Michigan State University Research Foundation Breaks Ground on Rosenberg Center

EAST LANSING, Mich., Sept. 17, 2026 — The Michigan State University Research Foundation celebrated the groundbreaking of the Rosenberg Center, a transformative innovation facility that will become a centerpiece and a foundational asset for research commercialization, entrepreneurship, and corporate innovation in Greater Lansing.  

The facility is named in honor of the late Dr. Barnett Rosenberg, the Michigan State University scientist whose discovery of cisplatin revolutionized cancer treatment and helped establish one of the most successful university technology commercialization stories in history.  

Located at 195 Crescent Road in East Lansing, the 65,000-square-foot facility will serve as the headquarters of the Michigan State University Research Foundation and its affiliated organizations while providing flexible innovation space for startup companies, corporate partners, researchers, and entrepreneurs. The project is part of the Foundation’s broader vision to transform Greater Lansing into a nationally recognized destination for innovation, research partnerships, and economic development.  

“The Rosenberg Center represents more than a building,” said David Washburn, Chief Executive Officer of the Michigan State University Research Foundation. “It is a statement about Michigan State University’s commitment to discovery, innovation, and impact. Dr. Barnett Rosenberg’s groundbreaking work changed the lives of millions of people around the world. By naming this center in his honor, we are connecting one of MSU’s greatest scientific achievements with the innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who will shape the future.”  

The Rosenberg Center will be developed as an adaptive reuse project of the former IBM and MSU Federal Credit Union building and will include modern office suites, collaborative workspaces, event venues, conference facilities, and incubation space designed to support high-tech, high-growth businesses. The building will serve as a hub where entrepreneurs, researchers, corporations, and investors can connect, collaborate, and accelerate the development of new technologies and ventures.  

The facility will become home to the Michigan State University Research Foundation and its innovation-focused subsidiaries, including Spartan Innovations, Red Cedar Ventures, Michigan Rise, and MSU Research Parks, while also supporting university commercialization activities and corporate engagement initiatives. The center is envisioned as a destination for early-stage ventures, corporate innovation teams, and organizations seeking deeper engagement with Michigan State University’s research enterprise.  

The Rosenberg Center is expected to strengthen the growing innovation district surrounding the site at Spartan Village on Crescent Road which also includes the worldwide headquarters of TechSmith Corporation. The Rosenberg Center is intended to increase collaboration among industry partners, entrepreneurs, researchers, and university stakeholders while supporting key growth sectors including advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology, biomedicine, biotechnology, and sustainability technologies.  

The naming of the facility honors Dr. Barnett Rosenberg, whose research at Michigan State University led to the discovery of cisplatin, a groundbreaking cancer therapeutic approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1978. Cisplatin and subsequent platinum-based cancer treatments have improved outcomes for millions of patients worldwide and remain among the most significant medical innovations to emerge from a university research laboratory. 

“The discovery and commercialization of cisplatin is central to the story of innovation at Michigan State University,” said Jeff Smith, Executive Director of Research Parks for the MSU Research Foundation. “The Rosenberg Center will serve as a gateway for future innovators whose ideas have the potential to solve significant challenges and improve lives around the world.”  

Upon completion, the Rosenberg Center will stand alongside other Foundation-supported innovation assets across Michigan and help position Greater Lansing as a leading hub for entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, venture formation, and corporate research collaboration.