Michigan universities drive breakthroughs in heart, cancer, and pregnancy care

Michigan’s research universities have long been the engine behind major medical breakthroughs, from a 1952 heart pump built in Detroit to a 2013 stent that dissolves at the right pace. The state’s universities—Wayne State, Michigan State, University of Michigan, and Michigan Tech—have each contributed to advances that benefit patients and the economy alike.

Today, Michigan State researchers are targeting TPPP3 to improve cisplatin response in ovarian cancer, while a University of Michigan team has linked a gene network to preeclampsia. Wayne State scientists are uncovering sex‑specific miscarriage mechanisms, and Michigan Tech engineers are creating patient‑specific heart replicas to model Kawasaki disease.

These projects generate $51.4 billion in annual economic activity, 7.1% of state GDP, and underscore the importance of continued investment in university research across Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids, and Houghton.

Read the full story at bridgemi.com.