News

Scientists are studying how plants adapt to space environments. The NASA funded research aims to help us grow fresh produce beyond the planet Earth.
December 19, 2017
The award recognizes the best doctoral dissertation in the plant sciences at MSU from the previous two years.
December 12, 2017
MSU’s second-ever iGEM team earned a Silver Medal for a new technology that can detect dangerous contaminants in the environment.
December 11, 2017
A protein that helps plants prepare for the cold also helps them beef up for bacterial attacks, as a precautionary measure.
December 7, 2017![Fighting plant disease at warm temperatures keeps food on the table [VIDEO]](/sites/_prl/cache/file/FD83450D-DBAC-47CD-ACBF8C64AF0D0027_newslisting.jpg)
The Nature Communications study shows how high temperature weakens plant defenses while, separately, strengthening bacterial attacks.
November 27, 2017
Their research ranks among the top 1% most cited works in their fields during the year of publication. He and Howe have made the list three years in a row.
November 16, 2017
A peek into the logistics of how bacterial nanofactories move electrons, towards creating chemical products. Future apps include renewable energy and medical tools.
October 31, 2017
The cooperative works like an assembly line and is relatively cheap to run. Future products could include medicine, even food for Martian outposts.
October 23, 2017
The Department of Plant Biology student won for his poster presentation on research to improve photosynthetic performance in heat-sensitive cowpea crops.
October 12, 2017
When engineers want to speed up a system, they look for the slowest steps and make them faster. In plants, this approach potentially does more harm than good, says the Kramer lab.
October 10, 2017
The new family of proteins protects cyanobacteria from sunlight damage, and they are interesting for use in synthetic medical or renewable energy applications.
October 2, 2017
Scientists show how the two OCP parts interact and also create new synthetic versions of that protein. The goal is to use it in synthetic healthcare systems, powered by light.
September 19, 2017
Scientists are learning how bacterial nanofactories are constructed in nature. Recent experiments show we could engineer their building blocks into new structures, for useful applications.
September 12, 2017
Her poster showcased a newly discovered family of light-sensitive proteins of interest for renewable energy and medical applications.
September 7, 2017![Xiufang Xin starts PI position at the Chinese Academy of Sciences [LINK]](/sites/_prl/cache/file/2EB32AD9-73FC-4F8E-891EFA0E36A14E1B_newslisting.jpg)
The former He lab post-doc joins the Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology. She studies plant-microbe interactions and how plants control a healthy microbiome.
August 31, 2017
Taylor will be Assistant Professor in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, researching the design of artificial and synthetic algae-bacteria consortia for scaled production of bioproducts.
July 27, 2017![Anso Bohrer: reflecting on Fascination of Plants day [LINK]](/sites/_prl/cache/file/F3D1C619-D02E-4051-B93A55D5DDC37B66_newslisting.jpeg)
The postdoctoral research associate at Michigan State University reflects on coordinating MSU's first Fascination of Plants Day.
July 19, 2017
Plants, like us, don’t like too much sunlight. The Kramer lab has figured a way to better measure how plants respond to excessive exposure, and the information might help us create more resilient plants.
July 13, 2017
In addition to doing photosynthesis, the chloroplast is the source of up to 10% of seed oil production in plants. Scientists are experimenting with harvesting that oil to make biofuels.
July 11, 2017
Howe is among ten MSU faculty named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their achievements in the classroom, laboratory, and community.
July 7, 2017