Molecular Plant Sciences Program
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The origins of sour cherry: MSU course brings research to fruition
READ MOREWhat's New?
MSU's Jianping Hu receives NSF grant to shed light on plant growth, reproduction
Jianping Hu, professor at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL) and the Department of Plant Biology, received a $900,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the motility of cellular energy organelles, peroxisomes and mitochondria in particular, along the cytoskeleton in Arabidopsis thaliana.
READ MOREWhy study molecular plant sciences
Plants support most life on earth. They are the foundation of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide essential services and materials to people. Molecular plant scientists study the genetic, biophysical, and biochemical processes that plants use to capture solar energy and use it to biosynthesize food, fuel, wood and paper, textiles, and pharmaceuticals. Fundamental molecular plant science knowledge is critical for:
- Improving agricultural productivity and sustainability
- Developing new renewable energy sources
- Making novel compounds to improve human health and diet
- Improving plant responses to environmental challenges
Why Michigan State University
Michigan State University has one of the world's highest concentrations of plant scientists and leads in all areas of plant science research and education. The MPS graduate program brings together the breadth and depth of MSU faculty who apply diverse methods to study photosynthetic organisms.