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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

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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AWARDS Logo

asgi fazleabasDr. Asgi Fazleabas received the 2020 Career Achievement Alumni Award from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. This award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of living University of Illinois College of ACES alumni who have had exceptional professional achievement and/or made extraordinary humanitarian contributions. Due to COVID, last year’s gala was virtual, so recipients attended this year’s gala in person to be recognized for their great accomplishments.

View Alumni Gala Program PDF

rita strakovsky phdDr. Rita Strakovsky received the 2021 Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of University of Illinois College of ACES young alumni who have had exceptional professional achievement and/or made extraordinary humanitarian contributions.

View Alumni Gala Program PDF

Yuan Wang

For a human life to form, a sperm must fertilize an egg. Michigan State University’s Yuan Wang is working to understand how the precursors of eggs and sperm are developed in embryos and what interferes with this process to cause infertility in adults.

"In multicell organisms like humans, one fertilized egg can develop into all cell types with diverse biological functions that make up the body,” says Wang, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Some of these cells become eggs (in female) and sperm (in male). This fascinating process forms a cycle of life and inspires me to understand how this happens."

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mother pregnent belly

One in ten babies is born prematurely in the United States, but a blood test during a routine prenatal visit could reveal if a woman is at risk of a preterm delivery, according to a Michigan State University researcher.

“Preterm births are common,” said Hanne Hoffmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “If we know the mother is at risk for a preterm birth, her doctor can monitor her more closely.”

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covid virus

Researchers led by a Michigan State University professor will conduct two studies of whether infection with the COVID-19 virus or vaccination to prevent COVID-19 is affecting the menstrual cycles of women and girls. The studies, funded by the National Institutes of Health, follow anecdotal reports by some women that they had heavier or irregular menstrual cycles after they were infected with the virus or inoculated against it.

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