College of Engineering Archives - MSU Innovation Center

Aitor Aguirre is Revolutionizing Medicine by Creating “Mini Hearts” to Speed Drug Development and Improve Safety 

By Keith Rouse

For decades, the medical community has faced a frustrating dilemma: cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, yet the pipeline for new treatments is a high-risk gamble that usually ends in failure. More than 92% of heart-related drugs that pass preclinical animal tests fail to receive FDA approval during human trials, and for complex cardiovascular conditions, success rates …

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harvest

Innovation of the Year: A Robotic Apple Harvester Built for Real Orchards 

By Keith Rouse

In fruit orchards, timing is critical. When labor is scarce or costly, fruit may remain unharvested, causing lost income and risking the relocation of specialty crop production from Michigan to regions with larger orchards and more workers.  “If we don’t automate critical tasks quickly, crops will remain on trees or rot. Industries will leave, and so will our domestic …

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wireless communication

MSU-Irish researchers collaborate on next-gen wireless communications

MSU Today

A new U.S.-Ireland research partnership, led by electrical engineering professors at Michigan State University, will work to improve wireless communications through location-specific “communications pockets” for more private, secure and efficient wireless communications. The project has the potential to improve next-generation wireless systems, like 5G and 6G. Mauro Ettorre, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, …

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Research Spotlight: Slippery surfaces that speed up life-saving diagnostics

College of Engineering

Microfluidic devices can reveal infections, track treatment response, and guide personalized therapies. They power many of today’s vital medical tests, but if the fluid hesitates or sticks to the surface, results can be skewed, take longer, and cost more to produce. Bei Fan, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State University, and her …

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Research Spotlight: Microrobots combat cancer and clots with pinpoint accuracy

College of Engineering

Clinicians treating cancer and blood clots must balance the risk of medical interventions with their life-saving benefits. Biopsies to collect tissue for testing, ablations to kill diseased cells, and surgery or catheters to remove blood clots are effective but they’re also invasive. New microrobots – smaller than the diameter of a human hair – could …

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microrobots

New MSU microrobots could reduce patient risks, speed healing

MSU Today

Imagine a future where cancer treatment affects only the tumor, where eye injections are no longer required and brain surgeries don’t result in large incisions or long recovery times. That’s the future researchers at Michigan State University are working toward. Their goal is to make medical care easier on patients by using tiny biodegradable tools …

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crops

Research Spotlight: Helping crops talk back to stress and disease

College of Engineering

To help crops battle pests, disease, and environmental stress, farmers often turn to broad chemical sprays simply because plants have few natural defenses. Angela Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at Michigan State University, studies how microbes and plants naturally communicate. She then turns those insights into new ways for crops …

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 Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation

Leinweber Foundation commits $50M to MSU to name the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation

Spartan Magazine

Michigan State University announced a transformative $50 million commitment from the Leinweber Foundation to establish the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation, a landmark investment that will accelerate MSU’s leadership in education, research and workforce development across Michigan and beyond. As the largest gift ever to a facility at MSU, this monumental investment propels the …

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fusion

New fusion energy research center engages students and DOE

MSU Today

The National Nuclear Security Administration has announced a new Focused Investigatory Center at Michigan State University focused on the future of fusion energy. The award includes $5 million spread out over the next five years and will provide a unique opportunity for MSU faculty and students to work alongside and learn from U.S. Department of …

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mobility

Spartan science is making transportation safer

MSU Today

Every time you buckle up, there’s a good chance Michigan State University research is helping keep you safe. With more than 50 faculty across MSU Mobility and the College of Engineering, Spartan researchers are tackling transportation challenges from every angle, including safer roads, stronger vehicles, smarter infrastructure and secure autonomous systems. Using our campus as …

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