News

Over 120 researchers visited MSU's campus for the 62nd annual meeting of the PSNA—a leading gathering of plant chemical diversity community and scholarship.

Five Molecular Plant Science students—including three from BMB—were recently accepted into the Plant Biotechnology for Health and Sustainability (PBHS) Graduate Training Program. 

Current BMB graduate students share a bit about themselves and their research.

MSU science education researchers Kevin Haudek, Melanie Cooper, and Rachel Henderson have received a $700,000 National Science Foundation grant to study the role of Mathematical Sensemaking in Science (MaSS) in undergraduate STEM courses. This collaborative project will develop new assessments to elicit mathematical thinking from biology, chemistry, and physics students. Research results will deepen our understanding of the role of mathematics in undergraduate science education.

MSU researcher Jin He recieves NIH grant to further study connections between ASH1L gene and autism spectrum disorder.

MSU biochemist Robert Quinn has spent years studying the biochemistry of coral bleaching, a heat-induced response to stress causing it to turn white. Bleaching is damaging to reefs and is expected to increase due to climate change. While Quinn has discovered unique betaine lipids in coral that are markers of resistance to coral bleaching, very little is known about them. During a literature review of these lipids, Quinn discovered that MSU colleague, Christoph Benning, had written on the subject. This connection led to the two scientists teaming up on a $1.9 million NSF grant to study the role that betaine lipids play in coral bleaching.

Internationally renowned cancer researcher Olorunseun “Seun” Ogunwobi will join Michigan State University on Aug. 16 as chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), which is affiliated with the College of Natural Science, the College of Human Medicine and the College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will also serve as co-director of the forthcoming Center for Cancer Health Equity Research at MSU.

The researchers in the PRL Ducat lab show Cyanobacteria, photosynthetic microorganisms which have widespread uses in the production of pigments, antioxidants and supplements and potential ones in biofuels and plastics, have a new way to communicate to control their population.