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Hiding behind numerous disguises, HIV has been evading researchers for years, leaving the search for a vaccine as elusive as the virus itself. Once believed to exist as pure strains or subtypes, new research shows the virus evolves constantly, combining dangerous elements that complicate treatment. As part of its evasive techniques, the virus can lie dormant in cells, avoiding treatments and the body's own immune system.

Western and LHSCRI researchers hope to inform environmental, health policy in high-pollution areas A new study reveals air pollution may contribute to the development of epilepsy, a brain condition that causes seizures. Published in Epilepsia, researchers at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry found an association between long-term exposure to air pollution with new cases of epilepsy in adults in Ontario.

Almost all babies who contract the human papillomavirus perinatally eliminate it within the first six months of life - yet even so, women still benefit from protection, a study finds. Nearly all newborns who contract human papillomavirus in the perinatal stage will eliminate the virus in the first six months of life, with very little persistence or recurrence, according to a new Canadian study published today in the Journal of Infectious Disease.

Study delved into the social factors that influence whether older adults are able to remain in their homes and communities  While health status is an important factor in whether a person is able to grow old in their home and community (age in place), researchers at McGill University have shed new light on the social factors that can also have an impact, both directly and through their impact on health over a lifetime.

McGill researchers develop a method that could revolutionize biomedical and environmental applications  Researchers at McGill University, in collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal, pioneered a new way to create hydrogels using ultrasound, eliminating the need for toxic chemical initiators.

A study carried out at UdeM by Craig Turner and his doctoral supervisor Felipe Verdugo shows how pianists' "expressive intentions" may heighten their risk of long-term injury. Playing the piano involves much more than striking the keyboard. The pianist's entire body is in movement, from the torso to the fingers.

Although autism can be diagnosed very early, it remains difficult to plot a child's developmental trajectory. Now a team of UdeM-affiliated researchers is working to remedy this, via AI and genomics. Will a child who's evaluated for autism later develop an intellectual disability? Can this be accurately predicted? Early-childhood experts in Quebec say they've have come up with a way to better find out.

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.

UCalgary researchers investigate transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat aphasia caused by stroke Lucy Mulloor woke up one morning and realized something was terribly wrong. The 45-year-old single-mom could hear her two daughters in the kitchen but couldn't call out to them. She'd lost the ability to talk and to move the right side of her body.

Research led by Dr. Li-Fang (Jack) Chu at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is uncovering how species-specific developmental timing shapes early development, using pig stem-cells. Understanding how cells grow and change can unlock new therapies for regenerative medicine and Chu's team is showing encouraging results by creating retinal tissues similar to that found in human eyes.

New research from the University of Waterloo suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for lowering blood pressure than simply reducing sodium intake. High blood pressure affects over 30 per cent of adults globally. It's the leading cause of coronary heart disease and stroke and may also lead to other afflictions like chronic kidney disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and dementia.

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.

Wearable technology aided by artificial intelligence can warn and prevent falls for patients recovering from stroke and spinal injuries. Simon Fraser researchers are using cutting edge technology, in combination with artificial intelligence and machine learning, to support safer rehabilitation for patients.

Researchers led by the University of Waterloo have discovered how to turn common bacteria into high-efficiency factories capable of producing tiny, powerful particles for drug delivery, cancer therapy, vaccine development and other biomedical uses. Led by Yilan Liu , a Waterloo chemical engineering professor, the international research team altered bacteria found in the human gut, or gastrointestinal tract, to dramatically increase the number of bubble-shaped nanoparticles they secrete.

Researchers from London, Ont. discover regular use linked to signs of increased dopamine in the brain, a key factor in psychosis Although it's been six years since cannabis was legalized in Canada, further research is needed to fully understand its health effects. A new study published April 9 in JAMA Psychiatry sheds light on how cannabis use disorder is linked to changes in the brain that are associated with psychosis.

CRCHUM researchers reveal that the guinea pig pre-implantation embryo is very similar to the human embryo, spurring a better understanding of infertility and early human development. The first few days of a human embryo's development, known as pre-implantation, are important. It's when the first cells are formed, and these decide if the embryo can survive, how it will implant in the womb and how the tissues of the fetus will develop.

'Our findings could help doctors and mental health professionals better educate patients about the potential risks of frequent cannabis use' A McGill University-led study found that people with cannabis use disorder (CUD) had elevated dopamine levels in a brain region associated with psychosis. "This could help explain why cannabis use increases the risk of hallucinations and delusions, key symptoms of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders," said first author Jessica Ahrens, a PhD candidate in McGill's Integrated Program in Neuroscience.

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.

Previous studies show exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main psychoactive component in cannabis - while in utero can lead to lower birth weight and potential heart complications in newborn animal offspring. For the first time, researchers from Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry have found a potential way to prevent those effects.