providing early funding to help launch innovative projects and secure future external research support across fields ranging from AI to conservation and public health.
MSU AgBioResearch Funds Three Projects to Advance Health, Food Systems and Community Well-Being
MSU AgBioResearch has selected three projects to fund through the Growing Healthy Together Initiative, a program designed to solve complex health challenges through transdisciplinary research.
Ren and Shipley Named Guggenheim Fellows
Two MSU professors have been named 2026 Guggenheim Fellows: Xuefei Ren, a professor of sociology in the College of Social Science, and Lara Shipley, assistant professor of photography in the College of Arts and Letters’ Department of Art, Art History and Design.

Michigan State University Advances One Health Research at Summit
This faculty-based initiative brought together more than 600 researchers to shape interdisciplinary pathways and position MSU as a national leader in One Health.