Spartan research is improving the lives of Michigan families
Jan. 15, 2026
By Meredith Mescher, Siska Lyssens, Liam Boylan-Pett
Across the state, the work of Michigan State University researchers is improving the lives of residents in meaningful and lasting ways. With federal funding, their research turns public investment into public good.
Researchers are tackling challenges that private industry often can’t or won’t because returns aren’t immediate. This research is supported by federal agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy.
Today, MSU ranks among the world’s top public research universities, with $474 million in federal research expenditures in 2024. This investment supports long-term, high-reward studies that advance science while preparing the next generation of problem solvers.
In Michigan, many of those advances are making a difference, helping small businesses thrive, making it possible for families to conquer health conditions and so much more.
Transforming a Michigan dairy farm
On a 1,500-acre dairy farm in southern Michigan, the Preston family made the bold move to replace nearly one-third of its crops with a special soybean variety being studied by researchers at MSU. Within days of feeding the new crop to nearly 1,000 dairy cows, the diet change boosted the milk’s fat and protein levels and led to a reduction in purchased feed costs by 20% each month.
“There was a lot of relief that it was all coming together and that it paid off,” says Brian Preston, who manages the fourth-generation family farm.
Behind the change is a decade of MSU research on cow nutrition led by Adam Lock in the Department of Animal Science. His lab’s work — supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and other organizations — has unlocked an innovative feed approach that reduces reliance on expensive supplements and strengthens profitability.
Michigan’s dairy industry includes more than 850 farms and approximately 436,000 dairy cows, contributing about $15.7 billion to the state’s economy. For the Prestons, and for farms across the state, this once-in-a-generation discovery could transform the industry.
Helping children conquer their chronic pain
By the time she reached ninth grade, Kara Davis had missed weeks of school because of severe stomach pain that doctors struggled to explain. When she joined an MSU study testing cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment, her symptoms began to ease and her quality of life improved profoundly.
“I could not imagine doing the rest of my life without this study,” says Davis. “It just made the biggest impact ever.”
The research, led by Natoshia Cunningham in MSU’s College of Human Medicine and supported by the National Institutes of Health, helps children manage chronic pain by addressing the anxiety that often accompanies it. Families learn practical skills through in-person and online sessions designed to build confidence and resilience.
What began as a research study has become a model for pain management that could help children across Michigan and beyond live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
A lifeline for those experiencing postpartum depression
When Gabrielle Ekstrum gave birth to her second son, she cried for two weeks straight. But because she had participated in Michigan State University’s ROSE program — a federally funded intervention program grounded in research — she recognized the signs of postpartum depression and reached out for help early.
“I was struggling with always being sad but also feeling kind of numb,” Ekstrum says. “I had thoughts running through my head like, ‘The baby doesn’t even need me. Why am I here?’ And having those thoughts was really, really scary.”
With evidence-based treatment and support, she’s feeling more like herself again.
Research from the ROSE program shows that it can cut the rate of postpartum depression in half for participants. It’s also cost-effective. Bringing the program to a clinic costs a few thousand dollars, while a single case of untreated postpartum depression costs an average of $34,000.
MSU public health researcher Jennifer Johnson is expanding the program nationwide. With federal support, she and her team have helped 98 health care providers across 32 states and Puerto Rico offer the program, reaching more than 8,000 new parents.
For Ekstrum, the program changed everything.
“I’m doing this for the kids,” she says. “I want to be the best version of myself for them.”
These families are just a few of the many who benefit from MSU’s research mission. With federal support and a commitment to serving the public good, Spartans will continue to create solutions that make communities stronger and improve quality of life across Michigan and the nation.
Learn more about MSU research supported by federal funding.
Design & Development: Deon Foster
Video: G. L. Kohuth Anthony Siciliano Garret Morgan Nick Schrader Jacob Templin-Fulton
