Shared Research Resources

A Strategic Roadmap for MSU's Research Ecosystem

After an extensive two-year initiative involving over 180 community members, MSU has developed a comprehensive blueprint to transform our shared research resources (SRR) ecosystem. This collaborative effort, led by Senior Fellows for Research Infrastructure, under the direction of Associate Vice President for Research Kay Connelly, establishes a clear vision for coordinated, sustainable, and world-class research infrastructure that will drive discovery and innovation for decades to come.

View the full SRR Blueprint

View the SRR Blueprint Fact Sheet

Our Vision

MSU envisions a future where a coordinated and sustainable ecosystem of shared research resources, accessible equitably across disciplines and users, and built upon world-class research infrastructure and the expertise of the people who manage it, empowers faculty, students, and staff to pursue transformative research and discovery.

Research Excellence Through Shared Resources

At Michigan State University, our commitment to research excellence is supported by a robust array of shared research resources. These resources are designed to meet the diverse needs of our faculty, students, and staff, facilitating cutting-edge research within and across disciplinary boundaries.

Our shared research resources provide investigators with access to instruments, technologies, field- and lab-based facilities, cyberinfrastructure, and computing resources, as well as research collections, databases, services, and the expert personnel who oversee these resources.

Directly Advancing MSU 2030 Strategic Goals

This SRR Blueprint directly advances multiple goals of MSU 2030, positioning shared research resources as essential infrastructure for research success.

94%

Community Support for Coordination

Strategic Recommendations

140+

Community Participants

Strategic Themes

Strategic Themes for Excellence

Strategic Investment & Partnerships

Data-driven framework aligning SRR management with strategic faculty hiring and research priorities through internal grants, metrics, and external collaborations

Visibility & Accessibility

Enhanced discoverability through user-centered online portals and coordinated marketing to maximize research effectiveness across all campuses

Two MSU researchers with many containers in the foreground

People & Community Development

Strengthened professional development, community engagement, and career pathways for SRR personnel through networks and training opportunities

Organizational Excellence

Improved administrative efficiency and financial sustainability through centralized support, standardized practices, and enterprise solutions.

Research Cores: Specialized facilities that provide access to instruments, technologies, services, and expert consultation to scientific and clinical researchers
Computing and Data Science Tools: Critical resources for managing, analyzing, and storing data.
Research Services: Specialized services required for some modes of research
Research Collections: A range of collections of items that are preserved, catalogued, and managed for the purpose of scholarly study
Research Field Stations: Unique outdoor facilities that serve as living laboratories in both natural and agricultural settings
User Facilities: Federally sponsored research facilities
Other Technologies and Instrumentation: Additional state-of-the-art technologies or instrumentation

Research Cores

Research Technology Support Facility (RTSF)

The RTSF is a collection of core facilities that provide the fundamental tools for modern life science research, including Genomics, Mass Spectrometry and Metabolomics, Proteomics, IVIS Imaging, Transgenics & CRISPR, Cryo-EM, Flow Cytometry, Bioinformatics.

Elemental Health Institute (EHI)

The EHI is composed of Quantitative Bio Element Analysis and Mapping (QBEAM) and Quantitative Elemental Mapping for the Life Sciences (QE-Map), and serves as an interdisciplinary center focused on elemental mapping and analysis that creates transformative approaches to answer biological questions about the functions of metals and other essential elements in health and disease.

Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering Core Facilities (IQ)

The IQ Core Facilities provide investigators with advanced technologies for Advanced Molecular Imaging, Flow Cytometry, 3D Printing, Microscopy, Transgenic and Genome Editing.

Pharmacology and Toxicology Comprehensive Research Cores

At all corners of MSU, Pharmacology and Toxicology facilities assist researchers, offer development expertise and provide essential models and other services, such as Assay Development and Drug Repurposing, Medicinal Chemistry, High-Frequency Ultrasound, Flow Cytometry, and small-scale prototyping.

Radiology Imaging Facilities

The Radiology Imaging Facilities provide a suite of whole-body high-resolution imaging equipment, such as GE Signa HDX 3.0T MRI, Bruker 7.0T Animal Preclinical MRI, Bruker 9.4T, and an eXplore Locus Micro CT Scanner.

Center for Advanced Microscopy (CAM)

The Center is a central microscopy laboratory for the MSU and provides MSU researchers with formal graduate level instruction and 24/7 access to scanning electron microscopes, transmission electron microscopes, laser capture microscopes, and confocal laser scanning microscopes.

Light Stable Isotope Core Facility

The MSU light stable isotope core facility provides the needed instrumentation, supporting capabilities, and staff expertise to assist experimental design, provide analytical measurements, and contribute to data interpretation of research questions using stable isotopes.

Biomedical Research Informatics Core (BRIC)

The BRIC teams assist researchers across the different colleges with facilitating their study data needs including capture, quality, reporting, and sharing.

Clinical Research Support Core (CRSC)

The CRSC teams assist researchers across the different colleges with development, implementation, management, and completion of clinical research studies.

Translational Research Support Facility (TRSF)

CTSI has established the Translational Research Support Facility (TRSF) to provide infrastructure and support services for MSU researchers involved in all types of human studies.

Computing and Data Science Resources

Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research (ICER)

Provides the cyberinfrastructure for researchers from across academia and industry to perform their computational research. ICER supports multidisciplinary research in all facets of computational sciences.

Center for Statistical Training and Consulting (CSTAT)

The Center for Statistical Training and Consulting is a professional service and research unit that collaborates on research projects and provides statistical support and services to MSU affiliated faculty, staff, and graduate students, and off-campus clients.

Bioinformatics Core

The Bioinformatics Core brings together expertise from across MSU to support research through advanced omics data analysis, grant proposal assistance, and tailored training for researchers at all career stages.