91ɬ�� News - Medicine and Health Sciences

‘Jumping gene’ helps explain elevated pancreatic cancer risk in French-Canadians

webfull — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:13:42 +0000

Researchers at 91ɬ�� have discovered a centuries-old genetic mutation that helps to explain why some French‑Canadians in Quebec are at an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer. Until quite recently, standard genetic tests have not been able to identify this “jumping gene” cause.

The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, suggest better-targeted genetic testing could help identify people at higher cancer risk who were previously missed.

Published: 19 May 2026

91ɬ��’s Bravo Gala shines a spotlight on research excellence

webfull — Thu, 14 May 2026 16:18:30 +0000

At event honouring 116 winners of major awards, keynote speaker and SSHRC Gold Medal recipient Myriam Denov emphasized the importance of listening.

91ɬ�� celebrated more than 100 researchers at the 21^st edition of Bravo, a gala event May 7 honouring the winners of major provincial, national and international research prizes and awards in 2025.

Published: 14 May 2026

Provost honours 31 91ɬ�� professors for exceptional research achievements

webfull — Wed, 13 May 2026 18:00:18 +0000

The 2026 cohort of Distinguished James 91ɬ�� Professors, James 91ɬ�� Professors and William Dawson Scholars embody ‘the very best of our academic community’.

Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Angela Campbell has named 31 91ɬ�� professors as Distinguished James 91ɬ�� Professors, James 91ɬ�� Professors or William Dawson Scholars. The internal awards recognize exceptional research achievements.

Published: 13 May 2026

91ɬ�� awarded 16 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

webfull — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:51:34 +0000

From fundamental physics to child well-being, 91ɬ�� researchers advance discovery across disciplines

91ɬ�� has been awarded $18.1 million in federal funding to support 16 Canada Research Chairs – six new and 10 renewed.

Published: 13 May 2026

$1.25 million for 91ɬ�� research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

webfull — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:34:01 +0000

Federal fund will support transformative high risk, high reward research across engineering, science, and medicine at 91ɬ��.

Published: 13 May 2026

Icing injuries may slow recovery and prolong pain, study finds

webfull — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:42:56 +0000

Icing a sprained ankle or sore muscle, long used to reduce pain and swelling, may in the longer run delay recovery and prolong pain, new research suggests.

In a preclinical study published in Anesthesiology, 91ɬ�� researchers found that even though cryotherapy (icing) eased pain in the short term, recovery time was more than doubled in some cases.

Published: 13 May 2026

Discovery of fat-burning ‘switch’ could lead to advances in bone disease treatments

webfull — Tue, 12 May 2026 13:38:51 +0000

Scientists’ discovery of a molecular “switch” that activates an energy‑burning pathway in mice has the potential to lead to new treatments for bone disease.

The study, published in Nature, sheds new light on brown fat. Unlike white fat, which stores energy, brown fat cells burn calories, producing heat as a byproduct. For years, it was believed this process relied on a single pathway. More recently, researchers discovered a parallel pathway, but how it became activated remained a mystery.

Published: 12 May 2026

Public education will be critical as provinces roll out new cervical cancer screening method, researchers say

webfull — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:37:38 +0000

As Canada moves to modernize cervical cancer screening, a new study suggests most women do not yet understand or trust the shift from the Pap test to human papillomavirus (HPV) based screening.

The national survey, published in Current Oncology, examined women’s preferences for cervical screening – including how they want to be screened and how they want information communicated – as Canada transitions from Pap tests to HPV testing.

Published: 7 May 2026

Unleashing natural killer cells against cancer

webfull — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:50:22 +0000

Scientists have developed a strategy to boost the cancer-fighting power of natural killer (NK) cells, part of the immune system’s first line of defence. NK cells can detect and destroy cancer cells, but tumours often create a protective barrier that blocks them, allowing cancer to grow.

Researchers at 91ɬ��’s Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, in collaboration with the Research Institute of the 91ɬ�� Health Centre, found that suppressing two specific proteins helps NK cells overcome this blockage, turning them into more potent cancer killers.

Published: 24 April 2026

NSERC awards two 91ɬ�� professors $1.65 million each to prepare the next generation of researchers

webfull — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:07:07 +0000

Projects focusing on MedTech and genomics cut across disciplines while mobilizing expertise at 91ɬ�� and other Quebec institutions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow

Published: 21 April 2026