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News

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Johnson Receives $500K Grant to Study Tree Species Suited to Future Michigan Climates

Jeremy Johnson has received a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to explore assisted tree migration as a way to protect the future productivity of Michigan forests.
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Study Links Problematic Social Media Use to Belief in Fake News

A first-of-its-kind study from researchers at Michigan State University reveals that individuals who experience the most distress and impairment in daily functioning from social media use are more likely to believe fake news.
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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.
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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.
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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.
The MSU Music Building

MSU Jazz Professor Awarded Prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship

Michael Dease, professor of jazz trombone in the Michigan State University College of Music, has been named a Guggenheim Fellow in the 100th anniversary class of the prestigious fellowship.
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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.
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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.

Twisting tree branches on MSU campus with lawn and brick building behind

2025 MSU Innovation of the Year: Sit Sense

Pressure sores, also known as bedsores, form when individuals remain in the same position for extended periods without movement. Tamara Bush, professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean for inclusion and diversity at Michigan State University, and Justin Scott, biomechanics research associate, have developed a breakthrough solution to help address this widespread issue.
Announcements
McCusker Receives Royal Society of Chemistry Prize
James K. McCusker, a University Research Foundation Professor in the College of Natural Science, has been awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry’s prestigious Mond-Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry.
Jain Awarded BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
Anil Jain, University Distinguished Professor at MSU, has received the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, alongside Michael I. Jordan of UC Berkeley, for their foundational work in machine learning and its broad societal impact.
10 MSU Faculty Members Earn University Distinguished Professor Designation
Ten Michigan State University faculty have been named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their outstanding achievements in teaching, research and public service.
Woodruff Receives Highest Award From Society for the Study of Reproduction
Michigan State University Research Foundation Professor Teresa K. Woodruff is the 2025 recipient of the Carl G. Hartman Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction. Woodruff, an internationally recognized expert in ovarian biology and reproductive science, will receive the award in Washington, D.C. at the society’s annual meeting in late July.
Bringing the Heat: Researchers Convene to Discuss the Impacts of Extreme Heat
Researchers convened on May 14, 2025, at the Wharton Center for the interdisciplinary research forum Heat Stress: Challenges to Human and Animal Health, on the impacts of heat stressors on people, plants, and animals.
Henderson Receives National Press Photographers Association Educator of the Year Award
Jarrad Henderson, artist in residence at MSU’s School of Journalism, was recently presented the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Educator of the Year Award for his outstanding work as a visual journalism educator.