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News

Picture captured of space with clouds of gas and dust swirling around forming stars

MSU Scientists Discover New Sources for ‘The Molecule That Made the Universe’

From helping catalyze interstellar reactions and fueling the birth of stars to its presence in neighborhood gas giants like Saturn and Jupiter, trihydrogen, or H3+, is best known as the “the molecule that made the universe.”
Close-up of a microscope focusing in on a glass slide with a small green leaf underneath

Pestka Seeking to Improve Treatments for Autoimmune Diseases

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, as many as 50 million Americans may be living with an autoimmune disorder. Many of these remain undiagnosed and, without intervention, can worsen over time. Given current treatment options, however, even those being actively managed can be met with complications.
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.
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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.
Solar Flare

Astronomer's Breakthrough Model Sheds Light on Solar Storms and Space Weather

Thomas Do, an astronomy graduate student at Michigan State University, published a paper predicting how particles accelerate under a wider net of circumstances than previous models. His model could be applied to solar storms that impact technology in space.
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MSU Connects Change in DNA to Cleft Palate Phenomenon

Cleft lip and cleft palate are some of the most common birth defects in people, affecting roughly one in every 700 babies in the world. Researchers have identified a likely culprit: a change in DNA variant near a specific gene.
Announcements
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.
Choti Awarded 2025-26 Walter and Pauline Adams Academy Fellowship
Jonathan Choti, Associate Professor of African Languages and Cultures in the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures at Michigan State University, has been awarded a 2025-26 Walter and Pauline Adams Academy Fellowship.
MSU Research Foundation Designates $75M to Propel Michigan State’s Vision for a Far Better World
In a bold demonstration of philanthropic leadership and long-standing commitment to Michigan State University, the MSU Research Foundation has designated $75 million over the next eight years to support the university’s comprehensive campaign, Uncommon Will, Far Better World.
Searl Awarded Fulbright to Advance Medical Speech-Language Pathology in Bulgaria
Michigan State University professor Jeff Searl, Ph.D. recently returned from a three-week Fulbright-funded trip to Bulgaria, where he played a pivotal role in developing the country's first medical speech-language pathology (SLP) master's program.
Michigan State University Ranked Among the Top 100 U.S. Universities for Utility Patents in 2024 by the National Academy of Inventors
The Top 100 U.S. Universities List is an annual ranking created to highlight and celebrate U.S. universities that play a large role in advancing innovation and invention in the United States.