Top Trending Stories on MSU Innovations You Can't Miss

Welcome to this month’s edition of MSU Innovations, where we round up the most popular stories, updates, and must-reads you might have missed.

From robots to rye seeds, there has been far from a shortage of exciting innovations on and around MSU's campus. These stories highlight the valuable work of many Spartan researchers and leaders working to push the boundaries of their respective fields.

Apple of my AI: MSU’s improved robotic apple picker

Researchers at MSU have made a new advanced robotic apple picker that uses AI to pick the ripest apples and protect them from bruising. Developed by Red Cedar Distinguished Associate Professor Zhaojian Li and Renfu Lu of the USDA, the picker was created with the dual goals of addressing labor shortages and rising costs of apple picking today. To read the whole story, click here: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/ai-msus-improved-robotic-apple-picker/

MSU Educates Students on New Career Pathways with Science and Technology and Commercialization Course

MSU BEST, one of 17 similar programs around the country funded by the NIH, is designed to help MSU post-docs and PhD students learn about potential future career opportunities beyond conventional academic research. With support from the MSU Innovation Center, students have opportunities to gain insights into fields like technology commercialization, startups, and intellectual property law—opening doors to opportunities in industry R&D, tech transfer, and more. To read the full story, click here: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/technology-and-commercialization-course/

How MSU is bringing shipwrecked seeds back to life

In an enthralling underwater expedition, rye seeds from the 1878 James R. Bentley shipwreck in Lake Huron were recovered and rushed to the lab of MSU Associate Professor?Eric Olson, who specializes in wheat breeding and?genetics. The seeds recovered then went on a journey from germination to DNA extraction that brought many exciting discoveries along the way. To read the whole story here: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/shipwrecked-rye-seeds-back-to-life/

MSU faculty at the heart of Packaging 2.0

As the largest packaging program in the United States, MSU's School of Packaging continues to lead global innovation in sustainable packaging technologies. Established in 1952, the program graduates 40 percent of all packaging professionals in the country and is currently undertaking a $25 million expansion to double its research capacity and facility size.The school's renowned faculty, including experts like Eva Almenar, Rafael Auras, and Laurent Matuana, are at the forefront of developing groundbreaking solutions in food preservation, biodegradable materials, and environmentally friendly packaging technologies. To read the full story, click here: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/msu-faculty-at-the-heart-of-packaging-2-0/

MSU lab develops promising breast cancer model

MSU researcher Eran Andrechek and his team are making strides in understanding how breast cancer develops and spreads, thanks to a newly developed mouse model that mimics human breast cancer metastasis like never before. The research was published?in one of the most recent issues of Oncogene,?a leading cancer journal. Andrechek also received a two-year $300,000 American Cancer Society grant to support the next phase of his work. To read the whole story, click here: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/msu-lab-develops-breast-cancer-model/

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About the MSU Innovation Center:

The MSU Innovation Center combines research partnerships, technology transfer, and startup support for MSU faculty who aim to see their research applied to make the world a better place.

Composed of Business Connect, MSU Technologies,?and Spartan Innovations, the MSU Innovation Center aims to amplify the impact of faculty research and drive economic growth while positively impacting society to solve real-world challenges with cutting-edge ideas.

Through mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with the private sector, we connect MSU faculty with companies for corporate-sponsored research collaborations. We also play a key role in facilitating the commercialization and public use of technologies and copyrightable materials, moving MSU’s innovations from the lab to the marketplace. Importantly, we provide significant support for faculty entrepreneurs in establishing startup companies based on technologies developed at MSU.

For more information visit: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/