Staff

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 �鶹ɫ��Ƭ’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.

Radio-Canada reports on 15 years of �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Feeding �鶹ɫ��Ƭ

admin — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 21:50:45 +0000

For 15 years, �鶹ɫ��Ƭ dining halls have been serving up fresh, local produce grown by students at Macdonald Campus as part of their agricultural and environmental sciences programs. Last year alone, 3.4 tons of tomatoes and almost 2 tons of onions ended up on students' plates thanks to the �鶹ɫ��Ƭ Feeding �鶹ɫ��Ƭ initiative.

Natural Resource Sciences grad students reduce lab plastic waste by nearly 50%

admin — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:24:58 +0000

Single-use plastics are everywhere—but two �鶹ɫ��Ƭ researchers are redefining the norm and championing sustainability.

"Although plastic pollution wasn’t the main focus of our research, safeguarding water bodies is essential to our work, and we knew we had to address the disconnect between our values and laboratory practices."

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 �鶹ɫ��Ƭ and the Douglas Research Centre.

HBHL-funded PIs are bolded in the following table:

Expanding access to specialized healthcare across Quebec: ECHO Superhub at The Neuro

admin — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:37:02 +0000

Free, online training program strengthens training and brings specialized care to communities across Quebec

A healthcare telementoring program housed at The Neuro and supported by the Transforming Autism Care Consortium (TACC) is expanding its reach after achieving designation as an ECHO Superhub. Under the direction of Julie Scorah, PhD, this milestone ensures that specialized knowledge reaches underserved communities.

Prescribing anti-swelling drug reduces immune response weeks after last dose

admin — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:05:58 +0000

Mapping immune cell diversity reveals dexamethasone’s impact on brain cancer immunotherapy

Swelling caused by brain cancer is a problem that can lead to serious side effects and even death. While controlling swelling is important, a new study shows that a commonly prescribed anti-swelling drug suppresses the immune system for weeks after dosage, inhibiting the body’s ability to fight the cancer.

AI analysis of healthcare records reveals key factors in autism diagnosis

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:23:21 +0000

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Jennifer Welsh's Article on The Future of UN Peacekeeping

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:42:21 +0000

March 7, 2024 | Director Jennifer Welsh and Marie-Joëlle Zahar wrote a new article on The Future of UN Peacekeeping, which was published by Ethics and International Affairs. The authors discuss the challenges UN peace operations are facing and the rising expectations.

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.

Seth Bumagat on Canada's Water Resilience and Security Strategy | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:52:42 +0000

March 26, 2025 | MPP Seth Bumagat wrote about the need for water resilience and security strategy. "Wildfires and droughts – two other frequent natural disasters that strike Canada annually – present a complex link between water and climate change events. When considering the complex links between climate change and water, the issues of water resilience and security arise.

Project to create AI model for ALS receives Génome Québec funding

admin — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:29:17 +0000

$400,000 will fuel public-private collaboration to discover new disease biomarkers

A new project co-led by Thomas Durcan, PhD, Director of The Neuro's Early Drug Discovery Unit, and overseen by Mathilde Chaineau, PhD, the EDDU’s program manager, will receive $400,000 in support from Génome Québec. In partnership with Nardin Nakhla and Armstrong Murira from the Montreal-based company Simmunome, Durcan and Chaineau will develop a computational model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on which to test for new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Jennifer Welsh's Special Issue on 'Localization in World Politics' | Oxford Academic

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:13:26 +0000

Director Jennifer Welsh co-edited a special issue of Global Studies Quarterly on Localization in World Politics. Welsh co-edited the collection of articles and co-authored the introductory essay. The article tackles four questions: (1) Why has localization become a focus of scholarly and policy attention? (2) What are the historical precursors of localization?

Six principal investigators from The Neuro receive CIHR grants

admin — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:44:57 +0000

Projects include important research on Parkinson’s, glioblastoma and dementia

Isabella Coronado Doria on Taxis vs. Ridesharing in Colombia | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:43:02 +0000

March 26, 2025 | MPP Isabella Coronado Doria wrote about the growing tensions between Uber and traditional taxis in Columbia. "In some ways, hindering Uber’s activity in Colombia is comparable to telling people to abandon the internet and go back to encyclopedias. It highlights the perpetual tension between the status quo and disruptive technology," writes Isabella.

New publication in Science from the Bernard lab with former and current Cell Biology graduate students Emilie Brûlé and Hailey Schultz

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:56:32 +0000

Myostatin is a paracrine myokine that regulates muscle mass in a variety of species, including humans. In this work, they report a functional role for myostatin as an endocrine hormone that directly promotes pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and thereby ovarian function in mice. Previously, this FSH-stimulating role was attributed to other members of the transforming growth factor-β family, the activins. Their results both challenge activin's eponymous role in FSH synthesis and establish an unexpected endocrine axis between skeletal muscle and the pituitary gland.