The Brandizzi Lab at MSU

Michigan State University will host several Lunar New Year celebrations across campus.

Events include themed dining experiences and student activities highlighting traditions from around the world.

Many events are free and some are open to the public.

UAB Lunar New Year Cinematic Celebration: "The Joy Luck Club"
Today, Feb. 16
6-9 p.m.
MSU Union Ballroom

Culinary Services Lunar New Year Festive Dinner Menus
Feb. 17

Broad Student Senate & APIDA Lunar New Year Event
Feb. 19
5-7 p.m.
Minskoff Pavillion

Year of the Snake Coffee Hour
Feb. 20
4-6 p.m.
International Center, Spartan Rooms B & C
Hosted by: OISS and Asia Hub

Lunar New Year Celebration Concert
Feb. 22
3 p.m.
Cook Recital Hall
College of Music

For more information, check sponsor websites.

100 mini ducks were hidden throughout the lab; some were hidden in plain sight while others required a little more attention to detail. The lab member who found the most ducks was awarded the Golden Duck to be displayed on their bench for all to see. In the end, Brandon emerged victorious as the duck hunt champion! 🦆

🚨 Brandizzi Lab publication alert! Check out this review on how cell wall remodeling is an immune strategy and mirrors classical immune tier by Dr. Deepak Bhandari.

📖 Read it here: https://t.co/wIE7XwmS0L 📖

Send a message to learn more

Fall is in full swing, but the flowers in the MSU Horticulture Gardens are still blooming! 💐

We’re thrilled to share that Federica Brandizzi, MSU Research Foundation professor, has been named the next Director of the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL).

Federica is a globally respected leader in plant science, with groundbreaking contributions in organelle biology, biofuel research, and space biology. Her lab’s work has helped unlock the secrets of plant resilience, nutrition, and even how plants might grow in space — including sending seeds aboard NASA Artemis I mission.

As she steps into this new role, Federica brings a deep commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and mentorship. Her vision for the PRL includes strengthening its research mission, fostering new ideas, and supporting the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations, Dr. Brandizzi! Your leadership promises an exciting new chapter for the PRL and the future of plant science.

Read more: https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2025/2025-08-prl-names-federica-brandizzi-as-next-director.aspx

Meet some of the furry members of the Brandizzi lab in our "paw-ll" of fame! 🐾

Are you ready for a berry exciting ? Technically, strawberries aren't even berries. They are classified as "aggregate fruits". Fruit classification is just bananas! 🍓

The exciting news just keeps coming! Federica Brandizzi was named a Hannah Distinguished Professor by Michigan State University, an honor given to profs for their exceptional scholarly achievements and substantial contributions to their field. Congratulations, Federica! This is an incredible achievement, and we are so proud!

The cat is out of the bag! Our very own Dr. Federica Brandizzi is the next director of the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory! Read the full announcement here:

MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory names Federica Brandizzi as next director Brandizzi is a prolific researcher within the plant science community and the next PRL director

Brandizzi lab postdoc Dr. Pengfei Cao contributed to the recently published paper, "Deciphering phenylalanine-derived salicylic acid biosynthesis in plants" in collaboration with Dr. Yukang Wang, Dr. Shuyan Song, and Dr. Wenxuan Zhang. Check it out here:

Deciphering phenylalanine-derived salicylic acid biosynthesis in plants - Nature Diverse plant species synthesize salicylic acid from phenylalanine through a pathway that includes a conserved triple-enzyme module that converts benzoyl-CoA to salicylic acid.

Our REU students finished up their time with us!

Cate, Lexi, and Ryen got hands-on experience working under the supervision of their Brandizzi lab postdoc mentors over the last few months. They have headed back to their home institutions to continue their undergraduate education and apply what they learned while in the Brandizzi lab to their studies.

We will miss them, and we cannot wait to see what they accomplish in the future! 👩‍🔬🧪