Display Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

Grayscale

Grayscale

Highlight Links

Highlight Links

Change Contrast

Change Contrast

Increase Text Size

Increase Text Size

Increase Letter Spacing

Increase Letter Spacing

Readability Bar

Readability Bar

Dyslexia Friendly Font

Dyslexia Friendly Font

Increase Cursor Size

Increase Cursor Size

Skip to main content

News

Wires criss-cross a server rack illuminated blue and green

September 9, 2026

Why are scientists looking at 'virtual plants'?

Josh Vermaas, an associate professor in theDepartment of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and theMSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, uses supercomputers to model the molecular machinery of plants and algae at a nanoscopic scale.

Arabidopsis

Using machine learning to predict plants’ genetic ‘starting line’

A larkspur specimen in bloom at Beal Botanical Garden. Known for their toxicity, injurious plants such as larkspur and wolfsbane have been leveraged by humans for millennia for their medicinal potential. Credit: Paul Henderson / MSU College of Natural Science

Two deadly flowers have big medical potential

Purple larkspur in Beal Botanical Garden.

Pharm in the garden: new discoveries unlock medical potential of deadly blooms

Composite image of hands holding a pile of soil with a gauge overlaid in the background.

Plants can activate immune ‘dimmer switch’

New research from MSU plant scientistists in the MSU-DOE Plant Research Lab, the department of Biochemistry, and the Plant Resilience Institute reveals a sulfur-conserving mechanism used by plants to balance growth and defense.

Maks Chruszcz in his lab, wearing goggles.

Solving the protein puzzle behind allergy misery

man wearing lab coat and blue gloves looks into a microscope

Student view: Why precision medicine cannot leave African women behind

A 3D, blue and white visualization of a protein. Credit: DARPA

With AI-powered prediction, Spartan scientists target potential biothreats

A close-up of several cancer cells, gray, green, and black.

February 4, 2026

Smart bombs and isotopes: how Spartans rewrite the rules of cancer care

Solar panels above an MSU carport.

January 26, 2026

In the quest for clean energy, Spartans say: go green, go light

Learn how Michigan State scientists are securing a sustainabile future

Death Valley vistas; dry earth and mountains.

November 21, 2025

Death Valley plant reveals blueprint for heat-resilient crops

In Death Valley, the Rhee Lab identifies untapped blueprints for plant resilience.

Beaumont Tower on the campus of Michigan State University

November 12, 2025

College of Natural Science faculty recognized as top global researcher 

Robert A.Quinn has been recognized in the “2025 Highly Cited Researchers” list.

Two researchers in lab coats stand beside a computerized microscope.

October 13, 2025

Fuel for the finish line: How sperm achieve ‘overdrive’

Researchers pinpoint the molecular 'switch' that supercharges sperm for their final sprint to an egg.

Tomatoes

September 18, 2025

A breakthrough in plant defense after decades of research

How cooperation and sustained research lead to a discovery 34 years in the making

Four Arabidopsis plants against a black background

September 17, 2025

Decoding plants’ language of light

The discovery of a suprising way plants regulate their growth could better equip crops to handle environmental stress.

Four flasks of algae

September 4, 2025

Photosynthesis under attack and what cells can do about it

Researchers are looking at how plants and algae can protect themselves from attacks from within

Peter Lundquist working at his lab desk

August 28, 2025

Scientists solve long-standing mystery of amino acid transport in plants

The discovery of how plants move life’s building blocks has unlocked new potential for developing nutrient-rich crops and ensuring food security.

Chinedum Udewku in green spartan shirt.

August 26, 2025

BMB Spotlight: Chinedum Udekwu

Chinedum Udekwu discusses his roles as scientist, student advocate and more.

Dr. Rahman in lab coat and gloves

August 21, 2025

BMB Research Spotlight: Dr. Md Shafiqur Rahman

Dr. Rahman provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Kim Lab's latest breakthroughs.

Two figures stand beside a large, blue-lit microscope tower.

August 15, 2025

How viruses know what’s theirs

Learning from nature's packaging experts could lead to anti-virals, gene therapy, and the next generation of RNA-based therapeutics.

A split image showing a close up of green ground oak and blue-lit chromosomes

August 15, 2025

The mint blueprint: unlocking plant chemistry to fight pests, microbes and more

The mint family of plants is hiding super-sized secrets with big applications.

Two students work in a lab

Undergrads participate in summer research, fueling future bioeconomy

Undergraduate students are brought to MSU to research and study plants and photosynthetic microbes

A closeup of yellow-gold rice coral.

How corals teach their offspring to beat the heat

Knowing how some corals pass along thermal tolerance can help build healthier coral reefs and protect their future.

Thomas D. Sharkey

Thomas D. Sharkey retires after 51 years of plant research

Sharkey’s prolific career in the plant sciences spans continents and scientific topics, touching on the lives of many researchers who continue to work in the field today

Close up of mass spec instrumentation

Critical mass: core upgrades pave way for Spartan science

With a revamped facility space and new instruments, Spartan researchers take on the world's biggest challenges

Bunches of ripe berries,

Parsing plant pigment pathways

Erich Grotewold discusses his study of flavonoids with ASBMB.

A gloved hand holds up a flask of cyanobacteria, or green liquid, in a lab.

Recreating an important moment on the evolutionary timescale

A new project is underway that could help researchers understand the evolution of the chloroplast.

A graduate student and a professor put a soybean leaf in a piece of equipment.

Some plants make their own pesticide, but at what cost to the atmosphere?

A natural alternative to pesticides may be hiding in a misunderstood plant compound — but it could come at an environmental cost.

A computer simulated image of proteins on a membrane

Directionally challenged proteins lead to eye and neurological disease

If a protein faces the wrong way, it could lead to eye and neurological diseases

Small plants growing in soil

How to make nitrogen more accessible to crops

A microscopic enzyme could be the key to helping nitrogen fertilizers stick better to the soil and prevent run-off that causes harmful algal blooms.

Latest News

Wires criss-cross a server rack illuminated blue and green

September 9, 2026Why are scientists looking at 'virtual plants'?

Arabidopsis

August 5, 2026Using machine learning to predict plants’ genetic ‘starting line’

A larkspur specimen in bloom at Beal Botanical Garden. Known for their toxicity, injurious plants such as larkspur and wolfsbane have been leveraged by humans for millennia for their medicinal potential. Credit: Paul Henderson / MSU College of Natural Science

July 31, 2026Two deadly flowers have big medical potential

Purple larkspur in Beal Botanical Garden.

July 30, 2026Pharm in the garden: new discoveries unlock medical potential of deadly blooms