In 1965, a group of Michigan State University researchers accidentally discovered a new cancer-fighting drug: cisplatin. Since then, cisplatin has become the industry standard for cancer-fighting chemotherapy treatments.

As announced today, MSU will receive a 2025 Golden Goose Award for the scientific success and global impact of cisplatin. The Golden Goose Award is meant to highlight the practical value of curiosity-driven research. The idea is that fundamental research can lead to unexpected, but profound, societal benefits.

The Golden Goose award committee is housed within the American Association for the Advancement of Science and includes organizations like the Association of American Universities as well as previous winners.

The award will be presented to MSU on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. During the award ceremony, members of both parties of the U.S. Congress will speak about the importance of the award and the federal funding of scientific research.

“We are thrilled to have this important discovery by Barney Rosenberg honored, but what is truly significant are the countless lives saved by Cisplatin,” said Doug Gage, vice president for MSU Research and Innovation. “This is a stellar example of how fundamental research can have unexpected, profound impact in a completely different domain. The combination of curiosity driven research and applied research toward a specific outcome has been at the heart of the nation’s international leadership in science and technology. Strong federal support of both basic and applied research is essential for our continued dominance.”

In addition to cisplatin, another research group — one that was led by the late Joseph Gall at Carnegie Science — will be honored with a Golden Goose Award. Gall is often referred to as the father of modern cell biology for his contributions to our understanding of chromosomes and the cellular nucleus.