Graduate Students

Expanding access to specialized healthcare across Quebec: ECHO Superhub at The Neuro

admin — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 18:37:02 +0000

Free, online training program strengthens training and brings specialized care to communities across Quebec

A healthcare telementoring program housed at The Neuro and supported by the Transforming Autism Care Consortium (TACC) is expanding its reach after achieving designation as an ECHO Superhub. Under the direction of Julie Scorah, PhD, this milestone ensures that specialized knowledge reaches underserved communities.

Project to create AI model for ALS receives Génome Québec funding

admin — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:29:17 +0000

$400,000 will fuel public-private collaboration to discover new disease biomarkers

A new project co-led by Thomas Durcan, PhD, Director of The Neuro's Early Drug Discovery Unit, and overseen by Mathilde Chaineau, PhD, the EDDU’s program manager, will receive $400,000 in support from Génome Québec. In partnership with Nardin Nakhla and Armstrong Murira from the Montreal-based company Simmunome, Durcan and Chaineau will develop a computational model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on which to test for new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Prescribing anti-swelling drug reduces immune response weeks after last dose

admin — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:05:58 +0000

Mapping immune cell diversity reveals dexamethasone’s impact on brain cancer immunotherapy

Swelling caused by brain cancer is a problem that can lead to serious side effects and even death. While controlling swelling is important, a new study shows that a commonly prescribed anti-swelling drug suppresses the immune system for weeks after dosage, inhibiting the body’s ability to fight the cancer.

AI analysis of healthcare records reveals key factors in autism diagnosis

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:23:21 +0000

Scientists argue the criteria we use for diagnosing autism may need revision

Without clear and effective biological tests for autism based on genes, brain or blood measurements, diagnosis today still largely depends on clinical assessment. The standard way of doing this is by observing how the individual fits the criteria for autism listed in gold standard manuals like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5).

Isabella Coronado Doria on Taxis vs. Ridesharing in Colombia | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:43:02 +0000

March 26, 2025 | MPP Isabella Coronado Doria wrote about the growing tensions between Uber and traditional taxis in Columbia. "In some ways, hindering Uber’s activity in Colombia is comparable to telling people to abandon the internet and go back to encyclopedias. It highlights the perpetual tension between the status quo and disruptive technology," writes Isabella.

Aftab Ahmed on Meta’s dominance | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 20:27:05 +0000

January 22, 2025 | Alumnus Aftab Ahmed MPP'23 wrote about growing Meta's dominance in the digital economy as social media applications such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp command over three billion active monthly users worldwide. In the Policy Magazine, he wrote "Meta faces no competition capable of challenging its influence.

Seth Bumagat on Canada's Water Resilience and Security Strategy | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 13:52:42 +0000

March 26, 2025 | MPP Seth Bumagat wrote about the need for water resilience and security strategy. "Wildfires and droughts – two other frequent natural disasters that strike Canada annually – present a complex link between water and climate change events. When considering the complex links between climate change and water, the issues of water resilience and security arise.

Six principal investigators from The Neuro receive CIHR grants

admin — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:44:57 +0000

Projects include important research on Parkinson’s, glioblastoma and dementia

New publication in Science from the Bernard lab with former and current Cell Biology graduate students Emilie Brûlé and Hailey Schultz

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:56:32 +0000

Myostatin is a paracrine myokine that regulates muscle mass in a variety of species, including humans. In this work, they report a functional role for myostatin as an endocrine hormone that directly promotes pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and thereby ovarian function in mice. Previously, this FSH-stimulating role was attributed to other members of the transforming growth factor-β family, the activins. Their results both challenge activin's eponymous role in FSH synthesis and establish an unexpected endocrine axis between skeletal muscle and the pituitary gland.

Jennifer Welsh's Article on The Future of UN Peacekeeping

admin — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 18:42:21 +0000

March 7, 2024 | Director Jennifer Welsh and Marie-Joëlle Zahar wrote a new article on The Future of UN Peacekeeping, which was published by Ethics and International Affairs. The authors discuss the challenges UN peace operations are facing and the rising expectations.

Aftab Ahmed on Humanitarian Aid under the Trump Administration's | Policy Magazine

admin — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 21:42:21 +0000

February 6, 2025 | Alumnus Aftab Ahmed MPP'23 wrote about the Trump Administration and the growing uncertainty of foreign aids. "Trump presents a vision of America as weak, exploited, and in need of tougher negotiation. His solution is a hostile realignment to extract more from allies and adversaries alike while offering them less," writes Aftab. He raises concerns about the cost of inaction becoming dreadful as public health and education systems will suffer in aid-dependent nations.

New publication from the Bui Lab in Current Biology on cilia tip structure

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:16:09 +0000

Motile cilia are specialized organelles essential for cell movement and fluid flow, driven by the beating of their internal cytoskeleton called the axoneme. At the core of the axoneme lies the central pair (CP) of microtubules, which features a distinct distal tip structure critical for motility. However, the proteins stabilizing this region have remained largely unknown.

Jennifer Welsh's Special Issue on 'Localization in World Politics' | Oxford Academic

admin — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:13:26 +0000

Director Jennifer Welsh co-edited a special issue of Global Studies Quarterly on Localization in World Politics. Welsh co-edited the collection of articles and co-authored the introductory essay. The article tackles four questions: (1) Why has localization become a focus of scholarly and policy attention? (2) What are the historical precursors of localization?

Symposium on the implementation of precision medicine in healthcare

admin — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:01:46 +0000

A perspective from Estonia and Canada

Ventilation System Work at Macdonald Campus Library Begins May 12

admin — Fri, 09 May 2025 13:31:39 +0000

Beginning May 12, construction will take place at the Macdonald Campus Library to address persistent condensation and leaking caused by inadequate insulation in parts of the building’s ventilation system. To carry out this work safely, special precautions are necessary due to the presence of asbestos in the Barton Building. A Sealed Access System (SAS), which allows construction work to be enclosed and contained, will be positioned throughout various library spaces over the course of the project.