Partnership between research universities and government drives innovation
Preview:
A 1965 discovery in a Michigan State University laboratory launched a revolution in medicine. Today, the chemotherapy drug cisplatin and related platinum-based compounds save countless lives across a range of cancers, including testicular, ovarian, bladder, breast and skin melanoma.
This breakthrough was not just the result of scientific insight, dogged experimental curiosity and collaboration — it was made possible by a strong, deliberate partnership between research universities and the federal government. Michigan State biophysicist Barnett Rosenberg and colleagues discovered that platinum compounds can stop cellular division and shrink cancerous tumors. The National Cancer Institute, funded by the American people through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supported both MSU’s Rosenberg Laboratory and the clinical trials that led to cisplatin’s success.
Originally published: April 6, 2025
Author: Kevin Guskiewicz
Position: President
Institution: Michigan State University
Published by: The Detroit News