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A single gene that regulates testosterone levels in a "crazy" species of shore bird controls the development of three wildly different types of males, an international study involving researchers at Simon Fraser University has found. Ruffs have long fascinated scientists for their three types of males, known as morphs, that differ radically from each other in appearance and mating behaviours.

Professor Juan Carlos Villarreal believes it's time to pay more attention to so-called inferior plants Two recently published studies by a research team that includes Université Laval's Juan Carlos Villarreal demonstrate that modest, little-known plants can provide valuable fundamental knowledge about the evolution of life on Earth, and inspire innovations that can increase agricultural production.

Microplastics can go right through wastewater treatment plants, and researchers have engineered bacteria commonly found in there to break down this pollution before it can persist in the environment. Researchers from the University of Waterloo added DNA to several species of bacteria found in wastewater, allowing them to biodegrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic found in carpet, clothing and containers for food and beverages.

In the largest research effort to date, anthropologists at Université de Montréal succeed in sequencing the genomes of 162 lemurs from 50 species across the island of Madagascar - and solve an evolut Lemurs - those small, big-eyed primates that live in the trees of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa - are a mystery of evolution.

Opening new doors for the development of nanotechnologies in medicine, UdeM scientists recreate two natural mechanisms to better program the timescale of molecular communication and functionality. Living organisms monitor time - and react to it - in many different ways, from detecting light and sound in microseconds to responding physiologically in pre-programmed ways, via their daily sleep cycle, monthly menstrual cycle, or to changes in the seasons.

SFU study sheds new light on what causes long-term disability after a stroke and offers new path toward possible treatment A recent study from Simon Fraser researchers has revealed how an overlooked type of indirect brain damage contributes to ongoing disability after a stroke.

Endocannabinoids in the brain play a key role in food intake and energy use. Modulating the action of these molecules could help fight obesity, say researchers at the CRCHUM. For years, Université de Montréal medical professor Stephanie Fulton and her team have been unravelling the mechanisms in the human nervous system that control people's need to eat and to engage in physical activity, and how their metabolism affects their mood.

Preclinical study suggests the compound could restore lost muscle for patients with the rare degenerative disorder A novel drug holds promise for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a rare genetic disorder that causes severe muscle degeneration. McGill researchers have discovered that an experimental compound called K884 can boost the natural repair abilities of muscle stem cells.

McGill researchers have discovered how certain microbes create potent drugs like antibiotics and anti-cancer therapies. Their surprising findings could change the way scientists approach drug discovery and pave the way to the designing of next-generation medications, explained Martin Schmeing, principal investigator and professor in McGill's Department of Biochemistry and Centre for Structural Biology.

Many people could greatly improve their odds against developing dementia by making four, low-cost lifestyle changes, Western researchers have discovered. In the first study of its kind , researchers at Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) and Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry found about half of dementia cases in Canada can be influenced by 12 lifestyle factors.

UdeM scientists have developed a method to create retinal transplants from stem cells, and with them, blind mini-pigs have showed signs of restored vision, a promising development for humans, as well. Scientists at Université de Montréal have successfully transplanted retinas made from stem cells into blind mini-pigs - and, it seems, made them see again, according to a new study.

A new study provides insights into the brain processes involved in nonverbal communication of pain, specifically facial expressions. Stubbing your toe on a table leg or fracturing your wrist will probably make you wince in pain (and possibly curse). It's a natural reaction; facial expressions play an important role in communicating the unpleasant sensory and emotional experience of pain.

Scientists have uncovered a new link between the immune system and the development of Parkinson's disease. Researchers at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) at McGill University have discovered that an immune response plays a key role in how toxic protein clumps, known as Lewy bodies, form in brain cells and contribute to disease.

An international team of scientists led by UdeM wife-and-husband team Zdenka Pausova and Tomas Paus links the presence of white spots on MRI brain scans of older adults to a genetic risk of dementia. They show up as bright white spots when you get a brain MRI: lesions called white matter hyperintensities, or WMH.

A new study shows that photoreceptor cells in the retina exhibit planar polarity, i.e. their light-sensitive cilia orient themselves in a coordinated manner.

Young adults at risk of psychosis show reduced brain connectivity, a deficit that cannabis use appears to worsen, a new study has found. The breakthrough paves the way for psychosis treatments targeting symptoms that current medications miss. In the first-of-its-kind study, McGill researchers detected a marked decrease in synaptic density-the connections between neurons that enable brain communication-in individuals at risk of psychosis, compared to a healthy control group.

A multi-disciplinary team of University of Calgary researchers is aiming to use genetic variants to discover new cardiovascular diseases and disease mechanisms. Libin Cardiovascular Institute members Dr. Wayne Chen, PhD, and Dr. Robert Rose, PhD, are leading a novel study investigating the genetics behind rare cardiovascular conditions.

Groundbreaking finding by Faculty of Veterinary Medicine team opens door to new immunotherapies and enhanced vaccines. The human immune system is a marvel of biological engineering, yet, even today, there are fundamental aspects of its operation that remain shrouded in mystery. "Our immune systems protect us from everyday threats - like the viruses that cause the flu or from mutated cells like cancer cells," says Dr. Johnathan Canton, PhD.

A genetic signature in newborns can predict neonatal sepsis before symptoms even start to show, according to a new study. The study, led by UBC and SFU researchers in collaboration with the Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia, has the potential to help healthcare workers diagnose babies earlier, including in lowerand middle-income countries (LMICs) where neonatal sepsis is of particular concern.

What is the "most Canadian" animal' Spoiler: it's not the beaver, or the moose. Published today in the journal The Canadian Field-Naturalist , the study from a team of Simon Fraser researchers ranks, for the first time ever, species of terrestrial vertebrates in Canada by their level of Canadian evolutionary distinctness: the amount of time animals have evolved independently from other Canadian species.