As one of the best research universities in the world, Michigan State University is constantly advancing, innovating and changing the future of the world.
Here are some recent research efforts you may have missed.
MSU will increase its fleet of electric vehicles by almost 370 vehicles
The university has announced plans to convert 369 vehicles in its fleet in the next decade from vehicles with internal combustion engines to fully electric vehicles.
This transition will move MSU closer to its goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, as the change will reduce the university’s total carbon dioxide by 18,945 metric tons of carbon dioxide in the long run.
To launch the commitment, MSU has purchased 40 new electric vehicles and is upgrading its electric charging network.
The new invention makes operations easier, faster and safer
MSU professor and head of orthopedic surgery of small animals at the MSU Veterinary Medical Center, Dr. Loic Desjardin, invented and patented the sacroiliac luxation instrumentation system, or SILIS, and a minimally invasive device for lucent aiming, or MILAD.
The invention will make operations for injured sacroiliac joints - where the spine connects to the pelvis - more efficient and effective.
Dislocations and fractures of the sacroiliac joint, or SIL / F, are common in dogs and cats that have suffered vehicle injuries. Traditionally, these injuries can be treated through three methods: open reduction and internal fixation, invasive surgery with an inconsistent success rate, and a minimally invasive osteosynthesis procedure — where an intraoperative imaging modality called fluoroscopy creates an “X-ray film” of the surgical site to help avoid invasive surgery. , but also exposes the patient and the surgical team to ionizing radiation and “rest in a cage”, prolonging pain and suffering.
SILAS-MILAD solves these problems because it requires only small incisions and the surgical team can walk away while doing radiographs. In fact, the invention is so productive that it reduces SIL / F operations from 1-2 hours to 30 minutes.
A PET scanner arrives at the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Center
The first full-body PET / CT scanner in Michigan arrived this month at the MSU radio pharmacy in the Doug Meijer building for innovation.
The Total Body Scanner scans cancer patients more efficiently than conventional imaging, with a head-to-toe scan lasting just 60 seconds - a stark contrast to 40 minutes of traditional scans.
BAMF Health will start using the scanner in July to treat patients with prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumors.
MSU researchers receive a $ 3.7 million grant for autism research
A team of MSU researchers received a five-year $ 3.7 million grant from the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders to study language in young children with autism.
The team is led by Courtney Wanker, principal investigator and assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at the Faculty of Communication Arts and Sciences. She is joined by Professor of Clinical Psychology Brooke Ingersoll, Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies Ryan Bowles and speech and language pathologist Jenny Johnson.
The project is set to begin in June and aims to improve the ability to make clinical recommendations on how best to support language development in young children with autism.
Traditionally, adults are advised to simplify what children with autism say in order to create a clearer message. However, there is little evidence of the effects of this method.
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“The challenge is that, as a field of spoken language pathology, we really don’t have a lot of empirical or research evidence to guide the decisions we make about how to talk to children,” Venker said. “The aim of this study is to gather the information we need to make evidence-based decisions and to be able to individualize the way we talk because we know that some young children with autism have really strong language skills. … Other children are not yet speaking and may be struggling to understand what they are hearing. So, we bring children in a way through that range of spoken language levels, and we’ll be able to see what works best for which child. “
To conduct the research, Venker and her team will work with over 100 young children with autism at the MSU Lingo Laboratory.
“We are incredibly honored and humbled to receive this funding,” Venker said. “In practical terms, what this means is that we will be able to have the support to really implement this project, which we believe is very important for ensuring that children have all the opportunities they deserve.
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