Research at Wayne State University

10/16/2026

When the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded this month for the transformative discoveries that gave rise to optogenetics, the global scientific community celebrated one of the most powerful paradigms in modern neuroscience. Yet long before optogenetics became a ubiquitous laboratory tool and a multibillion-dollar clinical frontier, a quiet yet visionary and innovative scientist working in a laboratory at Wayne State University took the critical leap that brought the field to life. That researcher is Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan, professor of ophthalmology, visual and anatomical sciences in the Wayne State University School of Medicine, the Edward T. and Ellen K. Dryer Endowed Professor of Ophthalmology, and the scientific director of the Ligon Research Center of Vision at the Kresge Eye Institute. Read more about Dr. Pan's pioneering contributions: https://research.wayne.edu/news/illuminating-sight-how-wayne-state-pioneer-dr-zhuo-hua-pan-helped-spark-the-optogenetics-revolution-70370

10/08/2026

The Institute of Gerontology and the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute at Wayne State University are pleased to invite you to the first annual Lifespan Alliance Joint Symposium for Research & Innovation, "Two Hours. Two Perspectives. One Lifespan."

The focus of the event will be on caregiving. The symposium will be held on Friday, Oct. 23 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. in the Freer House located at 71 E. Ferry St., Detroit, MI 48202.

Guest speakers include Dr. Jessica Calarco of the Department of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Dr. Frank Puga of the Department of Family Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. A panel discussion will follow the guest speakers and will include Dr. Olivenne Skinner of the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute and Dr. Amanda Leggett of the Institute of Gerontology. The event is free and open to the community.

10/07/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Andrew Berti on his recent award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the The National Institutes of Health, that aims to address Staphylococcus aureus, one of the worst bacterial pathogens that is resistant to standard antibiotic therapies. He along with Dr. Michael Rybak, senior faculty mentor on the project, are developing a promising therapy to address this growing public health crisis. Read more about their research here:

Wayne State University researchers receive funding to address antibiotic resistant superbugs

09/17/2026

Wayne State University’s Institute of Gerontology has launched the Intergenerational Wisdom Exchange (WiSE) Program, a 10-week initiative that pairs Wayne State students with Black older adults in metro Detroit to strengthen digital literacy, promote social connection and create meaningful relationships across generations. The program is led by Dr. Rodlescia Sneed, assistant professor in the Institute of Gerontology and the Department of Psychology in the College of Wayne State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and is supported by the Retirement Research Foundation for Aging. Read more:

The Institute of Gerontology at WSU launched the Intergenerational Wisdom Exchange Program pairing students with Black older adults

09/16/2026

The authors are presidents of Michigan’s research institutions: Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Michigan State University; Richard J. Koubek, Michigan Technological University; Domenico Grasso, University of Michigan; and Richard A. Bierschbach, Wayne State University.

09/11/2026

Congratulations to Drs. Marianna Sadagurski and J. Richard Pilsner on receiving a five-year, $3.94 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They and their research team will investigate how air pollution levels commonly found in Detroit accelerate biological aging and impact metabolic and cognitive health.

New research to investigate how air pollution levels commonly found in Detroit accelerate biological aging and impact metabolic and cognitive health

09/09/2026

Dr. Jayanth Ramadoss, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Pregnancy and Environment Division at the C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, and Dr. Marta Rodriguez-Garcia, associate professor of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, will lead a $2.4 million NIH-funded research study that will explore the growing concerns of the adverse impact of electronic ci******es on fetal development and how they contribute to long-term health consequences for offspring. Read more at https://research.wayne.edu/news/24-million-nih-grant-to-study-effects-of-e-cigarette-exposure-on-offspring-respiratory-immunity-70105.

New NIH grant at Wayne State will study the effects of E-cigarette exposure on fetal respiratory immune development

08/25/2026

Wayne State University’s Institute of Gerontology will participate in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer's on Sept. 27 at the Detroit Zoo. Faculty, staff, alumni and friends are invited to join the team to raise awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research. The institute will also showcase informational posters featuring Wayne State’s translational research on Alzheimer’s and its impact on the community. To join the team and learn more about the Institute of Gerontology's research, visit

The Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University will promote their research and participate in the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimers.

08/21/2026

Join Dr. Brendan O'Leary, postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research at Wayne State University, for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Wetterhahn Award Lecture on Monday, Aug. 24, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. Dr. O'Leary will present, "Unearthing Urban Exposures: Linking Brownfields, Subsurface Contamination, Infrastructure, and Health in Detroit." Join on teams at https://bit.ly/4gAnLez.

Dr. O'Leary was named the 27th recipient of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Karen Wetterhahn Memorial Award. This award recognizes an outstanding graduate student or postdoctoral researcher who exhibits the qualities of scientific excellence and service to the community. Congratulations to Dr. O'Leary on this impressive achievement that is well deserved!

08/12/2026

Congratulations to Professor Allana Clarke from Wayne State's James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, on her living art installation and educational community garden that is located at the new Cadillac Arts Centre in Detroit's Little Village neighborhood. Her project uses heirloom seeds, historical research and community participation to explore migration, displacement and Black resilience through the lens of agriculture.

WSU professor Allana Clarke's living art installation at Detroit's Cadillac Arts Centre connects community, history and the African diaspora through gardening.