LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — What began as a master’s degree in horticulture has blossomed into a $100 million lawsuit, as a former Michigan State University (MSU) student claims years of pesticide exposure in school fields gave her thyroid cancer.

LingLong Wei, a horticulture student at MSU between 2008 and 2011, says her graduate research forced her into repeated contact with toxic farm chemicals, The State News reported on August 15. 

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According to a notice of intent to sue, her assignments required handling pesticides and herbicides such  paraquat, glyphosate, and oxyfluorfen—agents long debated for possible cancer risks. She further argues the university failed to supply safety gear or proper training, leaving her unprotected in the field.

 “MSU’s gross negligence has caused Ms. Wei significant physical, emotional, and financial harm,” her attorneys wrote in the filing. They argue that the university not only exposed her to carcinogens but also failed to provide adequate medical response when she sought help at the Olin Health Center.

Wei was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in July 2024 after a biopsy confirmed the disease. She has since undergone repeated surgeries and treatments, procedures that she says have derailed her work opportunities and left her unable to travel to see family in China.

Her attorneys, Maya T. Green and Tilmandra Wilkerson, are seeking $100 million to cover medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and damages for pain, suffering, and emotional distress. The filing also demands punitive damages, citing what they call MSU’s “willful disregard” for student safety.