Our Impact

This image depicts CDC microbiologist Valerie Albrecht, as she was holding up for observation, two Petri dish culture plates that had been inoculated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria
Monday, December 17, 2018 Mice Aid in the Discovery of How Mitochondria Help Fight Life-Threatening Bacteria
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, has occasionally been known to cause life-threatening infections. In a study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, Michigan Medicine researchers share how mouse models helped them discover the important role that mitochondria play in supporting the immune system’s response against MRSA infection.
Blue DNA strand
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 Mouse Study Finds Important Link Between Immunity and Bacteria in Healthy Lungs
A new mouse study, published by U-M researchers in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, shows that bacteria in healthy lungs may play an important role in helping ward off disease.
Black mouse in clear tunnel with nesting material
Friday, October 26, 2018 Key Protein Discovered Through Mouse Models Sheds Light on Fatty Liver Origins
A new University of Michigan study in mice reveals a new role for insulin in the control of fat production.
Close up image of a cancer cell
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 Mouse Study Provides Potential Breakthrough in Defeating Cancer Stem Cells
Thanks to a new mouse study, U-M researchers have discovered why stem cells become resistant to cancer treatment and are now developing therapies to combat this resistance.
Researcher donning PPE examines mouse under flow hood
Monday, September 17, 2018 Researchers Look to Mouse Models to Gain Better Understanding of Heart Abnormalities in Patients with Dravet Syndrome
U-M researchers first looked at mouse models, and then at cells collected from children with Dravet syndrome, to identify a gene mutation that may lead to irregularities in the heart muscle’s sodium channels; irregularities that could trigger sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). With this important foundation in place, the research team now plans to look at different gene mutations related to SUDEP, and at the potential use of re-purposed drugs to treat Dravet syndrome and other forms of epilepsy.
Researcher donning green gloves holds small black mouse
Monday, July 30, 2018 Mice Help Researchers Uncover Intricate Cellular Process Critical to Small Intestine Development
More than 40 percent of our small intestine develops before we are even born. But problems with this process in utero can result in a rare but deadly condition known as congenital short bowel syndrome. A new Michigan Medicine study conducted with mice has helped researchers uncover the surprising sequence of cellular events responsible for proper development of the small intestine.
Lab personnel holds white rat
Monday, July 23, 2018 New Rat Study May Provide Important Clues for Outsmarting Obesity
Researchers have found that obesity-prone rats respond more strongly to food-related cues, including specific changes in cells of the same brain area linked to addiction. The model, researchers say, can be used to figure out the neural and psychological differences that drive overeating before obesity sets in — a huge step to improve obesity prevention.
Illustration depicts scarring from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Monday, June 4, 2018 Mouse Model Aids in Discovery of New Treatment Options for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Successfully tested in mice, targeted drug and gene therapies might one day benefit patients with a deadly lung disease, new U-M research finds.
DNA HiSeq 2000 at the University of Michigan
Sunday, May 20, 2018 Common Thread Found in Mice, Humans Offers Clues for Treating Brain Dysfunction After Sepsis
U-M researchers use mouse models and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to explore the previously unstudied role of gut microbes, or microbiome, in the development of long-term cognitive impairments after sepsis infection.
Black and white mice play in mouse cage
Monday, April 30, 2018 New Platform for Delivering Cancer Treatment Shows Great Promise in Mouse Models
U-M researchers have designed a new delivery system – a drug hidden in a nanodisc – to increase the number of patients who can be treated successfully with cancer immunotherapy drugs. The novel platform for chemoimmunotherapy triggered anti-tumor immunity and eliminated colon cancer in 85 percent of treated mice.

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