NIH awards multi-university team over $4M to improve women’s health

Originally published on MSU Today Backed by a new $4.6 million award from the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, Michigan State University researchers are launching a novel project to transform how medications are developed and prescribed for women. This is the first installment of an award worth up to $12.8 million over three years. …

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Heart valve replacement research donation made in deceased UP farmer’s name

Our Institute’s Dr. Christopher Contag was interviewed earlier this week regarding a donation received for Heart Valve research. See link below to view the story! https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/2026/08/24/heart-valve-replacement-research-donation-made-deceased-up-farmers-name/

MSU researchers discover how the skin rebuilds its immune barrier after injury

Park Lab reveals how Langerhans cells from different origins work together to restore the skin’s defenses The skin is our first line of defense against the outside world. Its outermost layer, the epidermis, acts as both a physical shield and a home for immune cells that constantly watch for injury and infection. When the skin …

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MSU research provides new insights into rare pediatric lung disease

Originally published on College of Human Medicine’s website Why this matters: For families of children with rare diseases, the search for answers can be lonely, desperate and frustrating. Such is the case with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Defined as high blood pressure in the lungs, PH forces the heart to work too hard. It has many …

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Debajit Saha featured on WILX

Click link here to see IQ’s Debajit Saha featured on WILX.

Shampoo-like gel could help chemo patients keep their hair

Originally published by MSU Today Cancer fighters know that losing their hair is often part of the battle, but Michigan State University researchers have developed a shampoo-like gel that has been studied in animal models and could protect hair from falling out during chemotherapy treatment. Baldness from chemotherapy-induced alopecia causes personal, social and professional anxiety …

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Gordon Research Conference provides an exceptional opportunity to bring people together

Originally published on The Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology’s website Michigan State University Associate Professor Dr. Kari Sant has attended the biennial Gordon Research Conference (GRC) since 2011, when she was a first-year doctoral student. For her, it has always been an opportunity to learn something new, and in the research realm, that is valuable …

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PHA Names Pediatric Grant Recipients

Originally published on PHA Ripla Arora of Michigan State University and Katelyn Enzer of University of Colorado are the latest recipients of PHA’s Pediatric PH Research Grant.  Arora’s research focuses on how genetic changes affect lung development and outcomes for children with pediatric pulmonary hypertension. Her project explores how embryos interact with the uterus during …

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PHOTOS: Amid Federal Funding Cuts & Uncertainty, Senator Peters Visits MSU Biomedical Research Institute to Highlight Importance of Federal Support for Solving Today’s Pressing Healthcare Challenges

Originally published from Gary Peters’ Newsroom During Tour, MSU Faculty & Students Demonstrated Cutting-Edge Research Made Possible by National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation Grant Funding EAST LANSING, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) visited Michigan State University (MSU) to tour the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and highlight the importance of …

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MSU College of Engineering recognizes 18 for excellence in contributions

Originally published on the College of Engineering website The Michigan State University College of Engineering recognizes 18 faculty and staff members with awards for their excellence in service and distinguished contributions. Each year, faculty and staff are nominated by their colleagues, industry peers and students for the most prestigious honors the college offers. “These awards …

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MSU Researchers Illuminate DNA Repair Dynamics with Breakthrough Imaging Techniques

East Lansing, MI — A groundbreaking study from Dr. Jens Schmidt’s lab at the Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering (IQ) at Michigan State University has shed new light on the molecular mechanics of DNA repair. Published in Nature Communications, this research unveils the first-ever real-time, single-molecule insights into the repair process of DNA …

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Michigan State University Secures $200,000 Grant to Develop Innovative Biomimetic Dressing for Chronic Wounds

The Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering (IQ) at Michigan State University (MSU) has received a $200,000 research grant through MSU’s alliance with Corewell Health to pioneer a groundbreaking approach to treating chronic, hard-to-heal wounds. The project, led by MSU’s Dr. Nureddin Ashammakhi and Corewell Health’s Dr. Drue Orwig, focuses on creating an oxygen-generating, …

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Celebrating Faculty and Staff Success

Originally published on College of Human Medicine’s webpage The College of Human Medicine recognizes these outstanding faculty and staff for their achievements and contributions to medical education, research and academics. Early Career Research Excellence Award Sangbum Park, PhDAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Medicine

A Breakthrough in Medical Implants – Enhancing Healing with Immunometabolic Reprogramming

Medical implants, such as pacemakers, joint replacements, and tissue repair devices, are vital tools in modern healthcare, helping patients recover from surgeries and injuries. However, these devices can also trigger an immune response when implanted, leading to inflammation or complications such as infections or implant rejection. A new study from researchers at Michigan State University, …

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Biomedical engineers win NIH Award

Originally Published on College of Engineering’s Website 6/6/24 Facing the Future of Microphysiological Modeling Three Michigan State University researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) have won a prestigious award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Assistant BME Professors Brian Johnson and Sudin Bhattacharya and BME graduate student Jacob Reynolds will advance the microphysiological …

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MSU researchers discover honeybees can detect lung cancer

Published in MSU Today on 6/12/24 Michigan State University researchers have discovered that honeybees can detect biomarkers or chemical concentrations associated with lung cancer in human breath. The researchers have also shown that the honeybees can distinguish between different lung cancer cell types using only the ‘smell’ of the cell cultures.  These findings could be …

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Unraveling the mysteries of early brain development

In a study led by researchers from Michigan State University’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science & Engineering, scientists have made strides in understanding the complexities of brain development in infants and young children. The study, recently published in Nature Neuroscience, combines data from eight different cohorts to create an extensive dataset on brain development from …

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IQ’s Lisa Parker Honored with Spring 2024 Research Administrator Spotlight Award

Originally published on MSU’s Sponsored Programs Administration Newsletter The offices of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) are honored to recognize excellence and exemplary service through the Research Administrator (RA) Spotlight Award. We are happy to announce that Lisa Parker was selected as the Spring 2024 …

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Ashlin Riggs Named Student Speaker for College Engineering’s Commencement Ceremony

Originally published via College of Engineering’s LinkedIn Congratulations to Ashlin Riggs for being named this year’s student speaker for the College of Engineering’s Commencement ceremony! Riggs is a computational data science major. For more information about commencement visit: https://commencement.msu.edu/ceremony/schedule Ashlin has worked for Dr. Aitor Aguirre since 2021 and then joined the administrative team the …

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2 BME Graduate Students Honored in College of Engineering Awards

The College of Engineering is pleased to announce the graduate students selected for the 2023-24 Fitch H. Beach Award and as the 2023-24 Outstanding PhD Students in each program. These students will be honored at a ceremony later today and receive stipends, certificates, and medals to be worn at graduation. Fitch H. Beach Award for …

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2 IQ Faculty Members Honored at 2024 Innovation Celebration

Originally published on the Innovation Center’s webpage East Lansing, MI—The Michigan State University Innovation Center hosted its annual Innovation Celebration on campus at the Kellogg Center on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024. The celebration showcased the cutting-edge technologies and startups emerging from the brilliant minds of MSU faculty and students and featured more than 30 faculty …

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Blazing a new trail in drug discovery

Originally posted by the College of Natural Science It’s not that Xuefei Huang of Michigan State University doesn’t have a sweet gig. After all, he’s a professor of chemistry and biomedical engineering who studies sugars. It’s just a lot more complicated than most people realize. “Carbohydrates — complex sugars also known as glycans — are everywhere,” says Huang, who works in …

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BME Graduate Students Honored at The 16th Annual Graduate Academic Conference

Originally posted by the Council of Graduate Students Winning Presenters from 2024 GAC: COGS is pleased to announce the winning presenters from the 2024 Graduate Academic Conference. These presenters were truly outstanding and impressed the pool of judges who volunteered to review and give feedback to student presenters. COGS is proud of ALL who presented …

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MSU Research Foundation and Broad College of Business Announce 2024 Student Venture Capital Fund Investment in Startups

Originally published on MSU Foundation’s websiteBME Biodesign team honored at Michigan State University’s Student Venture Capital Fund Investment Celebration From protein-packed ice cream to advanced factory inspection technology, Michigan State University’s Student Venture Capital Fund showcases five startups for pre-seed investment, highlighting student-led entrepreneurship and investing. EAST LANSING, MI — The Michigan State University Research …

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Dana Spence Honored with William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award

Dana Spence has been selected as one of the William J. Beal Outstanding Faculty Award recipients. These internal awards are an integral part of recognizing the excellent work of MSU’s faculty, academic specialists, graduate students, and executive leaders. The 2023-2024 award recipients will be formally recognized at the annual All-University Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May …

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Tiffany Owen Recognized With Spirit of Ability Award

Each year the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities requests nominations for the Spirit of Ability Award which recognizes leaders in the MSU community who help build an environment of opportunity and inclusion. This year, Tiffany Owen was voted by the RCPD staff to win the 2024 Spirit of Ability Award. The award reception will …

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Jinxing Li Awarded $500K From National Science Foundation

IQ’s Jinxing Li has just received NSF funding for his project “Multisensory Soft Bioelectronics for Comprehensive Monitoring of Gastrointestinal Physiological Interplay” Project Summary: The gut, or gastrointestinal tract, widely regarded as our “second brain,” represents the body’s most sophisticated physiological system with complicated biochemistry and biomechanics: (1) Gut biochemistry: it is the home to trillions …

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MSU researchers create more realistic synthetic human mini hearts

Published in MSU Today February 16, 2024 Thanks to advancements in the development of patented synthetic human-like hearts first created at Michigan State, researchers can study human heart development and congenital heart disease on highly accurate models. This is facilitating the development of new therapies and pharmaceutical drugs to treat a variety of heart-related diseases …

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Daniel Vocelle Named “Emerging Leader” in the Field of Flow Cytometry

Originally posted here Published February 11, 2024 By Chuck Carlson Feb. 11, 2024 Pharmacology & Toxicology Assistant Professor Daniel Vocelle was recently selected as one of four “Emerging Leaders” by the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory. It’s a big deal and an important honor not only for Vocelle, but for the …

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A Spartan changing the way we fight cancer

Published in MSU Today January 10, 2024 Carolina de Aguiar Ferreira couldn’t do what she does anywhere else. The assistant professor has the resources at Michigan State University to precisely target cancer cells with diagnostics and therapies using radioisotopes produced by what is designed to be the world’s most powerful heavy-ion accelerator. She works in …

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American Cancer Society Awards $792,000 grant to Bryan Smith’s research team

Funding to help reverse immune cells’ inhibitory behavior in tumors Originally published on MSU College of Engineering website on Feb 13, 2024 The American Cancer Society (ACS), the largest non-government, non-profit funding source of cancer research in the U.S., recently approved funding for a Michigan State University researcher’s project to fight cancer. Bryan Smith, Biomedical …

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Michigan State University Researchers Create Human Heart Model in a Dish

East Lansing, MI — Researchers at Michigan State University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) have made a groundbreaking leap in medical science with a new publication in Nature Communications. Led by Dr. Aitor Aguirre, associate professor of Biomedical Engineering, and Brett Volmert, Biomedical Engineering PhD candidate, the study details the creation and use of miniature …

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MSU and JDRF team up to fight Type 1 diabetes

MSU researchers awarded a $750,000 grant by JDRF to develop a new immune imaging method that could bolster promising therapies Originally published on MSUTODAY on Nov 27, 2023 Researchers at Michigan State University have teamed up to create a new way to image immune cells in living subjects that could enable new treatment opportunities and …

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Michigan State University Researcher Secures $2.5 Million Grant for Groundbreaking Study on Wound Repair in Mammals

Michigan State University researcher, Dr. Sangbum Park, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant totaling $2,521,305. The grant will fund a groundbreaking project that aims to unravel the mysteries behind how our skin repairs itself after injuries. Specifically, Dr. Park and his team are delving into the communication between specialized immune …

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‘Biomanufacturing’ helps building materials go green

An MSU-led team is creating ‘living’ materials that self-heal and sequester carbon Originally published via MSUToday on Oct 16, 2023 A team of Michigan State University researchers believes in a future when homes and other buildings can be constructed using low-cost, sustainable materials that also can repair themselves and capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The …

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Could a single drug treat the two leading causes of death in the US: cancer and cardiovascular disease?

Originally published on The Conversation on Sep 6, 2023 Written by: Bryan Smith What would you guess are the two biggest killers in the world? Based on media coverage, maybe you guessed gun violence, accidents or COVID-19. But the top two killers are actually cardiovascular disease and cancer. These two diseases combined account for nearly …

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Michigan State University Researchers Awarded $1.2M NSF Grant to Pioneer Breakthrough Diabetes Treatment Technology

EAST LANSING, MI – Michigan State University is proud to announce that Drs. Wen Li, Ping Wang, and Zhen Qiu, investigators from the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Radiology, Biomedical Engineering (BME), and the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) have been awarded a prestigious $1.2 million grant from the National …

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Ask the expert: How can nanomedicines fight cardiovascular disease?

Researchers are designing tiny, versatile particles to help doctors better detect and treat the world’s leading cause of death Originally Published on MSUTODAY on April 10, 2023 MSUToday’s “Ask the Expert” articles provide information and insights from MSU scientists, researchers and scholars about national and global issues, complex research and general-interest subjects based on their …

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Heather Hazzard and Brian Johnson recognized in 2023 College of Engineering awards

Gloria Stragier Award for Dedicated and Creative Service This award is presented annually to a staff member in the College of Engineering to recognize exceptional and creative job performance and/or concerned and creative leadership. Since 2017, Heather Hazzard, business manager for the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and the Department of Biomedical …

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Ferreira’s Lab Explores Rare Isotopes to Detect and Stop Cancer at the Cellular Level

As a young girl in Brazil, while her friends played with dolls, Carolina de Aguiar Ferreira had other interests.  “I always wanted to be a scientist,” she said. At the age of 18, after she enrolled as a pharmacy student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil, she knocked on a door that …

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Carolina de Aguiar Ferreira Joins Division of Chemical Biology

The Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) is excited to announce the addition of Carolina de Aguiar Ferreira, PhD, to our faculty ranks. Dr. de Aguiar Ferreira joins us as an assistant professor in the Department of Radiology and will be a part of the Division of Chemical Biology at IQ. As a …

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Masako Harada Awarded Grant for Innovative Cancer Research

Masako Harada, PhD, at the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering was recently awarded a one-year, $193,371 grant by the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation. The organization provides support for innovative cancer research with a focus on new scientists with cutting-edge ideas. The project, titled, “Targeted extracellular vesicles mediated therapeutic microRNA delivery,” is led by …

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Paula Palmiter and Sudin Bhattacharya recognized in 2022 College of Engineering awards

Spartans Will Award This award is presented annually to a staff member who has worked in the College of Engineering for at least two years as a regular support staff employee, is viewed by their peers as a role model and who exceeds expectations. In many ways, the Spartans Will Award describes Paula Palmiter’s work life. As …

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Rebecca Knickmeyer lands $5.5m NIH grant to study genetics of early brain development

Michigan State University’s Rebecca Knickmeyer is leading the largest-of-its-kind effort to understand the impact of genetics on early brain development and neurological disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Supported by a $5.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the project seeks to illuminate which genes steer the course of brain …

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Spotting — and hearing — heart attacks before they strike

If heart attacks blared a warning signal, patients would have a better chance of avoiding them. That’s the idea behind a new imaging technique developed by a Spartan-led team of researchers. “We shine light into an artery where we’ve delivered certain types of particles that can absorb that light,” said Bryan Smith, an associate professor in …

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Bacteria are connected to how babies experience fear

Why do some babies react to perceived danger more than others? According to new research from Michigan State University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, part of the answer may be found in a surprising place: an infant’s digestive system. The human digestive system is home to a vast community of microorganisms known …

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Understanding the skin’s defense system

It can be easy to forget that the human skin is an organ. It’s also the largest one and it’s exposed, charged with keeping our inner biology safe from the perils of the outside world. But Michigan State University’s Sangbum Park is someone who never takes skin or its biological functions for granted. He’s studying …

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Mentoring a new generation of scientists

Two high school students won third and fifth places in the 2021 Flint Regional Science & Engineering Fair with the mentorship of an MSU professor and a graduate student. Ayan Nair and Arohi Nair, tenth graders at Okemos High School, were awarded top honors for their projects that focused on alleviating hospital congestion and addressing …

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Testing a new way to tackle cancer

A potential new weapon against cancer is entering the first phase of clinical trials thanks to a collaboration between Spectrum Health, the Lansing-based company Niowave and Michigan State University. MSU’s Kurt Zinn, a professor of biomedical engineering, radiology and small animal clinical sciences, is leading the effort to validate an innovative radiotherapy as part of a safe, more effective …

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Four IQ members recognized in 31st Annual MSU Engineering Awards

EAST LANSING — Four members the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) and the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) have been recognized for their distinguished contributions to teaching and service as part of the 31st Annual MSU Engineering Awards. Ms. Nisachon Chaiwang, Dr. Dana Spence, Dr. Wen Li, and Dr. Mark Worden have …

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Helping fight heart disease before it starts

Nearly one out of every 100 babies in the U.S. is born with heart defects. But Michigan State University researchers are working to improve that outlook, leading to healthier children and happier families, with the help of a $2.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. “Congenital heart defects are the most common birth …

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Nanomedicine targets cardiovascular disease

A team of Michigan State and Stanford researchers have upgraded their Trojan horse therapies designed to fight one of the world’s leading causes of death. Led by Bryan Smith, an associate professor in MSU’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, the team is building on its nanoscopic tubules that carry drugs to fight atherosclerotic plaques involved in cardiovascular …

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Michigan State University and Leica Microsystems establish Center of Excellence on campus

East Lansing– The Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) at Michigan State University has partnered with Leica Microsystems, Inc. to establish a new Center of Excellence on campus. Located in the Bioengineering Building, the Center will feature confocal and widefield microscopy technology that will enhance researchers’ ability to capture images at the cellular …

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Building a Trojan Horse to fight breast cancer

With a nearly $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Michigan State University researchers are using nanoscopic particles to turn the body’s own cells into weapons that cancer won’t see coming. “We are developing a precision, ‘Trojan Horse’ nanotherapy that treats breast cancer without the typical side effects,” said Bryan Smith, an associate …

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Jens Schmidt chosen for NIH New Innovator Award

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Today the National Institutes of Health announced Michigan State University researcher Jens Schmidt as a recipient of its prestigious ‘New Innovator Award’ to study how human cells repair damage to their genome to prevent cancer, a project he hopes will lead to new and better treatments. Schmidt, an assistant professor in …

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Creating diamond devices to detect Parkinson’s early

Spartan engineers have secured $3.4 million in grants to develop diamond implants that could let doctors diagnose and treat Parkinson’s disease earlier. Michigan State University’s Wen Li and Erin Purcell are leading the effort to use innovative diamond devices to monitor the brain’s biochemistry for early warning signs of disease. The National Institutes of Health …

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Brews and Views At Home Edition: Immune to COVID-19? Prove it!

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage people’s lives, societies and economies, we continue to struggle to determine if protective immunity can be acquired through infection or immunization, and whether protective immunity gives you a pass, or an obligation, to participate in “normal” social functions. If there is an effective vaccine on the horizon, how …

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Michigan State scientists grow the first functioning mini human heart model

Michigan State University researchers have created for the first time a miniature human heart model in the laboratory, complete with all primary heart cell types and a functioning structure of chambers and vascular tissue. “These minihearts constitute incredibly powerful models in which to study all kinds of cardiac disorders with a degree of precision unseen …

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Sudin Bhattacharya receives $2.35 million NIH grant

Michigan State University has landed a $2.35 million National Institutes for Health R01 grant to investigate the effect of environmental pollutants and toxins on activation of genes that have effects on the liver and immune system. Human exposure to the highly toxic compound 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and other dioxin-like chemicals remain a public health concern, especially …

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Riggins receives NIH Blueprint D-SPAN Award

Biomedical Engineering PhD candidate Ti’Air Riggins has been awarded the NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience Award (F99/K00). This award supports graduate students from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in neuroscience research, from their graduate studies to their postdoctoral research. For Riggins, this award will help her transition from her graduate studies to …

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2019-2020 Graduate Student Awardees Announced

The 2019-2020 Graduate Student Award winners have been announced, with Biomedical Engineering students Cort Thompson and Victoria Toomajian recognized for their outstanding work. Cort Thompson, a second-year PhD student advised by Dr. Erin Purcell, was awarded the Fitch H. Beach Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research. With his research, Cort aims to provide fundamental understandings of …

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Ripla Arora receives 2020 Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award

March of Dimes has announced that Ripla Arora, PhD, from Michigan State University, as a recipient of the 2020 Basil O’Connor Starter Scholar Research Award. The annual award supports early-career scientists embarking on independent research careers who are committed to fighting for the health of all moms and babies. Dr. Arora’s research will evaluate how …

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Brews and Views At Home Edition: The Dollars and Sense of Economic Convalescence from COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 on the health of the world’s economies is as variable as the viral infection is on human health. Recovering from the economic collapse brought about by COVID-19 will take time, money and determination. Just as in healthcare, thoughtful guidance and comprehensive planning is needed to restore the economic health of local, …

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Researchers measure cancer cell mechanics in living animals using nanoparticles

A first-of-its-kind nanoparticle-based in vivo imaging technique that may one day be used to help diagnose and even treat cancer has been developed by researchers collaborating from Michigan State, Johns Hopkins and Stanford universities. The technique captures mechanical properties in living subjects that probe fundamental relationships between physics and in vivo (in a living organism) …

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NO BONES ABOUT IT: OCTOPUS MAY BE THE KEY TO ‘SMART PROSTHETICS’

Galit Pelled’s fascination with the intelligent octopus dates back to her undergraduate days at Hebrew University in Israel where she cared for and fed the dexterous animal. Now she’s studying octopuses to see if they hold the key to restoring limb function in humans with the use of new “smart” prosthetics. The Michigan State University …

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Brews and Views: Novel Coronavirus Pushes Our Limits— We Need to Push Back, Thoughtfully and Fast

DISCLOSURES – Please read before viewing:If you are concerned you have the viral infection, seek advice from your health-care provider via phone; andThe novel coronavirus pandemic is a rapidly changing situation, so information and ideas in this webinar may be out of date, incomplete, and/or inaccurate. Humanity is at the next frontier—modern technologies have put …

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Kurt Zinn featured in Lansing Economic Area Partnership feature on life sciences research

The Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) aims to improve economic prosperity in the Ingham, Clinton, and Eaton county areas by helping to grow and highlight local businesses. In a recent video, the organization highlighted innovation in life sciences research taking place in Lansing, featuring Michigan State University, Sparrow Hospital, and Niowave. Dr. Kurt Zinn, associate director …

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‘Optical Tweezers’ help in quest for better cancer treatments

Stem cells involved in replenishing human tissues and blood depend on an enzyme known as telomerase to continue working throughout our lives. When telomerase malfunctions, it can lead to both cancer and premature aging conditions. Roughly 90% of cancer cells require inappropriate telomerase activity to survive. In a groundbreaking new study, an interdisciplinary team of …

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Erin Purcell awarded NSF CAREER Award to improve performance of brain implants

A biomedical engineer at Michigan State University will use a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to improve the biocompatibility and performance of brain implants.  Erin Purcell will advance the understanding of neurological diseases and injuries by studying the design and long-term device performance of brain electrodes. The five-year, $550,000 project begins in …

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Nanoparticle eats away portions of plaques causing heart attacks

Like a video game ghost chomping along a maze to advance to the next level, a novel nanotech therapy created by scientists at Michigan State University and Stanford University have discovered a way to eat away portions of the plaques that cause heart attacks. Bryan Smith, associate professor of biomedical engineering at MSU, and collaborating …

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Steffke earns Marshall scholarship

Emily Steffke, a undergraduate researcher in the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, has been named a Marshall Scholar. She is an Honors College senior majoring in neuroscience in the College of Natural Science and English in the College of Arts and Letters. Steffke was also named a Goldwater Scholar in May. “I am …

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Xuefei Huang and five other MSU researchers named AAAS Fellows

The American Association for the Advancement of Science, or AAAS, has awarded the distinction of Fellow to six MSU faculty members this year. These individuals have been elevated to this rank because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished. AAAS Fellow’s lifetime honor comes with an expectation that …

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Building a better flu shot

Each year millions of Americans become sick with the flu, hundreds of thousands are hospitalized and tens of thousands die. Getting the flu shot can reduce the chances of infection. But, at best, the vaccine is only effective 40% to 60% of the time, according to the CDC. Now Michigan State University researchers have data …

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Learning about micro CT imaging and high-throughput technologies with PerkinElmer

In collaboration with the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ), PerkinElmer hosted a Systems Biology workshop on campus last week that brought researchers from various life science departments around campus together in the IQ Atrium. The workshop focused on in vivo imaging and high-content imaging technologies, as well as a session on career …

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Nanotechnology improves chemotherapy delivery

Michigan State University scientists have invented a new way to monitor chemotherapy concentrations, which is more effective in keeping patients’ treatments within the crucial therapeutic window. With new advances in medicine happening daily, there’s still plenty of guesswork when it comes to administering chemotherapy to cancer patients. Too high a dose can result in killing …

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Brews and Views Podcast Series – Promises P̶r̶o̶m̶i̶s̶e̶s̶ – Will Genomic Approaches to Health Redefine Illness and Disease?

With millions of human genotypes now determined, our information about human genetic variation is increasing faster than many other areas of science. That pace stokes an appetite for expanded investment. But has this information led to measurably improved, actionable understanding of illness and disease? Genomic medicine is fundamentally a biological and public health topic. Is …

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Tiny bubbles in our body could fight cancer better than chemo

Healthy cells in our body release nano-sized bubbles that transfer genetic material such as DNA and RNA to other cells. It’s your DNA that stores the important information necessary for RNA to produce proteins and make sure they act accordingly. These bubbly extracellular vesicles could become mini treatment transporters, carrying a combination of therapeutic drugs …

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Exchanging talent with Korea

New MSU agreement will exchange graduate students and research in Seoul There was “exciting science” between Michigan State University and Chung-Ang University at the 20th anniversary of the Korea Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Conference in Seoul, Korea, in early June. MSU’s Christopher Contag signed an agreement on an exchange of graduate students and held in-depth Q&A sessions …

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Salatino to receive MSU’s first PhD in Biomedical Engineering

Joseph Salatino will make Michigan State University history when he graduates as MSU’s first PhD in biomedical engineering during advanced degree ceremonies at 3:30 p.m., Friday, May 3, in the Breslin Center. Salatino has been working with Erin Purcell, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, since joining MSU’s fast-track BS/PhD program. He received a bachelor’s degree …

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Developing the tools, technology, and knowledge to ensure 100 years of health for 100 percent of people – Director’s update on IQ

Christopher Contag, director of the Institute, provides an update on IQ during the Spring 2019 Conversation with MSU’s Acting President, Satish Upda. Since its conception in 2016, IQ has grown from 0 people to over 200 members. IQ’s faculty has published over 100 papers over the last year, and brought in $20 million in federal …

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MSU lands $1.8M NIH grant to improve brain implants

Michigan State University has landed a $1.8 million National Institutes for Health R01 grant to improve brain implants – “electroceuticals” used to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression and traumatic injuries. The implants decipher complex chemical and electrical input and output that allow patients to bring parts of their brain and body back online. These medical advances …

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Slowing down the heart aging process to increase the human lifespan

In a new paper published in EMBO Reports this month, an international team of scientists, including Dr. Aitor Aguirre at MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, has identified a novel signaling pathway critical for aging in the heart. Therapeutic targeting of this pathway was sufficient to slow down the aging process in human …

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Keeping astronauts healthy during deep space missions

When you get sick, a doctor or hospital is typically right down the road, a couple of hours away at most. But what if the nearest one was 34 million miles and eight months away? George Mias, Michigan State University biochemistry and molecular biology researcher, believes precision medicine – a personalized approach using technology to …

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Computation and big data to study brain function

Mark Reimers is an Associate Professor in the Neuroscience Program in the College of Natural Science where he integrates statistical analysis with biological theory while analyzing and interpreting the very large data sets now being generated in neuroscience, especially from the high-throughput technologies developed by the BRAIN initiative. Podcast courtesy of Russ White. Original audio …

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Leveraging 3D imaging to study embryo interaction with the maternal environment

Ripla Arora is an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology within the College of Human Medicine and is the Chief of the Division of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology at IQ. Her research focuses on embryo uterine interactions at the time of implantation and uterine development. Listen in as she …

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Synthetic biology and regenerative medicine to address fundamental biological questions

Assaf Gilad is the division chief of Synthetic Biology and Regenerative Medicine in the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ). The overarching theme of Dr. Gilad’s research harnesses the intersection of radiology and molecular biology to develop new in vivo imaging technologies that can be used to address fundamental biological questions. The lab …

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Computer Model Designs a Drug Delivery Strategy to Fight Cancer

Researchers from Michigan State University and Stanford University have created a computer simulation, validated by experimental results, to help design drug-delivery nanoparticles that carry cancer-fighting medicines directly to tumors, while minimizing the potential side-effects on healthy cells. Bryan Smith, MSU associate professor in the College of Engineering who conducted the research at Stanford University, and Eric …

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Brave new medical discoveries

Imagine being able to learn the likelihood of your unborn child someday developing a disease such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes. And what if, in addition to arming you with that information, doctors were able to repair the defective genes that are the root cause of the disease? Or, what if scientists developed a …

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Regenerating tissues in humans to treat cardiovascular disease and cancer

Aitor Aguirre is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He researches how human tissues respond to injury and how tissues regenerate when they are injured. He also identifies molecules that can be helpful for activating those processes in humans so new clinical therapeutic strategies for treating humans can be created. Podcast courtesy …

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Molecular imaging in regenerative medicine and cancer detection

Erik Shapiro is the Associate Chair of Research, an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology, and the Division Chief of Biomedical Imaging at the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ). Dr. Shapiro’s research focuses on molecular imaging, which detects, identifies, and measures cells and molecules in living organisms. Podcast courtesy of Russ …

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Magnetic gene in fish may someday help those with epilepsy, Parkinson’s

An aquarium fish that senses the Earth’s magnetic field as it swims could help unlock how the human brain works and how diseases such as Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders function. A person suffering Parkinson’s disease tremors, for example, could have the gene injected into a specific location or subset of cells in the brain. …

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Machine learning breakthrough opens door for precision health

What if a simple test could predict your future health risks and allow your physician to intervene now, possibly preventing or delaying the onset of illness? Patients are one step closer to such precision health methods thanks to a recent breakthrough in predictive genomics by a research team at Michigan State University. Their findings are …

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Fighting cancer by protecting the genomic integrity of human cells

Jens Schmidt is a professor of OBGYN in MSU’s acclaimed College of Human Medicine, and he’s also a part of Chris Contag’s IQ team. IQ is the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering. At MSU, Schmidt’s laboratory uses a combination of cell biological and biophysical approaches to explain how human cells maintain their genomic …

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Revolutionizing healthcare by converging medicine, engineering to promote precision health

Christopher H. Contag is the James and Kathleen Cornelius Chair and Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at Michigan State University. He is director of MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering (IQ) and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Podcast courtesy of Russ White. Original audio file and transcript …

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Zhen Qiu and Nelson Sepulveda are teaming up in the fight against breast cancer

Experts in biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering at Michigan State University are collaborating on the limitations of wide-field tumor imaging in the fight against breast cancer. Zhen Qui, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, and Nelson Sepulveda, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, have been awarded a $360,000 grant from the National Science …

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New computer model designs a drug delivery strategy to fight cancer

Researchers from Michigan State University and Stanford University have created a computer simulation, validated by experimental results, to help design drug-delivery nanoparticles that carry cancer-fighting medicines directly to tumors, while minimizing the potential side-effects on healthy cells. Bryan Smith, MSU associate professor in the College of Engineering who conducted the research at Stanford University, and Eric …

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