Impact-driven discovery
Research impact
Wayne State University research sparks innovation that improves lives and drives progress. Our faculty and students are at the forefront of discovery — developing life-saving treatments, furthering technological advancements and redefining the future of mobility.
But our work doesn’t stop at breakthrough ideas. Through collaboration with our industry, government and community partners, Wayne State turns innovation into impact, delivering solutions rooted in purpose to meet the needs of an ever-evolving world.
Innovation in action
6,000
companies served through WSU's TechTown
291ドル.7M
in annual research and development expenditures
241
businesses on campus through WSU's TechTown
Research with impact
How do we advance and empower lifelong health through personalized preventive medicine?
How can we leverage responsible human-AI collaborations to allow us to drive discovery, innovation and economic growth?
How can we develop and deploy smart mobility capabilities into personalized solutions for our rapidly evolving world?
What critical steps can we take to develop sustainable environments that elevate our quality and length of life?
Major breakthroughs
Professor of Surgery Forest Dewey Dodrill, M.D., and General Motors engineers designed a machine to temporarily replace the blood-pumping function of the heart, making many types of open-heart surgery possible for the first time. The device, based on concepts by Dr. Dodrill, was first used successfully at Wayne State’s Harper Hospital in July 1952. The historic operation re-routed blood around the heart, allowing the surgeon to repair a damaged valve. The concept and practice, now standardized worldwide, is used in more than 1 million surgeries annually.
In 1964, Wayne State Professor Jerome Horwitz, Ph.D., synthesized a new class of drugs for cancer treatments. This included azidothymidine (AZT), which, in 1987, became the first drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat HIV infection and AIDS in 1987. Dr. Horwitz also created dideoxycytidine, the second cancer drug approved for AIDS patients, followed by Stavudine. These drugs remain vital to the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
In 2011, a groundbreaking Wayne State clinical study of a new method for preventing premature birth showed that the rate of early preterm delivery in women can be reduced by 45% simply by treating at-risk pregnant women with a low-cost natural progesterone gel. The peer-reviewed findings were led by the Perinatology Research Branch of the National Institutes of Health and have helped offer hope to millions of women, children and families.
Faculty spotlight
Assistant Clinical Professor Cynthera McNeill, DNP, APRN, AGPCNP-C, FAANP will serve as the program director and grant evaluator for a five-year, 5ドル million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration to improve health outcomes for older adults. The interdisciplinary, collaborative work aims to educate and train health care and supportive care workforces to care for older adults by collaborating with community partners, and to maximize patient and family engagement to address care gaps and integrate geriatric care with primary care.
Charles Winter, Ph.D., professor of chemistry, was awarded a National Science Foundation grant for his work on the growth of metal and metal-silicon thin films for advanced transistors, which are used in tech devices like computers, phones and cars. Winter's research group will use a technique known as "atomic layer deposition," which is revolutionizing the engineering of computer chips.
Zheng Dong, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that will open new doors for researchers and scholars to explore the future of autonomus vehicles, machines and drones.
Wayne State University researchers, led by Yongli Wager, Ph.D., associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Sustainable Water-Environment-Energy Technologies Lab, received a grant from the Great Lakes Protection Fund to help communities combat microplastics in water sources.
WSU OPEN
WSU OPEN connects businesses with the knowledge, talent and resources of a top-tier research institution. This one-stop shop provides partners with streamlined access to our schools, students and research centers to drive business success. Through WSU OPEN, companies can hire Wayne State students, co-develop research and establish a campus presence. This "open for business" approach puts businesses on the cutting edge, addresses urban challenges and fuels our local economy.