news 2025

After nearly 15 years' research, scientists at the UdeM-affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine have developed a compound that has shown remarkable potential in preventing prematurity in mice. Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely around the world. For these children, each additional day in the womb can have a decisive impact on their health and quality of life.

Error loading page resources Please try to reload the page to display it correctly. A new preclinical study unveils a more powerful and effective immunotherapy for bladder cancer and other solid tumours BCG therapy-the gold standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), where the cancer has not penetrated the muscle layer-is one of the earliest forms of cancer immunotherapy.

Simon Fraser researchers are using a new approach to brain imaging that could improve how drugs are prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease. The new study , published in the journal Movement Disorders, looks at why levodopa - the main drug used in dopamine replacement therapy - is sometimes less effective in patients.

Error loading page resources Please try to reload the page to display it correctly. A first-of-its-kind clinical trial found that ketamine's benefits for treating severe depression can be improved when combined with psychotherapy and supportive treatment environments. Led by researchers at McGill University, the study suggests this approach can yield valuable therapeutic experiences that lead to longer-lasting relief than standard treatment.

Researchers at the IRCM discover that blocking the CD200R1 molecule in mice activates certain immune cells called macrophages, helping to eliminate blood cancers from their bodies. Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by mobilizing the immune system to attack tumour cells. Major advances, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (notably against the PD-1 protein), have produced impressive results against certain types of cancer, including melanoma and kidney cancer.

A team of University of Calgary researchers is calling it a game-changer for understanding gut health. It has been working on improving 3D models of the human intestine to create more-realistic experiments and tests to help diagnose and treat gastrointestinal issues. Using patient-derived organoids, which are akin to mini-guts, enabled the team to more accurately replicate the internal environment of an intestine on a new gut-on-a-chip platform.

Error loading page resources Please try to reload the page to display it correctly. Consensus on how mindset and surroundings shape therapy outcomes is an important step toward regulatory approval for use of drugs like MDMA and psilocybin in treatment of debilitating mental health conditions As psychedelics gain traction as potential treatments for mental health disorders, an international study led by researchers at McGill University, Imperial College London, and the University of Exeter stands to improve the rigour and reliability of clinical research.

Researchers estimated about 8,500 tonnes of antibiotics end up in river systems each year after passing through the human body and wastewater systems Millions of kilometres of rivers around the world are carrying antibiotic pollution at levels high enough to promote drug resistance and harm aquatic life, a McGill University-led study warns.

In a preclinical study led by McGill researchers, two drugs targeting "zombie cells" have been shown to treat the underlying cause of chronic low back pain. The condition affects millions of people worldwide. Current treatments manage symptoms through painkillers or surgery, without addressing the root cause.

A team of researchers successfully created more effective immune cells that can fight cancer without damaging healthy tissue. "This story goes back nearly 20 years," says Prof. Paul François, by way of introduction. This biophysicist and bio-informaticist from UdeM's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine is interested in automatic learning, a field at the crossroads of various disciplines.

UdeM pharmacy professor Simon Matoori has reviewed studies on the therapeutic properties of honey in the treatment of both acute and chronic wounds. It's a remedy that dates back to Pharaohs-one that doctors still use today to treat certain acute and chronic wounds, although in a different form than ancient Egyptian physicians knew.

Developing new drugs to treat illnesses has typically been a slow and expensive process. However, a team of researchers at the University of Waterloo uses machine learning to speed up the development time. The Waterloo research team has created "Imagand," a generative artificial intelligence model that assesses existing information about potential drugs and then suggests their potential properties.

A new study by McGill researchers yields insights into how the disruption of calcium transport in the brain is linked to autism and intellectual disability. The findings, published in the journal Nature, not only upend a long-held belief among neuroscientists, but could pave the way for treatments. The researchers discovered that tiny protein structures on brain cells, known as AMPA receptors, can transport calcium.

Researchers focused on those with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases New research findings provide solid evidence that annual COVID-19 vaccine booster doses continue to be advisable for certain immunocompromised people, researchers at McGill University say.

For people with a certain sleep disorder, a simple blood test could help predict the development of dementia years before symptoms appear, a new study indicates. Idiopathic REM sleep behaviour disorder (iRBD) causes people to physically act out their dreams while sleeping. The disorder is also associated with a very high risk of Parkinson's disease and a related condition called Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

A new mathematical model developed at the University of Waterloo can determine a baby's overall drug exposure when their mother is taking medication. This is the first study to include drug transfer from the umbilical cord and through breastfeeding in determining the baby's total drug levels. The research team from the School of Pharmacy at Waterloo looked specifically at Levetiracetam.

The Calgary Stroke Program, a joint University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services initiative at Foothills Medical Centre, has been involved with three papers published this week in The Lancet and Lancet Neurology-the ESCAPE-NEXT trial, the FRONTIER trial, and an individual patient level meta-analysis across three trials.

A groundbreaking study sheds new light on the role of the gut microbiome and metabolome in CTLA4 deficiency, a key factor in immune regulation and cancer mechanisms.

University of Calgary's Hotchkiss Brain Institute researchers with the Calgary Stroke Program at Foothills Medical Centre revolutionized treatment for stroke with the ESCAPE Trial , proving that a clot retrieval procedure known as endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) can dramatically improve patient outcomes after an acute ischemic stroke caused by a blockage in a large-sized blood vessel.

Discovery could lead to new treatment strategies for infertility, but raises potential concerns about emerging therapies for muscular dystrophy and obesity A newly discovered line of communication between body muscle and the pituitary gland may play an unexpected role in female fertility, according to a new study.