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Tom Sharkey, chairperson of MSU's biochemistry and molecular biology department, has developed a method to produce bio-isoprene, which could lead to eco-friendly tires. Photo by G.L. Kohuth.
The world’s rubber supplies are in peril, and automobile tire producers are scrambling to seek alternative solutions.
Tom Sharkey, chairperson of the MSU biochemistry and molecular biology department, believes isoprene, a gas given off by many trees, ferns and mosses, could be a viable option. Some plants use it as a mechanism to tolerate heat stress as opposed to most crops, which stay cool through evaporation.
Sharkey’s research team already has measured rates of isoprene emission from plants that are used by the Environmental Protection Agency to predict lower-atmosphere ozone levels. His team also has created models to measure how much isoprene plants release on a global scale. Given the amounts of isoprene made by plants, finding a way to produce a synthetic version for the rubber industry seemed like the next logical step, Sharkey said.
“I’ve found that isoprene research is irresistible,” he said. “Once it was
clear how much isoprene trees and plants produce and how biologically produced
isoprene could be a key ingredient in making tires, it was natural to wonder if
we could produce isoprene on a commercial scale.” More »
Michigan residents are growing more positive about the economy, and the state's governor is benefiting from the sunnier outlook, says a new Michigan State University State of the State Survey released today.
In this latest survey, Michigan residents gave the economy its highest marks since 2005, as 54 percent of those responding called their current financial situation excellent or good. Fewer than 30 percent called their circumstances "just fair," 10.1 percent rated their conditions "not so good" and 6.6 percent considered their circumstances "poor."
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Having natural habitat in farming areas that supports ladybugs could help increase their abundance in crops where they control pests and help farmers reduce their costs, says a Michigan State University study.
Ladybugs and other predatory insects eat crop pests, saving farmers an estimated $4.6 billion a year on insecticides. More »
New research out of MSU reveals female athletes and younger athletes take longer to recover from concussions, findings that call for physicians and athletic trainers to take sex and age into account when dealing with the injury.
The study, led by Tracey Covassin of MSU's Department of Kinesiology, found females performed worse than males on visual memory tests and reported more symptoms postconcussion. More »
For his work on developing new treatments for tuberculosis, an MSU researcher has been named a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Robert Abramovitch of MSU's Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is using a synthetic biosensor that glows green in response to conditions that mimic human tuberculosis infection. More »
Michigan's University Research Corridor institutions continue to competitively rank among the top research innovation clusters in the nation in producing the high-tech, high-demand talent required for the 21st century, according to a recent URC report.
The annual report commissioned by the URC, shows the URC's member institutions – MSU, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University – remain competitive as research hubs and as economic engines when compared with university consortia across the U.S., said Jeff Mason, URC executive director.
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Students get caught in a spring rain shower near Cowles House. Photo by Derrick Turner
Every day, Spartans are making a difference in ways big and small. Alumnus Jeff MacKenzie teaches high school biology and does educational programs at the Toledo Zoo. Spartans Will. Read his saga>>
As a new crop of college grads hits the job market, MSU’s Phil Gardner can discuss what they may find. Gardner conducts the nation’s largest annual survey of employers looking for grads. Read more >>
