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Simple texting platform helps farmers adopt greener methods, McGill-led study finds

admin — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 12:58:27 +0000

Farmers who exchanged text messages with peers were significantly more likely to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting the power of peer learning in digital formats, a new study co-authored by 51�Թ�� Professor Aurélie Harou found.

Scientists edit oat DNA for the first time, paving the way for healthier, more climate-resilient crops

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:10:29 +0000

For the first time, scientists have successfully edited oat DNA, a breakthrough that could accelerate the development of oats with more fibre, higher yields, and greater resilience to climate change.

Oats, a key crop both for human consumption and animal feed, are a major agricultural product in Canada, contributing to a global market work $8 billion. The Canadian oat crop is estimated to be worth approximately $900 million. But a short growing season and unpredictable late-season frost mean Canadian oat farmers face significant challenges.

Study raises red flags about BPA replacements

admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 13:46:31 +0000

Chemicals used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging can trigger potentially harmful effects in human ovarian cells, according to 51�Թ�� researchers.

A new study examined several chemicals commonly used in price stickers on packaged meat, fish, cheese and produce found early signs of potential toxicity.

Sylvain Baillet inducted into the Royal Society of Canada

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:34:58 +0000

Society recognizes distinguished Canadians who have made remarkable contributions to their academic fields and public life

Sylvain Baillet, PhD, a global leader in brain imaging and systems neuroscience, has been inducted into the Royal Society of Canada, one of the nation’s highest academic honours.

Thirteen HBHL-funded researchers awarded CIHR Spring 2025 Project Grants

admin — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 16:02:10 +0000

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Project Grant: Spring 2025 competition has approved 435 research grants for a total investment of approximately $411M, with 123 projects funded in Quebec.

HBHL is proud to announce that 13 HBHL-funded researchers will receive support for seven projects, representing an investment of over $6.7M at 51�Թ��and the Douglas Research Centre.

HBHL-funded PIs are bolded in the following table:

Scientists reveal how the brain uses objects to find direction

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 18:09:44 +0000

Study shows how visual landmarks tune the brain’s internal compass

We take our understanding of where we are for granted, until we lose it. When we get lost in nature or a new city, our eyes and brains kick into gear, seeking familiar objects that tell us where we are.

How our brains distinguish objects from background when finding direction, however, was largely a mystery. A new study provides valuable insight into this process, with possible implications for disorientation-causing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

Climate change could result in contaminant spread in the High Arctic, 51�Թ��study finds

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:51:59 +0000

Warming temperatures and increased precipitation in the Canadian High Arctic are mobilizing new pathways for subsurface contaminants to spread from more than 2,500 contaminated sites associated with industrial and military sites across the region.

Research | Viral DNA sequences in the human genome may help control gene activity, new study shows

admin — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:40:53 +0000

Long dismissed as “junk,” viral fragments buried in human DNA may help regulate our genes, according to a new international study co-led by Guillaume Bourque, professor in McGill’s Department of Human Genetics, D2R-funded researcher and member of the D2R Research Steering Committee and Executive (RSC). The findings offer new insights into what makes us human, 25 years after the human genome was first mapped.

Norman Hillmer on Mackenzie King’s Cautious Transformation

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:21:10 +0000

October 1, 2025 | Norman Hillmer (Slater Family Visiting Scholar) co-authored the chapter “King’s Cautious Transformation” with Stephen Azzi in The Enduring Riddle of Mackenzie King (UBC Press, 2025), edited by Patrice Dutil. The authors argue that King reshaped Canada’s national life and institutions through incremental and consensual change, a style of leadership they describe as “cautious transformation” in a country historically resistant to rapid reform.

A transformation in neurosurgery

admin — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:13:27 +0000

Demonstration of an AI-powered tool during a live surgery at The Neuro

A surgical device powered by artificial intelligence (AI) was demonstrated live for the first time at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) in a historic step forward for the field of precision neurosurgery. SENTRY™, an innovative technology developed by Montreal-based Reveal and its university partners, can differentiate cancerous tissue from healthy tissue in real time, offering tangible hope to patients for better outcomes.

Friends, parks and brain wiring predict whether people exercise after a cardiovascular diagnosis

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:32:32 +0000

Findings could help tailor interventions to encourage physical activity in older people with heart and blood flow conditions

A diagnosis is often a cue for people to change the way they live. For people diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease or diabetes, it is often a motivator to get more physical exercise, which can improve long-term health. However, the rate of physical activity increase after diagnosis varies widely depending on the individual.

New publication from the Bui Lab in Current Biology on cilia tip structure

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:16:09 +0000

Motile cilia are specialized organelles essential for cell movement and fluid flow, driven by the beating of their internal cytoskeleton called the axoneme. At the core of the axoneme lies the central pair (CP) of microtubules, which features a distinct distal tip structure critical for motility. However, the proteins stabilizing this region have remained largely unknown.

$10 million for Neuro-led project seeking new Alzheimer’s biomarkers

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:27:40 +0000

Weston Family Foundation grant will fund the first ultra-high-sensitivity whole body PET/CT scanner in Canada

A groundbreaking project led by Dr. Pedro Rosa-Neto at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of 51�Թ�� has received a major boost thanks to a $10-million grant from the Weston Family Foundation.

The funding is part of a $20-million initiative by the foundation to support highly ambitious scientific endeavors under its Healthy Aging Strategy, comprised of the Weston Brain Institute and the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative.

Human instruction with artificial intelligence guidance provided best results in neurosurgical training

admin — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 15:14:02 +0000

Study has implications beyond medical education, suggesting other fields could benefit from AI-enhanced training

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a powerful new tool in training and education, including in the field of neurosurgery. Yet a new study suggests that AI tutoring provides better results when paired with human instruction.

News | David Bujold (C3G) appointed Co-Lead of GA4GH Discovery Work Stream

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 12:46:52 +0000

The Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) has announced new leadership across several initiatives, including the appointment of David Bujold, Data Team Lead at the Canadian Centre for Computational Genomics (C3G)and Bioinformatics Manager at 51�Թ��’s Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine, as Co-Lead of the Discovery Work Stream.