Why are scientists looking at 'virtual plants'?

1 true Discovery Science,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,prl 09/09/2026 Why are scientists looking at 'virtual plants'? Josh Vermaas , an associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory , u ses supercomputers to model the molecular machinery of plants and algae a t a nanoscopic scale. Caleb Hess & Connor Yeck /_assets/audio/news/2026/2026-09-why are scientists-looking-at-virtual-plants.mp3 Wires criss-cross a server rack illuminated blue and green

Wires criss-cross a server rack illuminated blue and green

Rows of computer equipment comprise the HPCC

2 true Discovery Science,Faculty,Grant,Plant Sciences mps 08/05/2026 Using machine learning to predict plants’ genetic ‘starting line’ NSF-funded project aims to determine the precise location transcription begins across plant kingdom, from maize to moss Connor Yeck /_assets/audio/news/2026/2026-08-machine-learning-to-predict-plant-genetic-starting-line.mp3 Arabidopsis in growing tins.

3 true Discovery Science,Faculty,Health Science and Innovation,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,plantbiology 07/31/2026 Two deadly flowers have big medical potential Researchers achieve first steps to recreating powerful, plant-derived chemicals in lab Connor Yeck /_assets/audio/news/2026/2026-07-larkspur-wolfsbane.mp3 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

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

4 Climate and Sustainability,Discovery Science,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,prl,plantresilience 07/14/2026 Plants can activate immune ‘dimmer switch’ Protein CDK8 helps plants budget sulfur for critical functions 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. Caleb Hess /_assets/audio/news/2026/2026-07-pnas-howe-immune.mp3 Composite image of hands holding a pile of soil with a gauge overlaid in the background.

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

5 true Climate and Sustainability,Plant Sciences mps,plantbiology 06/16/2026 Viruses may adapt native crops to challenging environments Paul Henderson /_assets/audio/news/2026/2026-06-viruses-may-adapt-native-crops-to-challenging-environments.mp3 researcher examines switchgrass in a field

researcher examines switchgrass in a field

6 true 01/05/2026 MPS gives inaugural Leadership in Community Building and Outreach Award This award was established to recognize students who have made outstanding contributions to MPS, the MSU community, and the broader public Kara Headley

Four people stand together, three holding certificates

7 true 10/28/2025 Students recognized with MPS Outstanding Paper Award This award was established to recognize the incredible work MPS students or alumnus have done, and their accomplishments in publishing research within the last year Kara Headley

8 true Discovery Science,Faculty,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,prl,plantresilience 09/18/2025 A breakthrough in plant defense after decades of research How cooperation and sustained research lead to a discovery 34 years in the making How cooperation and sustained research lead to a discovery 34 years in the making Kara Headley Tomatoes

9 true Climate and Sustainability,Discovery Science,Plant Sciences bmb,mps 09/17/2025 Decoding plants’ language of light The discovery of a suprising way plants regulate their growth could better equip crops to handle environmental stress. Connor Yeck Four Arabidopsis plants against a black background

Four Arabidopsis plants against a black background

10 true Climate and Sustainability,Discovery Science,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,plantbiology,prl 09/04/2025 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 Researchers are looking at how plants and algae can protect themselves from attacks from within Kara Headley Four flasks of algae

11 true Discovery Science,Health Science and Innovation,Plant Sciences bmb,mps 08/15/2025 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.

Plants are nature’s chemists, producing specialized molecules with properties we can use in fights against cancer, bacteria, viruses, and pests.

MSU researchers explored the genetics of a plant found in the mint family, revealing surprises as to how the organism evolved and creates its special chemistry.

These findings put scientists one step closer to producing these beneficial compounds in the lab and applying them to worldwide challenges.

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

12 true Climate and Sustainability,Discovery Science,Plant Sciences mps,plantbiology,prl,plantresilience 08/12/2025 Seeding the Field: How MSU researchers helped pioneer a model organism How the development of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism led to innovation in the plant sciences, agriculture and human health How the development of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism led to innovation in the plant sciences, agriculture and human health Kara Headley Four green plants in a tray

13 true Climate and Sustainability,Plant Sciences,Student Success bmb,mps,plantbiology,prl,plantresilience 08/08/2025 Undergrads participate in summer research, fueling future bioeconomy The program takes these early-career scientists and immerses them in faculty-mentored research, focused on the genomics of plants and photosynthetic microbes. Undergraduate students are brought to MSU to research and study plants and photosynthetic microbes Patrick Edger Two students work in a lab

14 SWEET success: DOE competition brings GLBRC science closer to market

MSU student project outlines plan to turn sorghum into a living chemical factory, enabling cheaper sustainable domestic energy

08/04/2025 Four people holding sorghum plants

https://www.glbrc.org/news/sweet-success-doe-competition-brings-glbrc-science-closer-market 15 true Faculty,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,prl,plantresilience 07/07/2025 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 Kara Headley Sharkey lab Sharkey lab

Sharkey lab16 Climate and Sustainability,Discovery Science,Faculty,Grant,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,prl 06/18/2025 Recreating an important moment on the evolutionary timescale

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

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

Ducat lab17 Discovery Science,Plant Sciences,Student Success bmb,mps,prl 06/12/2025 Directionally challenged proteins lead to eye and neurological disease If a protein faces the wrong way, it could lead to eye and neurological diseases If a protein faces the wrong way, it could lead to eye and neurological diseases Kara Headley Vermaas lab Vermaas lab A computer simulated image of proteins on a membrane

A computer simulated image of proteins on a membrane

Vermaas lab18 Discovery Science,Faculty bmb,mps 06/09/2025 How to make nitrogen more accessible to crops New review article examines the role an enzyme plays in converting nitrogen into ammonium and preventing runoff 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. Bethany Mauger Small plants growing in soil

19 Awards,Climate and Sustainability,Faculty,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,plantbiology 05/28/2025 Erich Grotewold named MSU Research Foundation Professor Grotewold's research explores how plants can be the solution to many of the world's biggest problems. Samantha Brichta

20 true Awards,Faculty,Plant Sciences bmb,mps,plantbiology,prl 05/08/2025 Christoph Benning elected to National Academy of Sciences

Christoph Benning, Michigan State University researcher, inventor and one of the world's foremost experts in plant lipid metabolism, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Kara Headley Christoph Benning holding a tray of plants

21 Anne Steensma named 2025 Anton Lang award winner MPS student Anne Steensma was awarded the 2025 Anton Lang graduate student award. 04/30/2025 Two people, one holds an award

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2025-04-anton-lang-award.aspx Student Student22 Eric Hegg honored with IMPACT award The award recognizes Hegg's contributions to alternative energy research and bioenergetics. 04/23/2025

https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2025/2025-04-eric-hegg-honored-with-impact-award.aspx faculty faculty23 MPS faculty recognized at All-University Awards ceremony Shin-Han Shiu and Randolph Beaudry were recognized at the April 7 All-University Awards ceremony. 03/31/2025 Beaumont Tower

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/msu-to-recognize-faculty-and-staff-during-april-7-all-university-awards-ceremony faculty faculty24 Climate and Sustainability,Events,Plant Sciences,STEM Education bmb,mgi,mps,plantbiology,prl,plantresilience 03/24/2025 MSU Plant Science Community showcases 'The World of Plants' at STEAM Expo Days Plant scientists across MSU will present an interdisciplinary showcase, 'The World of Plants,' at the SciFest STEAM Expo Days.

Plant scientists from labs and research groups across MSU will present 'The World of Plants,' a showcase featuring 17 unique booths dedicated to different aspects of plant science, at the 2025 SciFest STEAM Expo Days.

Morgan Magilligan

A graphic promoting the MSU SciFest STEAM Expo Days World of Plants room. The graphic has a magenta background and features images around the border of plants, seeds, soil, a microscope, and other scientific equipment. There is a white circle in the center containing the following text, Michigan State University Science Festival STEAM Expo Weekend, April 5-6, 2025. Explore the World of Plants, 17 plant science booths for all ages, STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, room 2202.

25 Using unique approaches to study plants in future conditions Researchers in Thomas Sharkey's lab are studying changes in plant metabolism that occur when plants are grown in high light, high CO2 conditions. 03/11/2025 A person in a lab coat uses a machine that is clamped onto the leaf of a plant.

A person in a lab coat uses a machine that is clamped onto the leaf of a plant.

https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2025/2025-03-using-unique-approaches-to-study-plants-in-future-conditions.aspx faculty faculty26 Science and policy: Bianca Serda’s Mirzayan Fellowship experience This past summer, graduate student Bianca Serda had the opportunity to participate in the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program. 02/12/2025

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2025-02-science-and-policy-bianca-serdas-mirzayan-fellowship-experience.aspx students students27 true 02/07/2025 MSU researchers glean photosynthetic insights from volcanic hot springs Expanding knowledge of the carbon concentrating mechanism in the extremophilic algae C. merolae allows scientists to better understand and possibly improve photosynthesis Expanding knowledge of the carbon concentrating mechanism in the extremophilic algae C. merolae allows scientists to better understand and possibly improve photosynthesis. Kara Headley

A person in a lab coat uses a pipette to move green liquid to a scientific flask.

students students28 MSU plant scientists unite global community to call for advancing plant resilience Plant and agricultural sciences must make rapid and significant changes to ensure global food security in the face of climate change, according to a Michigan State University-led international group of plant researchers. 12/05/2024 A field of corn

https://plantresilience.msu.edu/pri-news/MSU-plant-scientists-unite-global-plant-resilience-community.aspx faculty faculty29 MSU research suggests some trees have a "built-in buffer" to help withstand climate change Some trees seem able to adjust to climate extremes without altering an important process for their growth, according to new research from Michigan State University. 11/28/2024 Birch trees in fall

https://www.michiganpublic.org/environment-climate-change/2024-11-28/msu-research-suggests-some-trees-have-a-built-in-buffer-to-help-withstand-climate-change faculty faculty30 Bonito lab scores the cover of the journal Mycologia with the discovery of new truffle species New paper in leading journal lead by undergraduate researcher Alassane Sow and co-authors Bryan Rennick and Jud Van Wyk in PSM. 11/25/2024 Multiple images of tubers

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/bonito-lab-scores-the-cover-of-the-journal-mycologia-with-the-discovery-of-new-truffle-species faculty faculty31 11/18/2024 Student View: Financial success as a graduate student MPS student Lexi Heger reflects on her experience organizing and attending the Financial Wellness workshop for plant science graduate students and postdocs. Lexi Heger

students students32 MSU researchers find trees acclimate to changing temperatures MPS alumnus Luke Gregory looks at how paper birch trees are acclimatizing to changing environments. 11/18/2024 Looking into a greenhouse, researchers in lab coats and masks work with paper birch trees in pots. The trees are about three feet in height.

Looking into a greenhouse, researchers in lab coats and masks work with paper birch trees in pots. The trees are about three feet in height.

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-11-msu-research-shows-way-trees-acclimate-to-increasing-temperatures.aspx students students33 11/12/2024 Abby Bryson and Leah Johnson awarded inaugural MPS Outstanding Paper Award This October, two students in the Molecular Plant Sciences graduate program were awarded the inaugural MPS Outstanding Paper Award. Kara Headley

students students34 true 11/04/2024 Student view: From childhood dreams to my first-generation college journey Annabella Lyndon shares her non-traditional path to Michigan State and her passion for plant sciences. Annabella Lyndon

A person in a lab looks through a microscope

students students35 MSU awarded one of the NSF’s six Global Centers to solve worldwide food challenges Michigan State University has been awarded one of six Global Centers through the U.S. National Science Foundation and its partner agencies. 10/03/2024 Leaves against a dirt background

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/msu-one-of-nsf-six-global-centers-to-solve-worldwide-food-challenges faculty faculty36 Uncovering protein complex between ER and chloroplasts MPS researchers have discovered what bridges two important pieces of cellular machinery in plants. 09/05/2024 Six confocal images of tobacco, three showing expression of VAP27-1 and VAP27-3, three showing chloroplasts, and three showing those images merged.

Six confocal images of tobacco, three showing expression of VAP27-1 and VAP27-3, three showing chloroplasts, and three showing those images merged.

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-09-uncovering-protein-complex-between-er-chloroplasts.aspx faculty faculty37 Hsu receives NIH, NSF awards for genetic studies MPS faculty member Polly Hsu received $3.7 million in funding to expand genetic research that has applications for heartier crops and healthier lives 08/26/2024 Polly Hsu in her lab

https://bmb.natsci.msu.edu/news/2024/2024-08-nsf-mira-genetics.aspx faculty faculty38 NSF grant awarded to study what happens when plants “overspend”

MPS researcher Berkley Walker, and Hiroshi Maeda, were awarded $1.9 million to study how plants make critical choices during photosynthesis.

08/26/2024 Berkley Walker (right) shows Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz (left) around the lab.

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-08-nsf-grant-awarded-to-study-what-happens-when-plants-overspend%20.aspx faculty faculty39 Bacterial organelle pores work independent of shape

The organelle can arrange itself in a sheet or a shell — but that doesn’t change how it operates.

08/19/2024 A computer rendering of bacterial microcompartment shell proteins. There are five round shells and a flat sheet.

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-08-pores-of-bacterial-organelle.aspx faculty faculty40 Discovery Science,Health Science and Innovation bmb,chemistry,mps,prl 08/07/2024 How fungi elude antifungal treatments

Researchers have found how fungi rebuild, reinforce their cell walls after exposure to antifungals, opening opportunities to improve current therapies

Research led by Tuo Wang of Michigan State University has shown how fungi reinforce the cell wall after exposure to antifungal drugs.

Fungal infections, which affect more than 2 million people around the world every year, are difficult to treat because fungi develop resistance to the four families of drugs available on the market.

The results of Wang and his team, published in the journal Nature Communications, could help researchers develop new treatments to address fungal infections in humans.

Stacy Kish An illustration of the complex, diversly structured and multilayered organization of Aspergillus fungal cell wall. The inset shows the antifungal drug caspofungin inhibiting the biosynthesis of β-1,3-glucan.

An illustration of the complex, diversly structured and multilayered organization of Aspergillus fungal cell wall. The inset shows the antifungal drug caspofungin inhibiting the biosynthesis of β-1,3-glucan.

41 MPS PhD Candidate Lexi Heger awarded USDA NIFA-AFRI Predoctoral Fellowship With new funding, graduate student Lexi Heger’s research takes an unexpected turn 07/26/2024

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/psm-phd-candidate-lexi-heger-awarded-usda-nifa-afri-predoctoral-fellowship students students42 Maxwell Harman recieves Bayer Foundation fellowship The fellowship provides opportunities for international exchange programs in drug discovery, agriculture and medicine. 07/22/2024

https://www.bayer-foundation.com/science-fellowships-here-are-our-2024-fellows students students43 Green gold: Turning trees into 'biofactories' Spartan researchers have developed a way to get poplar trees to produce valuable molecules usually derived from shark livers 07/08/2024 https://bmb.natsci.msu.edu/news/2024/2024-green-gold.aspx Discovery Science,Health Science and Innovation,Plant Sciences mps,prl A large green poplar leaf speckled with water droplets

A large green poplar leaf speckled with water droplets

44 Vermaas awarded NIH MIRA Grant The nearly $1.8 million award will support work in drug discovery through molecular dynamics research in plants 07/01/2024 https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-07-josh-vermaas-awarded-nih-mira-grant.aspx Discovery Science,Health Science and Innovation,Plant Sciences bmb,mps A colorful molecular model. Green and purple ribbons depicting the heterodimeric cisprenyltransferase complex floating above gray, red and blue dots depicting a cell membrane.

A colorful molecular model. Green and purple ribbons depicting the heterodimeric cisprenyltransferase complex floating above gray, red and blue dots depicting a cell membrane.

45 true 06/11/2024 Maxwell Harman accepted to NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Maxwell Harman shares his insights on his acceptance to the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Kara Headley and Maxwell Harman

students students46 Bacterial Alchemy: Transforming Microbes into Nutraceutical Factories Björn Hamberger, MPS faculty member, is the winner of the 2024 nnovation of the Year award from the Innovation Center. 05/09/2024 A petri dish with green spots on it.

https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/bacterial-alchemy-transforming-microbes-into-nutraceutical-factories/ faculty faculty47 true 05/07/2024 MPS graduate students participate in 2024 EnergyTech competition

A group of graduate and undergraduate students participated in the 2024 EnergyTech University Prize, making it to the regionals portion of the competition. The contest is organized by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Technology Transitions and challenges students to create and present a business plan in the energy sector.

Kara Headley

students students48 Exemplary scholarship and education The College of Natural Science has three newly minted Red Cedar Distinguished Professors, including MPS faculty member Shinhan Shiu. 04/19/2024 Shinhan Shiu, Gina Leinninger and Elise Zipkin

Shinhan Shiu, Gina Leinninger and Elise Zipkin

https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2024-04-exemplary-scholarship-and-education.aspx faculty faculty49 MSU plant science community inspires future scientists at 2024 Science Festival Researchers from across the Michigan State University plant science community, including several MPS students, participated in this year’s Science Festival on campus. 04/18/2024 A scientific instrument clamps onto a green leaf and a screen shows measurements

A scientific instrument clamps onto a green leaf and a screen shows measurements

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-04-msu-plant-science-community-inspires-future-scientists-at-2024-science-festival.aspx students students50 true 04/16/2024 MPS students awarded 2024 Keegstra and Thomashow Travel Awards

Graduate students Xiaotong Jiang and Bailey Kleven are the 2024 recipients of the Keegstra and Thomashow Travel Awards.

Kara Headley

Awards students Awards,students51 ‘Something funky’ is afoot with how electrons hop Using molecular dynamics, researchers from David Kramer and Josh Vermaas's labs, both MPS faculty members, showed how electrons move through a crystal, jumping from heme to heme. 04/10/2024 A computer graphic of molecules in a crystal

A computer graphic of molecules in a crystal

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-04-something-funky-is-afoot-with-how-electrons-hop.aspx faculty faculty52 Kerfeld helps celebrate 20 years of national nanoscience MPS faculty member Cheryl Kerfeld was a panelist at an event in Washington, DC commemorating US innovation at the nanoscale. 04/05/2024

https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2024-04-kerfeld-helps-celebrate-twenty-years-of-national-nanoscience.aspx faculty faculty53 Life without lipids: Building toward 'artificial cells'

Spartan researchers, including MPS faculty member Cheryl Kerfeld, join a nationwide team to create a new way to design cell-sized microfactories that could help make medicines, biofuels and more.

04/01/2024 Shell protein coatings glow red around encapsulated blue droplets made of RNA in this microscope image

https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2024-04-building-toward-artificial-cells.aspx faculty faculty54 Max Harman awarded Michigan Soybean Association Scholarship

Max Harman, MPS graduate student, was awarded a 2024 Michigan Soybean Association Scholarship.

03/28/2024 Max Harman

https://www.morningagclips.com/michigan-soybean-association-awards-scholarships-to-five-students/ students students55 From negative results to new discoveries In a recent study in Plant Physiology, researchers from MPS faculty member Christoph Benning's lab revealed a misconception that had been growing in plant science about one of the fundamental puzzle pieces of photosynthesis. 03/25/2024 Four green plants

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-03-from-negative-results-to-new-discoveries.aspx faculty faculty56 Project GREEEN: 25 years of strengthening Michigan plant agriculture The program is a partnership among MSU, the Plant Coalition and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. This includes work from MPS faculty members Courtney Hollender and Robert VanBuren. 02/28/2024 Grass

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/project-greeen-25-years-of-strengthening-michigan-plant-agriculture faculty faculty57 Discovery led by MSU researchers can reduce harmful chemicals produced in fried potatoes In a breakthrough for the snack food industry, a team of scientists led by Professor and MPS faculty member Jiming Jiang and Professor David Douches has discovered a key mechanism behind the darkening and potential health concerns associated with cold-stored potatoes. 02/21/2024 Jiming Jiang and David Douches

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/discovery-led-by-msu-researchers-can-reduce-harmful-chemicals-produced-in-fried-potatoes faculty faculty58 Illuminating the source-sink balancing act of photosynthetic ‘tiny green bacteria’ From Danny Ducat's lab, a recent publication in Metabolic Engineering looks at how cyanobacteria balance cellular energy between “source and sink,” which may have downstream applications in bioproduction. 02/07/2024 Cyanobacteria as seen under a microscope

Cyanobacteria as seen under a microscope

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2024-02-illuminating-the-source-sink-balancing-act-of-photosynthetic-tiny-green-bacteria.aspx faculty faculty59 true 01/30/2024 Recruiting the next generation of plant scientists at ABRCMS Lucas Reist, a graduate student in the Cell & Molecular Biology and Molecular Plant Science, or MPS, programs attended the 2023 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists, or ABRCMS, in Phoenix, Arizona. Kara Headley

students students60 Leah Johnson receives the 2023 Kende award MPS alum Leah Johnson is the 2023 recipient of the Kende Award, which acknowledges the best doctoral dissertation in plant sciences at Michigan State University over the last two years. 12/13/2023 Gregg Howe and Leah Johnson

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2023-12-leah-johnson-receives-the-2023-kende-award.aspx students students61 true 11/30/2023 "I'm not alone": Lessons from the National Diversity in STEM Conference This fall, Molecular Plant Sciences graduate student Cathy Mercado alongside other MSU students attended the 50th National Diversity in STEM Conference in Portland, Oregon. The conference is hosted annually by SACNAS, or the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. Kara Headley

Three people pose with a sign shaped like a heart which says Oregon

Three people pose with a sign that says S A C N A S

students students62 CompBioAsia: An international summit bringing computational biology students together For a small field like computational biology, joining an international workshop is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from, collaborate with and talk to professionals and students from around the world. This is how MPS student Duncan Boren of the Vermaas Lab felt when he learned about the CompBioAsia program. 11/30/2023

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-and-events/news/2023-11-compbioasia-an-international-summit-bringing-computational-biology-together.aspx students students63 MSU plant biologists shed light on 144-year-old seedy mystery Four MSU plant biologists, including MPS faculty member David Lowry, excavated and genetically tested 144 year old seeds, discovering a hybrid plant was accidentally included among the seeds in the bottle. 11/06/2023 Five people in covid masks look down at the camera, standing in a circle

Five people in covid masks look down at the camera, standing in a circle

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/msu-plant-biologists-shed-light-on-144-year-old-seedy-mystery faculty faculty64 Plants’ secret to surviving shorter days New research from MPS faculty member Thomas Sharkey shows how plants have adapted to deal with losing daylight. 11/02/2023 Tom Sharkey talks to a woman in the lab

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/plants-secret-to-surviving-shorter-days faculty faculty65 Berkley Walker wants to revamp photosynthesis for a changing climate Berkley Walker didn’t plan on becoming a scientist; he wanted to be an entrepreneur. And he got started early on that goal: In high school in Portland, Ore., he started a granola bar company, which helped pay for his bachelor’s degree in microbiology. 10/24/2023

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/berkley-walker-photosynthesis-photorespiration-climate faculty faculty66 true 09/14/2023 MPS Alumnus Leah Johnson: How plants respond to environmental threats with proper defense

In plants, the jasmonate signaling pathway helps plants control their defense responses to environmental stresses. Like the human body, plants respond differently to individual threats. Just as people wouldn’t get a fever due to a sprained ankle, plants deal with harmful elements in particular ways. A study from the Howe lab looks at how plants respond to environmental threats in the correct way.

In plants, the jasmonate (JA) signaling pathway helps plants control their defense responses to environmental stresses
A study from the Howe lab looks at how plants respond to environmental threats in the correct way
The research shows that different JAZ subsets control different responses

alumnus students alumnus,students67 true 08/31/2023 Studying Polyploidy in Switzerland: Graduate student MacKenzie Jacobs and summer school abroad MPS graduate student MacKenzie Jacobs writes about her experience in Switzerland in summer 2023, attending Polyploid Summer School at the University of Fribourg.

A photo of a few buildings along a river

students students68 true 08/10/2023 Five MPS students accepted to PBHS graduate training program Five Molecular Plant Sciences graduate students have been accepted to the Plant Biotechnology for Health and Sustainability Graduate Training Program. This two-year program provides training and career opportunities for students who are interested in research areas related to plant biotechnology.

students students69 Graduate Student Spotlight: Angel McKay Whiteman The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology features MPS graduate stuent Angel McKay Whiteman as a Graduate Student Spotlight. 08/08/2023 angel McKay Whiteman working in a lab

https://bmb.natsci.msu.edu/news/2023-08-07-GraduateStudentSpotlight.aspx students students70 Drawing high schoolers to STEM with plants and creativity MPS faculty member David Lowry participates in a collaboration between plant and education researchers at MSU working to transform the relationship students have with science. 07/17/2023 An illustration from the “Mystery of the Monkeyflower” comic book developed by Michigan State University to help teach high schoolers about genes and adaptation

An illustration from the “Mystery of the Monkeyflower” comic book developed by Michigan State University to help teach high schoolers about genes and adaptation

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2023/drawing-high-schoolers-to-stem faculty faculty71 Investigating the impacts of temperature on the thylakoid membrane: Insights from computer simulations Two MPS faulty members, Josh Vermaas and Tom Sharkey, teamed up to investigate how isoprene levels and temperature affect the thylakoid membrane of plants at the nanoscale. 06/28/2023 A computer graphic showing how isoprene intercalates into the hydrophobic core of a thylakoid membrane

A computer graphic showing how isoprene intercalates into the hydrophobic core of a thylakoid membrane

https://prl.natsci.msu.edu/news-events/news/investigating-the-impacts-of-temperature-on-the-thylakoid-membrane-insights-from-computer-simulations/ faculty faculty72 true 06/14/2023 MSU researchers connect over coral This scientific connection led to a unique collaboration between Robert Quinn and MPS faculty member Christoph Benning, who teamed up and received a $1.9 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study the role that betaine lipids from a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with algae play in coral bleaching.

Awards faculty Awards,faculty73 06/01/2023 Kadeem J. Gilbert's research recognized by the American Society of Plant Biologists' early investigator award Kadeem J. Gilbert, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station faculty member and assistant professor in the Michigan State University College of Natural Science’s Department of Plant Biology, has received a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding young plant scientists.

Awards faculty Awards,faculty74 05/22/2023 The hidden complexity of the Montmorency tart cherry genome Since Michigan is the nation's leading producer of tart cherries, Michigan State University researchers, including MPS faculty member Courtney Hollender, were searching for the genes associated with tart cherry trees that bloom later in the season to meet the needs of a changing climate.

A pile of cherries with a DNA strand behind it

faculty faculty75 true 04/28/2023 2023 Anton Lang Memorial Award winners announced Graduate student Hannah Parks and postdoctoral researcher María Santos Merino have been awarded the 2023 Anton Lang Memorial Awards at a ceremony which took place on Monday, April 24, 2023. This year’s lecture was given by University Distinguished Professor Thomas D. Sharkey from Michigan State University.

Awards students Awards,students76 true 04/17/2023 Taking flight: Grad student plays key role in NASA experiment (Extended interview) The interview is with Joanne Thomson about her role and contributions to the recent NASA experiment provided by the Brandizzi lab.

Tubes with seeds inside next to a box labeled critical space item

students students77 04/04/2023 The Spartan scientists helping agriculture adapt to a changing planet Michigan State University’s renowned plant researchers are collaborating on solutions to grow more abundant, nutritious and resilient plants that will feed a growing population.

A collage of different MSU scientists working with plants

faculty faculty78 true 04/03/2023 Engineering Cyanobacteria for cross-cultural exchange 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 with one another to control their population, researchers, including MPS graduate student Rees Rillema, show.

research students research,students79 03/29/2023 Podcast: Agricultural innovation working to feed a growing population in the face of climate challenges MPS faculty member Federica Brandizzi discusses agricultural innovation. The world’s population is growing, and climate change is continuing to impact the crops we need to feed that growing population.

Federica Brandizzi, Felicia Wu, Bruno Basso

faculty faculty80 03/28/2023 Plants in Space: College of Natural Science Connections Magazine The moon holds answers, and a MPS faculty member Federica Brandizzi and graduate student Joanne Thomson are bringing those answers within reach. Patience, creativity and a cheerful fearlessness are turning insights buried in plant seeds into pathways to the very survival of the human race.

Federica Brandizzi and Joanne Thomson look at some of the seedlings that returned from lunar orbit on the Orion spacecraft.

faculty research students faculty,research,students81 true 03/27/2023 Beating the heat: Exploring algae's ability to thrive in extreme environments Found in acidic volcanic hot springs, the extremophilic alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae contains a unique process that allows them to survive in extreme environments. Researchers, led by graduate student Anne Steensma from the Molecular Plant Sciences Graduate Program, are looking at this process and its potential to change how we understand the ways photosynthetic organisms adapt to environmental challenges like high temperatures.

A top down view of a piece of lab equipment that measures photosynthesis

research students research,students82 03/24/2023 Helping plants grow as phosphorus levels in soil deplete Michigan State University researchers including MPS faculty member Hatem Rouached have discovered a molecular mechanism that connects plant root growth to phosphorus availability.

faculty research faculty,research83 03/20/2023 Max Harman awarded National Sorghum Foundation and BASF 2022-2023 Scholarship Harman is a first year Ph.D. student in the MPS program. He wants to pursue a career in agriculture research to improve food and our food system using novel gene-editing techniques to discover and implement novel traits that benefit both producers and consumers.

Awards students Awards,students84 03/15/2023 How biofuel crops harness fungal defenders Michigan State University researcher Acer VanWallendael understands the public’s fascination with fungus. It is, after all, a fungus that kicks off the zombie apocalypse in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us.”

A field and text that reads: the grassed of us

faculty research faculty,research85 true 02/08/2023 From farm to pharmaceuticals: Discovering metabolites with potential uses in medicine Scopolamine and hyoscyamine are medicinally important compounds that are produced in some solanaceous species. MPS student Hannah Parks is interested in understanding the metabolism in this family of plants.

research students research,students86 true 01/23/2023 MSU researchers uncover new potential for ancient mint plants MSU researchers, including MPS students Emily Lanier and Abigail Bryson, have traced the evolution of mint genomes for potential future applications that range from medicines to pesticides to antimicrobials.

students students87 true 01/09/2023 From colleagues to collaborators, a cross-department conversation links statistics to plant science Complicated sets of biological data can be challenging to extrapolate meaningful information from. Wanting to find a better way to look at this data led Berkley Walker, assistant professor at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL) and the Department of Plant Biology, to team up with statistician and Assistant Professor Chih-Li Sung from the Department of Statistics and Probability.

faculty faculty88 true 01/03/2023 MPS Faculty Berkley Walker: Is there a link between climate change and plant nutrition? A new study from researchers at Michigan State University underscores that we still have much to learn regarding how plants will function — and how nutritious they will be — as more carbon enters our atmosphere.

faculty faculty89 true 12/15/2022 Borrowing building blocks from bacteria to create a more sustainable future With $10.65 million of support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Michigan State University is home to one of the nation’s newest Energy Frontier Research Centers.

Led by Cheryl Kerfeld, a Hannah Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, the center is exploring how nature compartmentalizes some of its most important biochemical reactions.

a rendering of the protein shell of a synthetic compartment

Awards Awards90 true 12/09/2022 MPS Faculty Erich Grotewold and Patrick Edger: Helping an oilseed take off as a sustainable fuel source Researchers at Michigan State University are working to clear the runway for a new source of cleaner, more sustainable biodiesel and jet fuels derived from a relative of cabbage and cauliflower.

faculty faculty91 true 11/16/2022 Federica Brandizzi: Michigan State science is returning to space with NASA The Brandizzi Lab at MSU is sending seeds to space aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission to explore how humanity can sustain itself outside of Earth.

faculty faculty92 true 11/08/2022 MPS Faculty Federica Brandizzi: DOE-BER grant seeks new imaging approaches to observe plant-microbe interactions Michigan State University and the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, operated by Stanford University, are working to build new microscopes that allow scientists to peer into plant cells like never before.

faculty faculty93 true 09/28/2022 MPS Faculty Gregory Bonito: New 'living' wood could be an environmental superhero MSU and Purdue researchers team up to create a new type of strong, sustainable, self-healing timber infused with microbes.

faculty faculty94 true 09/21/2022 Graduate student Bianca Serda shares her experience at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory Bianca Serda is a second-year graduate student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Molecular Plant Sciences programs here at Michigan State University. "I have learned that there are many resources available to help move my research forward, all I need to do is ask what is available for me and somehow, I find what I need."

students students95 true 09/21/2022 MPS faculty Robert VanBuren: What it takes for plants to survive drought MSU researchers are studying plants that can survive extreme drought and what they can teach us about life without water.

faculty faculty96 true 09/12/2022 MPS Seminars return for 2022/2023 Academic year Join the Molecular Plant Sciences program Fall and Spring semester for the Monday seminar series.

event event97 true 09/08/2022 Inaugural EHS Laboratory Safety Awards recognizes NatSci laboratories Berkley Walker's lab - including MPS graduate students Luke Gregory, Kalia Smith and Anne Steensma - was acknowledged by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety as a part of their inaugural Laboratory Safety Recognition Awards this year.

Walker lab members are presented with an award

Awards faculty students Awards,faculty,students98 true 09/07/2022 Monkeyflower power and adapting to change with David Lowry at Michigan State University Because of their diversity and other traits, hardy monkeyflowers have become the hot new plant to study.

faculty video faculty,video99 true 09/07/2022 MPS faculty Hatem Rouached: Bigger plants don't always equal more nutritious ones Researchers at Michigan State University discovered a new way plants are adapting to the changing climate — information that can be used to help plants grow strong while also maintaining their nutritional value.

faculty faculty100 true 08/24/2022 MPS graduate student Joanne Thomson: Michigan State University to send seeds around the moon

MPS faculty member Federica Brandizzi and graduate student Joanne Thomson send seeds to space in the Artemis 1 spacecraft.

students students101 true 08/10/2022 MPS graduate student Bianca Serda granted two travel awards for summer conferences Third-year graduate student Bianca Serda attended two scientific conferences this summer: The Gordon Research Conference on Biogenic Hydrocarbons and the Atmosphere in June, and the American Society of Plant Biologists Plant Biology Conference in July.

Bianca Serda (right) with fellow Sharkey lab members, postdoc Abria Sahu (left) and postdoc Stephanie Schmiege (center), at the ASPB Plant Biology conference.

students students102 true 06/30/2022 The origins of sour cherry: MSU course brings research to fruition During undergraduate years, gaining hands-on lab experience and signing your name to a scientific publication can give your resume a well-deserved push, and even help open doors to a new career path or Ph.D. program.

research research103 true 06/15/2022 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.

peroxisome movement along actin bundles in a tobacco epidermal cell.

faculty faculty104 true 05/30/2022 MPS's Gregg Howe selected as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Gregg Howe, an MSU College of Natural Science researcher internationally known for his work on plant resilience and how plants respond to insect attacks, will be heading to the University of Tsukuba in Japan as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar for the 2022-2023 academic year. Howe and his collaborators will apply cutting-edge genetic technologies to the development of crop plants that will contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security.

faculty faculty105 true 05/10/2022 Four MPS faculty recognized with American Society of Plant Biologists awards Erich Grotewold, Jiming Jiang, Beronda Montgomery and Berkley Walker are among those recognized with 2022 ASPB awards.

faculty faculty106 true 05/02/2022 MPS Graduate Student Philip Engelgau awarded 2022 Anton Lang Graduate Student award Graduate student Philip Engelgau and postdoc Peipei Wang have been awarded the 2022 Anton Lang Memorial Award at a ceremony which took place on Monday, April 25, 2022. This year’s lecture was given by Professor Emeritus Govindjee from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Awards students Awards,students107 true 04/27/2022 Cheryl Kerfeld: Building 'nanofactories' to help make medicines and more Spartan research in the lab of Cheryl Kerfeld could lead to efficient, low-cost chemical reactions for valuable products with help from teensy compartments made by bacteria.

faculty faculty108 true 04/25/2022 MPS graduate students chosen for 2022 NRT-IMPACTS Fellowship cohort Three MPS graduate students – Duncan Boren, Jenny Schuster and Josh Temple – were chosen for the 2022 cohort of the NRT-IMPACTS fellowship program.

Awards Awards109 true 04/12/2022 Cutting down on one 'super fat' could help plants survive climate change Spartan researchers from David Kramer's lab discover how a plant biochemical could lead to novel approaches for growing crops that are more resilient to fluctuating temperatures.

faculty faculty110 true 04/03/2022 Philip Engelgau on The Sci-Files: Peeling Back the Secrets to Banana Aroma Biosynthesis MPS graduate student Philip Engelgau was interviewed about his research for The Sci-Files, a science podcast from Impact 89FM.

students students111 true 03/08/2022 A 'pilot light' for photosynthesis MPS faculty member Tom Sharkey reveals processes that keep a plant’s energy balance in check during changing conditions, which could lead to more efficient crops.

faculty faculty112 true 03/08/2022 Susanne Hoffmann-Benning receives the MSU Award for Outstanding Service to Education Abroad Fourteen Spartans and community members have been named recipients of the 2022 International Awards, presented by International Studies and Programs. Since 1990, the awards program has celebrated individuals whose contributions fulfill the university’s mission to advance knowledge and transform lives across the globe.

faculty faculty113 true 02/28/2022 Thomas Sharkey named American Society of Plant Biologists Pioneer Member Michigan State University plant biochemist Thomas D. Sharkey was recently named a Pioneer Member of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), a recognition given to leaders in the society, especially those who have been involved in training graduate students, postdocs and visiting professors.

faculty faculty114 true 02/20/2022 Serena Lotreck on The Sci-Files: Automated Hypothesis Generation for the Plant Sciences MPS graduate student Serena Lotreck was interviewed about her research for The Sci-Files, a science podcast from Impact 89FM.

students students115 true 01/11/2022 Jianping Hu accepts leadership position as new director of MPS Professor Jianping Hu has been appointed as the new director of the Molecular Plant Sciences (MPS) Graduate Program at Michigan State University.

faculty faculty116 true 12/22/2021 Josh Temple: How do algae survive excess oxygen? Recent discovery gives clues to boost biofuel production A new study from the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL) shows how some algae can protect themselves when the oxygen they produce impairs their photosynthetic activity. The discovery also answers a long-standing question about how algae survive when CO2 levels are low.

Gloved hands hold a plate with algae growing

students students117 true 12/15/2021 Tribute to Danny Schnell We are deeply saddened that Danny Schnell, Professor and Chair of the Department of Plant Biology in the College of Natural Sciences, passed away on December 15, 2021 after a valiant fight with cancer from complications of his treatment.

faculty faculty118 true 09/07/2021 MPS Monday Seminars bring international researchers to campus this fall The Molecular Plant Sciences Monday seminar series is kicking off the 2021-2022 school year with presentations by plant scientists from institutions all over the world.

event event119 true 08/18/2021 Kara Headley starts as the communications manager for PRL and the MPS program My name is Kara Headley, and I am the new communications manager for the DOE-MSU Plant Research Laboratory (PSL) and the Molecular Plant Sciences program (MPS). I am very much looking forward to diving into this role and this community.

staff staff120 true 03/23/2021 PhD student, Joanne Thomson, awarded NRT-IMPACTS fellowship The NRT program at Michigan State University, funded by the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program, trains doctoral students in applying computational data science approaches to solving problems in plant biology.

students students121 true 12/07/2020 Race to defenses: Maize outpaces soybeans in fighting off fungal invasions Sudden death syndrome is a devastating disease that afflicts soybean crops, causing annual losses in U.S. soybean yields in excess of $274 million dollars. New Michigan State University research shows that the trick to surviving the disease might be a matter of timing when to mount a defense response.

research research122 true 12/04/2020 How a plant cell's skeleton helps fight infection A new study from Michigan State University identifies a missing link which controls plant immunity and plants' ability to maintain their cytoskeleton – the frame that both gives plant cells their shape and that serves as a highway for materials to move inside these cells. Actin filaments, seen under a microscope,

Actin filaments, seen under a microscope

research research123 true 09/10/2020 MSU doctoral student Ethan Thibault awarded prestigious NSF fellowship The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship is one of the country’s most prestigious and competitive awards for graduate students. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based masters and doctoral degrees in fields within NSF’s mission.

Awards students Awards,students124 true 04/24/2020 MPS researcher receives grant to continue studying pathogen resistance in plants The grant will fund research examining plant responses to environmental threats and an outreach program designed to educate the general public on plant research.

Awards faculty Awards,faculty