my��SM�� - ��SM�� News Releases

How vitamin D deficiency can lead to autoimmune diseases

��SM�� — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:20:40 +0000

As Canadians brace for “vitamin D winter” – months when the sun’s angle is too low to produce the vitamin in the skin – a ��SM�� study explains why vitamin D deficiency early in life is associated with a higher risk of autoimmune diseases.

During childhood, the thymus helps train immune cells to distinguish between the body’s own tissues and harmful invaders. A vitamin D deficiency at that stage of life causes the thymus to age more quickly, the researchers discovered.

Genetic tweaks can make oats more nutritious, increase shelf life

��SM�� — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:03:42 +0000

A recent study from ��SM�� proposes a way to enhance the nutritional value of oats by increasing their content of oleic acid, a type of healthy fat known for its cardiovascular heart benefits and potential to lower diabetes.

The findings also suggest this modification could improve their oxidative stability, making oat-based products, such as oat milk, less likely to spoil.

Parenting programs help kids, but provide insufficient support for parents, study finds

��SM�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 13:36:01 +0000

Parenting programs that address both mental health and parenting skills can improve children’s development, but often fall short when it comes to offering effective mental-health support for parents, new research suggests.

“It’s a surprising contradiction,” said the study’s lead author, Marilyn Ahun, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at ��SM��. “Our findings show the potential of multi-component programs, while revealing gaps that need to be addressed.”

New global database of dams and reservoirs could transform water management

��SM�� — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 12:35:35 +0000

A groundbreaking database developed by the Global Dam Watch (GDW) consortium is set to transform the global understanding of dams and reservoirs.

Co-ordinated and led by members of a research lab at ��SM��, with funding from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the World Bank, the database integrates existing global datasets to provide the most comprehensive resource for large-scale analyses to date.

When we cannot hear our own speech, even temporarily, ability to speak is impaired: ��SM�� study

��SM�� — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 12:50:35 +0000

A ��SM�� study has shown that hearing plays a crucial role in how people coordinate and control speech movements in real-time.

Published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America (JASA), the research shows that when people cannot hear their own speech, even briefly, their ability to move their jaw and tongue in a coordinated manner is impaired.

��SM�� Libraries Unveil Game-Changing Collections Centre: A New Era in Sustainable Book Preservation and Retrieval

��SM�� — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:51:17 +0000

October 1, 2024 – Valleyfield, QC – ��SM�� is pleased to announce the official opening of the ��SM�� Collections Centre on October 1, 2024. This groundbreaking facility marks a historic milestone as ��SM��'s first-ever design-build project and sets a new standard for library preservation and sustainability in Quebec.

New design overcomes key barrier to safer, more efficient EV batteries

��SM�� — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 12:54:07 +0000

Researchers at ��SM�� have made a significant advance in the development of all-solid-state lithium batteries, which are being pursued as the next step in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology.

By addressing a long-standing issue with battery performance, this innovation could pave the way for safer, longer-lasting EVs.

New findings can help improve our understanding of winter weather in the St. Lawrence River Valley

��SM�� — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 13:15:23 +0000

A recent study at ��SM�� provides new insights into how winter storms develop in the St. Lawrence River Valley, findings that could potentially improve the accuracy of winter weather forecasts in the region.

“These findings are essential because even small temperature shifts, as little as one degree, can drastically change the type of precipitation, turning rain into freezing rain or snow,” said Juliann Wray, lead author and PhD student in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.

Help with chronic hives: A new app and North America’s first patient registry

��SM�� — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 19:09:03 +0000

Tuesday, Oct. 1 is Urticaria Day, raising awareness of a condition more commonly known as hives.

This year, Canadians living with chronic hives have two new resources, developed in part by a ��SM�� researcher: North America’s first chronic urticaria patient registry and a new app for patient care.

New drug molecule could lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease in younger patients

��SM�� — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 13:37:22 +0000

A novel drug molecule could potentially lead to new treatments to prevent Parkinson’s disease in younger patients, according to new research.

“We are excited about this drug compound because we might have the possibility to develop the first cure for Parkinson’s disease, at least for a subset of patients,” said lead author Kalle Gehring, a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at ��SM�� and Canada Research Chair in Structural Studies of Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Indigenous Awareness Weeks 2024: September 19 – October 2

��SM�� — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:45:21 +0000

Indigenous Awareness Weeks is a two-week series of events involving Indigenous academics, artists, and community members, hosted by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Its goal is to encourage a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples among students, staff, and faculty at ��SM��, as well as in the broader Montreal and Quebec communities. The Office of Indigenous Initiatives also helps foster discussion among First Nations, Métis and Inuit on topics that are important to individuals and their communities.

Using sunlight to turn two greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals

��SM�� — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:08:31 +0000

��SM�� researchers have harnessed the power of sunlight to transform two of the most harmful greenhouse gases into valuable chemicals. The discovery could help combat climate change and provide a more sustainable way to produce certain industrial products.

Research finds sex-based differences in how brains handle threats

��SM�� — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:47:06 +0000

A new study has uncovered significant differences in how male and female mice process threats, even as they exhibit similar behavioural responses.

The discovery suggests that including both male and female subjects in neuroscience research will lead to more accurate conclusions and ultimately better health outcomes.

Understanding the influence of sex on brain function can help explain why males and females develop certain psychiatric disorders at different rates or with different symptoms, the researchers said.

Six students at ��SM�� receive Canada’s largest Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) scholarship

��SM�� — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:15:51 +0000

Six students have been named ��SM��’s recipients of Schulich Leader Scholarships, the most generous student award for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies in Canada.

��SM�� alumnus Seymour Schulich, BSc’61, MBA’65, DLitt’04, established the Schulich Leader Scholarships for entrepreneurial-minded students who excel academically and display leadership, charisma and creativity.

New insights could help prevent psychosis relapses in youth and young adults

��SM�� — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 13:03:40 +0000

New findings from ��SM�� researchers could help clinicians understand the course of delusions in youth and young adults that signal the need for a timely intervention to prevent a full relapse of psychosis.

Delusions — strong beliefs that don't align with commonly accepted reality— are a defining symptom of psychosis but are not sufficiently understood.

Digitally cataloguing archived plant specimens can transform conservation efforts

��SM�� — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 14:47:33 +0000

Digitally cataloguing the more than 300 million plant specimens preserved in museums worldwide could yield crucial insights into how to preserve biodiversity amid climate change, a study by ��SM�� researchers has found.

Digitally cataloguing, or digitizing, a herbarium specimen involves recording the species name and original location and uploading that record to a digital repository that is publicly accessible.

A better way to assess bridges’ earthquake safety

��SM�� — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:13:16 +0000

Researchers from ��SM�� have developed a more efficient way to assess how likely a bridge is to be damaged in an earthquake. The information could help authorities prioritize infrastructure for upgrading and improve emergency response plans.

Microbes in orbit: Understanding spaceflight’s impact on gut health

��SM�� — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:45:37 +0000

Scientists have uncovered how space travel profoundly alters the gut microbiome, yielding insights that could shape future space missions.

The groundbreaking study, led by a ��SM�� researcher in collaboration with University College Dublin (UCD), NASA’s GeneLab and an international consortium, offers the most detailed profile to date of how space travel affects gut microbes.

The brain’s balancing system

��SM�� — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:09:31 +0000

A finding by a ��SM��-led team of neuroscientists could open doors to new treatments for a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders attributed to dysfunctions in specific dopamine pathways.

The power of face time: Insights from zebra finch courtship

��SM�� — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:50:07 +0000

A new study on songbirds sheds light on the power of social interaction to facilitate learning, insights that potentially apply to human development.

��SM�� researchers discovered that zebra finches deprived of early social experiences could still form strong bonds with a partner later in life. Once placed into cohabitation with a male, females that had never heard a mating song before could quickly develop a preference for his melody.

What time the malaria-bearing mosquito bites you might make a difference

��SM�� — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:52:23 +0000

A discovery by ��SM��-affiliated researchers could lead to more effective treatment of malaria and other parasitic diseases.

When mice are infected in the middle of the night with the parasites causing cerebral malaria, the symptoms of the disease are less severe than for those inflected during the day, and the spread of the parasites within the hosts is more limited, research teams from ��SM��, the Douglas Research Centre and the Research Institute of the ��SM�� Health Centre have discovered.

Exciting advance in stem cell therapy

��SM�� — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:06:25 +0000

A new technique developed by ��SM�� researchers for mechanically manipulating stem cells could lead to new stem cell treatments, which have yet to fulfill their therapeutic potential.

Stem cell therapy has been heralded as a new way to treat many diseases, ranging from multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and glaucoma to Type 1 diabetes. The anticipated advances have yet to materialize in part because it has proved much more difficult than originally thought to control the types of cells that develop from stem cells.

Dream discovery: Melatonin's key role in REM sleep revealed

��SM�� — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:19:28 +0000

A significant breakthrough in the understanding of sleep mechanism opens new promise for treating sleep disorders and associated neuropsychiatric conditions: Scientists have pinpointed the melatonin receptor MT1 as a crucial regulator of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

$1.45M to boost Indigenous youth mental health services

��SM�� — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:06:15 +0000

A national initiative to bolster Indigenous youth mental health services across Canada has secured $1.45 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Ultrafine particles linked to over 1,000 deaths per year in Canada’s two largest cities

��SM�� — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:17:25 +0000

A first-of-its kind study conducted in Canada’s two largest cities by ��SM��-led researchers has linked about 1,100 premature deaths per year to an unregulated air pollutant.

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) primarily come from vehicle emissions and industrial activities. Canada’s federal and provincial governments have not set concentration limits for UFPs, as they have for larger fine particles known as PM2.5.

Study yields new insights into the link between global warming and rising sea levels

��SM�� — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:16:49 +0000

A ��SM��-led study suggests that Earth's natural forces could substantially reduce Antarctica’s impact on rising sea levels, but only if carbon emissions are swiftly reduced in the coming decades. By the same token, if emissions continue on the current trajectory, Antarctic ice loss could lead to more future sea level rise than previously thought.

The finding is significant because the Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass on Earth, and the biggest uncertainty in predicting future sea levels is how this ice will respond to climate change.

Six athletes among plethora of ��SM��ians headed for Paris Olympic Games

��SM�� — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:11:06 +0000

By Earl Zukerman, Sports Information Officer, ��SM�� Athletics and Recreation

Listening to the voices of those most affected by climate change

��SM�� — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 14:08:03 +0000

Researchers at ��SM�� recently supported the hosting of a major international conference on climate change to create space for the under-represented voices – and knowledge – of those most affected.

The global conversation on climate has been dominated by Western scientists. While international meetings such as those in the COP series are important venues for the exchange of knowledge that can be put into action, greater equity is essential, the researchers believe.

Study sheds light on origins of schizophrenia in the brain, offering hope for targeted treatments and better diagnosis

��SM�� — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 20:49:13 +0000

A group of scientists are hopeful their research findings about how schizophrenia originates and develops over time in the brain will pave the way for targeted treatments and better diagnosis of the serious mental health condition.

Systemic sclerosis is on the rise in Quebec, especially in children, study finds

��SM�� — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 19:51:51 +0000

The number of new cases of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is on the rise in Quebec, particularly among children, a new study has found.

The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, should serve as a call to action for health-care providers, policy-makers and researchers, suggests Elena Netchiporouk, corresponding author and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at ��SM��.

A treatment for anorexia nervosa?

��SM�� — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 14:31:58 +0000

A ��SM��-led research team working in collaboration with a French team (CNRS, INSERM and Sorbonne university) believes it has identified both the neurological mechanism underlying anorexia nervosa as well as a possible cure.

Cutting-edge technology detects nanoplastics in water – instantly

��SM�� — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 17:50:18 +0000

A ��SM��-led research team has developed the first real-time, on-site technology capable of detecting and deciphering nanoplastics from all other particles in water, a capacity akin to being able to find a needle in a haystack within milliseconds.

Microplastic pieces are between 1 micrometre and 5 millimetres, roughly equivalent to a grain of rice. Nanoplastics are far tinier - a single nanometre is just 0.000001 millimetres. For comparison, a human hair is approximately 80,000–100,000 nanometers wide.

Treasures beneath the ocean floor? Seawater plays role in gold formation

��SM�� — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 14:03:05 +0000

Understanding how gold forms is crucial for knowing where to find it and how to extract it sustainably. ��SM�� researchers have answered a long-standing question in geology that could lead to new ore discoveries.

How climate change is affecting where species live

��SM�� — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:44:19 +0000

As the climate warms, many species are on the move, raising new challenges for policy-makers around the world. Shifts in the ranges of mosquitoes and disease-bearing ticks and bats are introducing illnesses such as malaria and Lyme disease into regions where health-care systems are unprepared. Movements of commercially important fish from one jurisdiction to another are shifting job opportunities and causing trade disputes.

The 10 Montreal intersections cyclists say are most dangerous

��SM�� — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 13:08:15 +0000

This spring, over 1,500 cyclists participated in a survey by Transportation Research at ��SM�� (TRAM) to identify dangerous intersections for cyclists in Montreal. A new policy brief reveals the 10 most mentioned spots.

The researchers say there is a critical need for safer cycling infrastructure, to promote sustainable travel and prevent fatal collisions caused by poor road design.

The ‘15-minute city’ might not be realistic for North America, researchers find

��SM�� — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 13:37:22 +0000

In the “15-minute city,” a concept popularized in Europe, everything a resident might need on a daily basis is a short walk or bicycle ride away. A study by Transportation Research at ��SM�� (TRAM) suggests, however, that this model may not be easily achieved in large North American cities such as Montreal.

��SM�� announces a new tuition initiative for Indigenous students

��SM�� — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:43:28 +0000

Beginning in the Fall of 2024, ��SM�� will cover tuition and mandatory fees for Indigenous students who are members of local/proximate First Nation communities as well as Indigenous students learning within programs delivered through Indigenous partnership agreements within the School of Social Work, the School of Continuing Studies and the Office of First Nations and Inuit Education.

Teens with behavioural problems, particularly girls, more likely to sext: study

��SM�� — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:09:16 +0000

It’s important that programs promoting safer sexting behaviours consider the specific needs of adolescents with behavioural problems, a new study by ��SM�� researchers suggests.

Adolescents with behavioural problems engage in elevated levels of sexting compared with their peers without such problems. While this is the case both for male and female teens, the researchers found, the link was stronger for the young women.

‘Doom spiral’ a risk for public transit in post-pandemic era

��SM�� — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 16:06:14 +0000

A new study from ��SM�� warns that cutting public transit service could lead to a "doom spiral" resulting in a collapse of the system.

The researchers describe a vicious circle in which service cuts brought on by budget deficits drive transit users away; this drop in ridership triggers additional service cuts, which lead to further declines in usage.

Many health-care providers are ill-equipped to recognize pain in abused children

��SM�� — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:51:34 +0000

Many health-care professionals are ill-equipped to assess pain in children who have suffered abuse, a new study by ��SM�� researchers suggests. This can lead to inadequate pain treatment, making the physical and emotional effects of abuse even worse.

"Our findings show a critical need for training programs for health-care providers about the effects of child maltreatment,” said Matthew Baker, the study's lead author and a PhD student in the School/Applied Child Psychology program at ��SM��.

��SM�� issues updated offer to ��SM�� members of the encampment, calls for return to good-faith discussions

��SM�� — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:58:57 +0000

Despite the walkout by encampment representatives from discussions, ��SM�� remains steadfast in its commitment to an open and transparent dialogue conducted in good faith. Yesterday, the University extended an updated offer to members of its community in the encampment, going beyond previous proposals.

This continued effort to reach a peaceful resolution to the encampment, which has been in place on the lower field for over six weeks, comes in addition to the University’s renewed suggestion to appoint a neutral third-party mediator to facilitate discussions.

Government of Canada invests $6M in climate change adaptation and interdisciplinary research at ��SM��

��SM�� — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 17:55:03 +0000

Two ��SM��-led climate change mitigation projects receive funding from the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s (NFRF) International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Competition. Thirteen researchers receive grants through the NFRF Exploration Competition.

Two ��SM�� Projects selected for funding by Genome Canada

��SM�� — Thu, 30 May 2024 18:23:56 +0000

Quebec-based projects awarded over half of the total national allotment, demonstrating the province’s strength in the transformative science of genomics

��SM�� project awarded $1.7 million to mitigate housing crisis and climate change

��SM�� — Wed, 29 May 2024 18:29:09 +0000

As Canada faces the dual challenges of contending with a housing crisis at the same time as facing the impacts of severe climate change, the need to find innovative and practical solutions remains one of the nation’s highest priorities. ��SM��’s Professor Daniele Malomo was recently awarded $1.7 million by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for a proposed solution that addresses both problems.

Battery breakthrough could usher in greener, cheaper electric vehicles

��SM�� — Tue, 28 May 2024 18:52:54 +0000

The global shift to electric vehicles is gaining momentum, yet the extraction of battery materials has a significant environmental footprint that comes with high costs.

Now, two groundbreaking studies led by ��SM�� researchers offer hope in the search to manufacture cheaper and greener lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs).

Their findings unlock the potential to produce batteries using more sustainable and less costly metals, known as disordered rock-salt-type (DRX) cathode materials.

��SM�� celebrates graduates and honorary doctorate recipients at 2024 spring convocation

��SM�� — Tue, 28 May 2024 13:13:41 +0000

As part of this year’s Spring Convocation celebrations, ��SM�� will confer honorary degrees upon ten inspirational individuals, five of whom are from Quebec.

Leaders in their respective fields, these honorary doctorates stand as examples of creativity, compassion, dedication, service, and a pioneering spirit. They represent a diverse array of leaders whose contributions span disciplines, industries, and continents.

Sustainable Data Science Training Program awarded $1.65 M from NSERC CREATE

��SM�� — Thu, 16 May 2024 14:35:33 +0000

Today, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced more than $26 million in funding for 16 new training initiatives through its Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program.

��SM��’s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences and Welcome Hall Mission celebrate Jim Lund Dental Clinic expansion

��SM�� — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:42:18 +0000

��SM��’s Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences and the Welcome Hall Mission celebrated the completion of the Jim Lund Dental Clinic expansion project, which started in October 2023.

Established in 2011 in partnership with the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, the Jim Lund Dental Clinic at Welcome Hall Mission has long been recognized for its commitment to helping Montrealers in need with free dental care.

Study underscores new strategies to fight drug-resistant bacteria

��SM�� — Tue, 07 May 2024 18:42:00 +0000

Several billion years ago, a genetic arms race began between bacteria and their viral killers. This seemingly eternal struggle continues today, with implications for diseases killing tens of thousands of people around the world each year.

Huit universités montréalaises s’unissent pour accélérer l'action climatique et renforcer la résilience de la métropole

��SM�� — Tue, 07 May 2024 15:00:30 +0000

Montréal, 7 mai 2024 — Aujourd’hui, dans le cadre du Sommet Climat Montréal, huit institutions universitaires montréalaises — l’École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), HEC Montréal, l’Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), Polytechnique Montréal, l’Université ��SM��, l’Université Concordia, l'Université de Montréal (UdeM) et l’Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) — s’engagent à collaborer pour accélérer l’action climatique de la collectivité montréalaise en partageant leurs savoirs et leurs pratiques, tout en faisant preuve d’exemplarité dans la réduction d

Eating the way we do hurts us and the planet, study finds

��SM�� — Mon, 06 May 2024 14:48:42 +0000

In an age of abundance and variety in food options, are Canadians eating better than they were half a century ago? According to a recent paper by researchers at ��SM�� and the International Food Policy Research Institute, those relying on Canada’s food supply for their dietary needs not only face deficiencies in healthier alternatives, but they also contribute to the disproportionate levels of environmental degradation caused by Canadian agricultural and food distribution policies.

McCall MacBain Scholars Announces Class of 2024

��SM�� — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 12:13:09 +0000

The McCall MacBain Scholarships at ��SM�� today announced its fourth cohort of recipients, beneficiaries of a landmark $200 million gift made in 2019 by John and Marcy McCall MacBain. At the time, it was the largest single donation in Canadian history.

Weeding out the dealers in Canada’s cannabis market

��SM�� — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:44:03 +0000

It's been five years since Canada stepped into the forefront of cannabis legalization, setting a significant precedent in the realm of drug policy. With Canada and 24 US states now embracing recreational cannabis, the battle against the illegal market remains a key concern, one highlighted in the federal government's final report on the Cannabis Act.

my����SM���� - ����SM���� News Releases