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 Keith Latham, PhD
 Professor of Animal Science and Adjunct Professor of Obstetrics
The recent decades have ushered in landmark discoveries in the reproductive and developmental sciences which are highly relevant to human health and animal agriculture, including advancements in assisted reproductive technologies, derivation of human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, the transition of regenerative medicine from the realm of theory to application, and a rapidly expanding appreciation for how environmental factors impact development and adult health and disease. Michigan State University has a long history of excellence in the reproductive and developmental sciences, with faculty pursuing cutting-edge research across a wide range of animal models, clinical entities and in population-based human reproductive outcomes. The Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program (RDSP) is composed of a strong and interactive group of faculty from the College of Human Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Natural Sciences, College of Engineering, and the College of Education. The faculty have diverse expertise and research interests and are engaged in fundamental and translational research.

Vision: To be the leading Center of Excellence in the Reproductive and Developmental Sciences and to enhance research partnerships with other research universities and international entities and uphold the traditions of an exceptional land grant institution.

Mission: Reproduction and developmental processes have a profound impact on many high-priority areas of interest for our society, including agriculture, human health, health disparities, environmental impacts, and even climate change. The overall goal of the Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program is to promote innovative collaborations between faculty working in animal science, human medicine, veterinary medicine, genetics, epidemiology, and environmental science to accelerate scientific discovery and the quality of graduate and postdoctoral training. The NIH T32 training program includes a comprehensive portfolio of training activities, that are made available to all RDSP trainees.

News

Alexandra Yaw

Alexandra Yaw, postdoc in Dr. Hanne Hoffmann’s Lab, received an NIH F32 fellowship for her project entitled, “The role of seasonal changes in light on the reproductive axis in female mice.”

Hanne Hoffmann

Dr. Hoffmann’s opinion piece for Science, Boosting cognition with a hormone, discusses gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), shown to improve cognitive function in mouse models of Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s, as a potential avenue for people living with genetic disorders. Dr. Hoffman is also interviewed in both Scientific American, A Hormone May Boost Cognition in Down Syndrome and U.S. News, In Small Study, Hormone Boosts Thinking Skills in Men with Down Syndrome.

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MSU researchers reveal findings from a dual-purpose grant from the USDA and NIH to study assisted reproductive technologies for cattle and humans

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at Michigan State University are studying ovarian stimulation protocols in cattle and in vitro fertilization in humans simultaneously. The team found the standard practice of using high levels of hormones to stimulate ovaries is linked to negative outcomes in live birth rates in women and disruptions to ovarian genes in cattle.

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Dr. Hanne Hoffmann’s article entitled “Low CLOCK and CRY2 in 2nd Trimester Human Maternal Blood and Risk of Preterm Birth a Nested Case Control Study,” published in the October 2021 issue of Biology of Reproduction -  has been selected as Biology of Reproduction’s most popular research article of 2021 based on Altmetric score. She and her group received the “2021 BoR Most Popular Research Article Award” at the SSR annual meeting held in Spokane, Washington in July 2022.

RDSP 5th Annual Research Day

Announcing this year’s award winners for best oral presentation, Robin Kruger, and best poster presentation, Alex Moauro, at the 5th Annual RDSP Research Day, held April 14th at the Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Building (ISTB) on the East Lansing campus.

Special thanks to all of the organizers and volunteers who helped make the event a success!

The 2022 Trainee Organizing Committee:

Soo Hyun Ahn, Ph.D.
Gregory Burns, Ph.D. 
Cole McCutcheon
Kaitlin Karl
Genna Moldovan
Maria Ochoa-Bernal
Diana Pacyga
Yong Song, M.D., Ph.D.
Alexandra Yaw, Ph.D. 
Zhaoran Zhang

Christina Chan

At Michigan State University, researchers are unlocking the power of genuine collaboration to drive discovery and create healthier tomorrows for all.

Spartan engineers are partnering with biological and health scientists to develop innovative solutions to fight diseases and improve treatments.

“Engineers and biological scientists look at problems differently,” says Christina Chan, University Distinguished Professor, George W. Bissell Professor and interim chairperson of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. “The advantage of having different perspectives is that then people come with different backgrounds, and that tends to engender a more creative approach to solving some of these research problems and questions that are raised.”

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