Office of Research and Innovation Leadership Team

Douglas A. Gage, Ph.D.
Vice President
Administrative Support: Jamie Flanagan, for appointments please email vprappts@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: gage@msu.edu
All contacts: Office of Research and Innovation
Doug Gage currently serves as the Vice President for Research and Innovation, where he oversees strategic initiatives and support for the university’s research enterprise and $759 million in annual research expenditures. He is also a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The Office of Research and Innovation supports MSU’s research and creative activity by administering research funding, ensuring research integrity for both faculty and students, providing grant support services, fostering collaboration, technology transfer and commercialization, and overseeing regulatory compliance.
Trained as a plant biochemist and a researcher for more than 30 years, Dr. Gage’s research focused on analytical biochemistry and the metabolic engineering of plant biochemical pathways. Mid-career, he leveraged this expertise to serve as the senior director leading the Discovery biomarker effort at Pfizer Global Research and Development in Ann Arbor for six years before rejoining MSU. Today, he remains active with the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Hub, and the Board of the Corewell (Spectrum Health)-MSU Research Alliance.
Gage's additional leadership roles include serving as co-chair of the research implementation work group of the MSU Strategic Plan 2030, and as research chair for the new partnership with Henry Ford Health. He also sits on the board of the MSU Research Foundation, the Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR) in Cerro Pachón, Chile, and several MSU governance groups including the executive space committee and the Century Bond steering committee.
Along with fostering collaboration, excellence and integrity in research, he continues to lead the Global Impact Initiative at MSU, an aggressive plan to recruit more than 100 faculty researchers in exciting new areas including advanced physical science, precision health, plant resilience, autonomous vehicles, and more.

John Albrecht, Ph.D.
Executive Director - University Research Organization
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: uro@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | |
---|---|---|
University Research Organization | John Albrecht | uro@msu.edu |

Douglas Buhler, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Food, Environment, and International Programs
Administrative Support: Katheryn Way, for appointments please email vprappts@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: buhler@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Interdisciplinary research related to food, environment and international projects | Douglas Buhler | 517-355-0306 |
Global Impact Initiative | Douglas Buhler | 517-355-0306 |
PI Waivers and F&A Cost Exception Requests | Douglas Buhler | 517-355-0306 |

Honglei Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Academic Leadership Fellow 2023-2024
Phone: 517-353-8623
Email: chenho19@msu.edu

Kay Connelly, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation
Administrative Support: Katheryn Way, for appointments please email vprappts@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: conne166@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Centers and Institutes Administration | Kay Connelly | 517-355-0306 |
Grant Proposal Services | Angie Kankula | 517-355-0306 |
Institutionally Limited Proposals | Melissa Buell | 517-432-3773 |

Charles "Lee" Cox, Ph.D.
Research Integrity Officer
The Research Integrity Officer reports directly to the President with secondary responsibility to the Vice President for Research and Innovation.
Phone: 517-432-6698
Email: RIO@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Research Integrity Officer | Charles "Lee" Cox | 517-432-6698 |
Research Integrity Officer | Paula Jackson | 517-355-0306 |

Brooke Gallagher-Rademacher
Budget Officer & Office Manager
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: galla106@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Finance Operations Bioeconomy Institute, ICER, and MSU St. Andrews | Leslie Genest | 517-355-0306 |
Internal Grants Programs Accounting | Melissa Buell | 517-355-0306 |
MAU Human Resource Manager | Heather Bedevia | 517-355-0306 |
Research Administrator, University Research Organization URO | Jennifer Schmaltz | 517-355-0306 |
Research and Innovation Finance | Cheryl Chapman | 517-355-0306 |

Charles A. Hasemann, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Innovation and Economic Development
Administrative Support: Marta Sinclair, for appointments please email palmer91@msu.edu
Phone: 517-884-2370
Email: haseman1@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
MSU Innovation Center | Charles A. Hasemann | 517-884-2373 |
MSU Business Connect | Charles A. Hasemann | 517-884-2373 |
MSU Technologies | Anne DiSante | 517-884-1826 |
Axia Institute - Midland | John Hatfield | 989-423-2046 |
Internal Funding Programs | Melissa Buell | 517-432-3773 |
MSU Bioeconomy Institute - Lansing & Holland | Doug Heemstra | 616-395-8958 |
MSU St. Andrews - Midland | Charles A. Hasemann | 517-884-2373 |

J.R. Haywood, Ph.D.
Assistant Vice President - Office of Research and Innovation
Administrative Support: Jamie Flanagan, for appointments please email vprappts@msu.edu
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: haywoo12@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Henry Ford Health System Research Affiliation | 517-355-0306 |

Melanie Kauffman, MBA
Senior Communications Manager
Phone: 517-884-0099
Email: kauffm59@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Events and Special Projects Coordination, Event Accessibility | Tanya Bakija | 517-355-0306 |
Website Content, Web Accessibility, and Electronic Communications | Erik Heckel | 517-355-0306 |

Laura McCabe, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President for Research Regulatory Support
Administrative Support: Sherry Wassner
Phone: 517-432-4500
Email: mccabel@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Office of Research Regulatory Support (ORRS) | Laura McCabe | 517-432-4500 |
Campus Animal Resources (CAR) | Danielle Ferguson | 517-353-5064 |
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) | Kevin Eisenbeis | 517-432-5275 |
Export Control & Trade Sanctions | Krista Campeau | 517-432-4499 |
Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) | Kristen Koritnik | 517-432-5275 |
Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) | Sandy Wilkins | 517-432-8103 |

Twila Reighley, MBA
Associate Vice President for Sponsored Programs
The Associate Vice President for Sponsored Programs Administration reports to both the Vice President for Research and Innovation and the Vice President for Finance and Treasurer.
Administrative Support: Raeann Hagen-Davis
Phone: 517-884-4367
Email: reighley@msu.edu
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Sponsored Programs Administration | Twila Reighley | 517-884-4367 |
Office of Sponsored Programs (Preaward) | Katherine Cook | 517-884-4237 |
Contract & Grant Administration (Postaward) | Evonne Pedawi | 517-884-4234 |
Irving Vega, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Translational Neuroscience
Academic Leadership Fellow 2022-2023
Phone: 517-355-0306
Email: vegaie@msu.edu
Contacts for ORI Centers, Institutes, Labs, and Facilities
Unit | Primary Contact | Phone Number |
---|---|---|
Center for Statistical Training and Consulting (CSTAT) | Marianne Huebner | 517-353-9288 |
Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research (ICER) | Brian O'Shea | 517-884-5638 |
Research Technology Support Facility (RTSF) | Bill Henry | 517-353-3980 |
View the full list of Centers and Institutes.
Find a contact in the Office of Research and Innovation.