news 2024

Dr. Pierre Billon, PhD, was frustrated with the time it took to get genetic analysis done at specialized private labs. Results of DNA samples that he needed for his research weren't available for weeks and sometimes months. Outsourcing to genome facilities was also expensive. Billon was convinced there was another approach that could provide results faster and in a more cost-effective way.

Scientists have developed an experimental medication called UBX1325, or foselutoclax, that shows promise in treating macular edema. Diabetes can lead to eye problems, and a common one is diabetic macular edema (DME), causing vision loss. Now a study published in Nature Medicine suggest a new experimental drug could someday help make treatment of DME more successful and longer-lasting.

Local company aims to improve people's cognitive wellness with smart glasses By Charlotte Danby Faculty of Engineering Waterloo-based deep tech startup AdHawk Microsystems recently launched MindLink Air (TM), everyday glasses that can read its wearer's eye health and cognitive state using research-grade, camera-free eye-tracking technology.

Exposure to DDT can trigger changes to the heritable sperm epigenome and may raise risk of birth defects and disease, finds McGill-led study In a study that signals potential reproductive and health complications in humans, now and for future generations, researchers from McGill University, the University of Pretoria, Université Laval, Aarhus University, and the University of Copenhagen, have concluded that fathers exposed to environmental toxins, notably DDT, may produce sperm with health consequences for their children.

Exposure to DDT can trigger changes to the heritable sperm epigenome and may raise risk of birth defects and disease, finds McGill-led study In a study that signals potential reproductive and health complications in humans, now and for future generations, researchers from McGill University, the University of Pretoria, Université Laval, Aarhus University, and the University of Copenhagen, have concluded that fathers exposed to environmental toxins, notably DDT, may produce sperm with health consequences for their children.

Researchers demonstrate a link between transgender people's exposure to gender-related stigma and cortisol, a key hormone in the stress response. For transgender and nonbinary people, feeling connected to one's community may alleviate the adverse health effects of chronic exposure to stigma, the latest findings of a U.S.-Canada study suggests.

A study by West ern researchers shows most newcomers - and the majority of Canadians - choose to live cities. It's a historical trend negatively impact smaller communities looking to counteract the effects of an aging population , declining birth rates and economic disparities the urban-rural divide.

McGill study finds that some Canadians may still be at risk of Genetic Discrimination despite new federal law New study from the Centre of Genomics and Policy examines the impact of the 2017 Genetic Non-Discrimination Act on life insurance practices and finds that the law falls short on protecting Canadians against Genetic Discrimination.

The 3,000-km artery contains a large quantity and variety of pharmaceutical compounds, some of which could be harmful to ecosystems and human health. A new study shows troubling levels of pharmaceutical pollution in the St. Lawrence River and its largest tributaries, especially near and downstream of urban areas.

Researchers improve the trustworthiness of medical imaging diagnoses with innovative three-stage system powered by AI An interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Waterloo has developed a more trustworthy method to diagnose diseases such as COVID-19, pneumonia, and melanoma using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

In the never-ending quest for a good night's sleep, the use of white, brown or pink noise is the latest thing. Solution or illusion? One in four people suffer from some kind of sleep disorder-insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, hypersomnia, restless legs syndrome. And for a quarter of them, there is no effective, long-term solution.

According to a study led by UdeM veterinarian Claire Vergneau-Grosset, cataract operations can help fish survive and not get sick or die from lack of food they cannot see. Humans aren't the only species to develop cataracts with age. Some animals, including dogs, cats, horses and, it turns out, fish living in captivity, can also get cataracts as they grow older.

University of Waterloo researchers will help Canadian municipalities monitor, measure and achieve climate mitigation goals While sustainability reporting is a widespread practice in the private sector, new research shows that the same cannot be said for Ontario municipalities. Researchers at the University of Waterloo studied 38 municipalities in Ontario, representing more than two-thirds of the population, and discovered that almost all municipalities publish their sustainability and climate change goals, but under half are formally reporting on their progress.

With a diameter approximately twice that of Earth, GJ 9827d could be an example of a planet with a water-rich atmosphere, according to astronomers at UdeM. A Canadian-led team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reports observing the smallest exoplanet to have water vapour detected in its atmosphere.

A new study suggests being born very preterm may have a significant - but potentially reversible - impact on an adult's health. Adults born very preterm have poorer cardiorespiratory health than those born at term, suggests a new study led by Université de Montréal professors Thuy Mai Luu and Anne-Monique Nuyt, researchers at CHU Sainte-Justine.

DeepThInk tool helps patients express themselves using "AI Brush" Researchers have created a new AI-assisted digital art tool designed to help art therapy patients better express themselves while maintaining the efficacy of the process. The tool, dubbed DeepThInk, was designed by computer science researchers at the University of Waterloo and the Southern University of Science and Technology in collaboration with art therapists.

In an unseen process playing out in the deep, miniature elements of DNA are quietly outsmarting viruses. Microbiologists led by Université de Montréal biologist Frédérique Le Roux have made an underwater breakthrough, discovering what they're calling "mini satellites" in sea bacteria. These tiny genetic elements, known as phage-inducible chromosomal minimalist islands (PICMIs), are changing the way scientists think about life in the ocean.

It's time to recognize the power of healthy forests in managing global growing flood risk, and to shift towards more sustainable forestry practices and policy. This call is emphasized by UBC researchers in a peer-reviewed article published recently in the journal Science of the Total Environment . Dr. Younes Alila , a hydrologist and professor in the faculty of forestry, and his graduate student Henry Pham synthesized decades of hydrology studies and found that many "severely and consistently underestimated" the impact of forest cover on flood risk.

Researchers propose a new model for classifying Parkinson's One of the things that makes developing effective treatments for Parkinson's disease so challenging is its complexity. While some forms are caused by genetics, others have environmental factors, and patients can show a wide range of symptoms of varying severity.

The salt used to de-ice our roads does not reduce the effectiveness of the plants used in bioretention areas, according to a new study by Henry Beral, a Ph.D. candidate at UdeM. Increasing numbers of municipalities across Quebec are building bioretention areas to manage storm runoff. These areas serve two important functions.