The 34th edition of Soup and Science, an event for prospective undergraduate researchers and curious students organized by McGill’s Faculty of Science, made such a comeback that the in-person registration was full. During the week of Sept. 19, The McGill Tribune attended two fascinating talks about the medical uses of[Read More…]
Tag: McGill research
Excavating Earth’s history through ancient rock formations
Scaling mountainous terrain or keeping an eye out for grizzly bears and moose while wading through the flowing rivers of the Yukon may not seem typical of academic work. But these were only some of the many challenging conditions McGill researchers endured while conducting a recent study looking at oxygen[Read More…]
Neuroinflammation found to drive Alzheimer’s disease progression
Over a century ago, Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist, spotted strange plaques and tangles in the brain slides of a patient with dementia. Ever since, scientists have been trying to better understand the mechanisms behind what is now known as Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a brain disorder that[Read More…]
From benchtop to bedside: How tendon-inspired sutures can help heal wounds
Sutures, the threads designed to close wounds and promote healing, have been used for thousands of years, having originated in ancient Egypt. Since their invention, physicians and scientists have experimented with a wide array of materials, from hemp and cotton to more modern synthetic fibres. New techniques have been developed[Read More…]
McGill develops new screening method for Canada’s deadliest women’s cancer
Just hearing the “C” word is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine—and with cancer warnings splashed across everything from cigarette packages to coffee cups, it’s difficult to avoid. In 2017, the Canadian Cancer Society amassed over $80 million in donations. According to their 2017 report, 206,200 Canadians are expected[Read More…]
Reducing chemical waste through sustainable ketone-making
Pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and plastics all owe their existence to chemical synthesis. Ketones, a functional group with a central carbon double-bonded to an oxygen, are an important ingredient in a wide range of useful chemicals. Unfortunately, their synthesis is energy-intensive and requires many steps, creating significant chemical waste. Bruce Arndtsen, a[Read More…]
Learning a second language may benefit children with autism
For many, fluency in more than one language would be considered an obvious asset. Yet, the concept of a “bilingual advantage” is still widely debated, particularly for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Often, parents are advised to raise children with ASD monolingually to avoid compounding potential language delays resulting[Read More…]
Soup and Science casts McGill researchers in the spotlight
From Jan. 15 to 19, the annual Soup and Science lecture series featured professors eager to present their research to students and spectators. The McGill Tribune reports: Assistant Professor Thomas Preston Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Emma Gillies Contributor On Jan. 16, Assistant Professor Thomas Preston from the Department[Read More…]
The indestructible deconstructed
A group of McGill scientists were recognized for their cutting-edge research, an example of innovation at its finest. “Innovations are the solutions that no one else would think of,” Don Sheppard, professor of microbiology and immunology and researcher, told The McGill Tribune. Québec Science Magazine recently recognized Sheppard and his team[Read More…]
‘Big Brother’ now a tool to study linguistics
After moving to a new place, some people’s accents change readily while others stay more or less the same for the rest of their lives. McGill University linguist and Assistant Professor Morgan Sonderegger recently spearheaded a study that explores the science behind accent dynamics. Some studies on accents have analyzed[Read More…]
