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News

Monarch butterfly landing on a red flower in nature

MSU Brings New Approach to Stopping the Biodiversity Crisis

What if saving one animal species from extinction at a time isn’t the most effective approach? Michael Belitz, a Michigan State University postdoctoral researcher in the Zipkin Quantitative Ecology Lab, asked himself that question during his graduate work protecting a single butterfly species.
Art of semi-transparent human body with highlighted stomach surrounded by helixes and molecules

More Than a Gut Feeling: How Climate Change Affects GI Health

From heat-related illnesses to the geographic expansion of infectious diseases, the effects of climate change on human health are complex. And indeed, dimensions of this interaction, such as the impact of climate change on gut health, remain overlooked. Emerging research shows this global phenomenon may make you sick to your stomach — literally.
Michigan State University, a pioneer land grant college

MSU Reports $932 Million in Research Expenditures

Michigan State University reported a new record of $932 million in research and development expenditures for the fiscal year 2024, maintaining a positive trajectory with cumulative 30% growth over the past three years.
Icons circling around each other (Spotify, Discord, TikTok, Netflix, Twitter)

Social Media Bridges Connection Gaps for Students with Disabilities

New research from the Michigan State University College of Education shows how social media provides connection and community for college students, particularly those with disabilities. The study examines the nature of students’ social media use and its relationship to social capital and psychological well-being.

Packages in a single file line scattered on a conveyer belt

New Research Finds That Certain Packaging Materials Can Show 70% Lower Emissions Than Alternatives

A comprehensive assessment by researchers, including Rafael Auras from Michigan State University, sought to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of replacing polyethylene, or PE, packaging like bags, films and containers with alternative materials, including paper, glass, aluminum and steel.
Photograph of Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building with Text Above Titled "Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences"

Pancreatic Cancer: Shifting the Outlook from Bleak to Bright

Henry Ford + MSU pancreatic cancer researchers are focused on genetic indicators that play a crucial role in the ways cells communicate through the exchange of chemical signals.
A photo of a scientist holding liquid nano foam inside a plastic pouch

Liquid Foam Innovation Designed To Protect the Brain Now Tested on Internal Organs

Researchers at Michigan State University have refined an innovation that has the potential to improve safety, reduce severe injury and increase survival rates in situations ranging from car accidents, sports, law enforcement operations and more.
Equations on a Blackboard

How Race, Socioeconomic Status Contribute to Math Education Inequalities 

There is a long-documented problem of inequalities in mathematics education across the United States and in other countries around the world. Previous research suggests socioeconomic status, or SES, and race play a role — but to what extent and how? Research from Michigan State University scholars answers these questions.
Announcements
The Jenison Fund: Expanding Support Across MSU’s Research Community
The Jenison Fund’s latest round of awards underscores the breadth and impact of research at MSU.
OR&I Town Hall Outlines Ambitious Vision for Growth, Collaboration, and Research Impact at MSU
The event brought together OR&I staff and partners to discuss priorities for growth, highlight emerging opportunities, and reinforce the role research plays in improving lives in Michigan and beyond.
Newly Renovated $35M Plant Science Research Greenhouses Open
Michigan State University leadership hosted more than 100 stakeholders and friends of the university on May 14 to celebrate the opening of the newly renovated  MSU Plant Science Research Greenhouse Complex.  
Shipley Named 2026 Guggenheim Fellow
MSU photography faculty member Lara Shipley has been named a Guggenheim Fellow for the 2026 cohort. She will use her Fellowship to help finance an art project on wolves in Minnesota.
O’Halloran Named Member of American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Thomas O’Halloran is among the 252 newest members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, joining a historic group that includes figures like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.
Spartan Researchers Convene for One Health Research Workshops
Faculty voices are helping shape the future of One Health Research at MSU, where interconnected health challenges meet collaborative, real-world solutions.