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News

Thu Dong in research lab

Discovery May Transform What Time of Day Doctors Induce Labor

In a discovery that could shift labor and delivery practices around the world, researchers at Michigan State University have found that the effectiveness of oxytocin — a common medication used to induce or speed up labor — depends on the time of day it’s administered, especially for patients with gestational diabetes.
Hand under lie detector

Can AI Tell When Someone’s Lying? Recent Study Says Not Yet

Can an AI persona detect when a human is lying – and should we trust it if it can? Artificial intelligence, or AI, has had many recent advances and continues to evolve in scope and capability. A new Michigan State University–led study is diving deeper into how well AI can understand humans by using it to detect human deception.
MSU timeline

7 Long-Term MSU Projects Shape How We See the World

At Michigan State University, some discoveries take decades — even centuries — to unfold. The university’s roster of long-term projects and experiments range from buried seeds that have sprouted nearly a century and a half later to a decades-old twin registry that is helping researchers make new discoveries about health and psychology. Spartan researchers are committed to examining a wide range of topics that help us better understand the world.
Person sorting through groceries

Food Insecurity Linked to Nerve Damage

The nerves in our hands and feet allow us to sense touch, pressure, temperature, vibration and pain. If anything interferes with nerve function, we can have trouble with daily tasks like holding objects and even walking. Some people are at higher risk for nerve damage in their extremities. Why? New research from Michigan State University reveals that race/ethnicity and food insecurity are two key factors associated with peripheral neuropathy.
David MacFarlane with team in forest

Exploring Climate-Smart Forestry Across Continents

David MacFarlane, a professor of measurements and modeling in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University, recently completed a six-month sabbatical that took him from the mangrove coasts of Mexico to the alpine forests of Italy. His journey was part of a Fulbright Global Scholar Award aimed at advancing an emerging global approach to forest management known as climate-smart forestry.
Little girl doing work in a classroom

$10M Grant Will Advance Science Education in the Rural South

CREATE’s research and partnerships reveal that science instruction—especially in lower grades and low-income schools—often receives less attention, widening the achievement gap between these and more affluent communities. To address this, Michigan State University scholars are expanding their innovative Collaborate Science (ColSci) curriculum to strengthen science and literacy learning and spark student engagement.
Juliet Hess

Championing Epistemic Justice in Music Education

Juliet Hess has long been a voice for equity and inclusion in the classroom. Now, the professor of music education at the Michigan State University College of Music is set to publish her latest book which presents practical ways to honor and embolden knowers across a range of minoritized student populations.
A flowchart of the STANCE model

Researchers Highlight Technological Improvements in Identifying Gene Traits

Two papers by Michigan State University researchers in spatial transcriptomics were recently published in Nature Communications. The technology presented has the potential to make an impact in cancer treatments, as genetic information about the environment surrounding tumors can make an impact on a patient’s immune response.
Announcements
FRIB Inaugurates K500 Chip Testing Facility
The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams or FRIB at Michigan State University today marked the inauguration of the K500 Chip Testing Facility or KSEE, expanding U.S. capacity for radiation effects testing of advanced microelectronics used in spaceflight, defense, wireless communications, and autonomous systems.
Jin Selected for National Early Career Energy Innovation Program
MSU researcher Bill Jin has been selected for a national ARPA-E Early Career program, earning $500,000 to develop ultra-flexible, self-healing concrete for extreme energy environments. His innovation aims to strengthen critical infrastructure and improve energy reliability.
The Jenison Fund: Supporting MSU’s Research Momentum
The Jenison Fund helps researchers sustain momentum amid changes in federal funding. The second round of funding for this three-year initiative has recently been awarded.
Hanna Named to TIME100 Health List
Mona Hanna of MSU’s College of Human Medicine has been named to the 2026 TIME100 Health list. She is recognized for founding Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program.
Mahmoudi Receives National AAAS Award
Michigan State University Professor Morteza Mahmoudi has been named the recipient of the 2026 Award for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS.
Klump Honored With National Beckman Mentoring Award
MSU Foundation professor and clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychology Kelly Klump was awarded the prestigious 2025 Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Award, a national award that recognizes academic faculty members who have inspired their former students to make a significant contribution to society.