School of Biomedical Sciences - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

From the bench to the beach

Neale McDevitt — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:32:33 +0000

As many Canadians trade snow for surf over the Christmas break, few think about the painful surprises that can come with a beach vacation. Jellyfish, fire coral and the invasive lionfish can turn a sunny afternoon into a medical emergency, with pain strong enough to cut a trip short.

�� researchers contribute to international study on DNA synthesis

CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Austrian Academy of Sciences — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 17:26:26 +0000

Inside every cell, a finely tuned metabolic network determines when to build, recycle, or stop producing essential molecules. A central part of this network is folate metabolism, which provides vital chemical units for the synthesis of DNA, RNA and amino acids. When this system is disturbed – through genetic mutations or a lack of dietary folates – the consequences can range from developmental disorders to cancer.

�� iGEM Wins Grand Prize at the 2025 iGEM Competition

Department of Bioengineering — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:41:37 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that �� iGEM has been named the 2025 Grand Prize Winner of the international iGEM competition.

Selected as the #1 iGEM team among 195 participating undergraduate institutions worldwide, �� iGEM has once again brought home a first-place award after previously securing the top spot in 2023. This achievement places �� iGEM among a group of only four teams globally to have won the Grand Prize more than once.

New injectable gel shows promise as voice loss treatment

�� Newsroom — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:33:39 +0000

�� researchers have engineered a new hydrogel that shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries.

Voice loss is often permanent when scarring forms on the vocal cords. Current injectable treatments break down quickly, which can force patients to get repeated procedures that can further damage the delicate tissue.

Six new or renewed Canada Research Chairs awarded to FMHS

�� Research and Innovation — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:31:18 +0000

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, announced over $198 million in federal funding through the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program, including more than $13 million to support 19 Chairs—nine new and 10 renewed—at ��, including six for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (two new and four renewed).

Bartha Knoppers awarded �� Medal for lifetime of pioneering work in bioethics

Neale McDevitt — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:28:53 +0000

At the Fall Convocation ceremony at Place des Arts on October 14, �� awarded its highest academic honour to Professor Emerita Bartha Maria Knoppers, recognizing a career that bridged literature, law and bioethics to shape international policy on genomic science and medical research.

Congratulations to the 2025 Ovation Award winners!

Dhabisha Kohilanathan — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:25:31 +0000

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) is pleased to announce the three winners of the 2025 VP-Dean’s Ovation Awards: Daniel Baril, Plinio Queiroz Da Cruz and Donna MacFarlane.

�� researchers awarded $9.7 million in CFI funding

Robin Koning, Ms — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 19:48:33 +0000

Thirty-two �� research project have received new funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for investments in research infrastructure to support their innovative projects, for a total federal investment of $9.7 million.

These grants will be matched by the Quebec government, doubling their value.

Morag Park to be inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, Class of 2026

Goodman Cancer Institute — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:29:21 +0000

On October 2nd, The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame (CMHF), announced the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Class of 2026, which included the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute’s Morag Park, PhD.

Professor Park has dedicated over three decades to advancing our understanding of cancer. An internationally recognized scientist, she has made seminal contributions spanning molecular mechanisms, cellular interactions, and the tumour microenvironment—discoveries that continue to shape precision oncology worldwide.

Biochemistry professor Ian Watson awarded Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network’s Data Sharing & Use Pilot program funding

Research and Innovation — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:26:43 +0000

Ian Watson, Member of the Goodman Cancer Institute and Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry has received funding from the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network’s (MOHCCN) Data Sharing & Use Pilot program, aimed at helping build Canada’s capacity for large-scale collaborative cancer research while paving the way for more personalised cancer care.