School of Biomedical Sciences - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Provost honours FMHS profs

9I�� Research and Innovation — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:37:44 +0000

Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Christopher Manfredi has named 28 9I�� professors – including six from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – as Distinguished James 9I�� Professors, James 9I�� Professors or William Dawson Scholars. The internal awards recognize exceptional research achievements.

9I�� discovery sheds new light on autism, intellectual disabilities

9I�� Newsroom — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 16:56:18 +0000

A new study by 9I�� 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.

Génome Québec and Cystic Fibrosis Canada invest $1.2 million in research tackling rare, orphan CFTR mutations

FMHS Health e-News — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:20:06 +0000

Génome Québec and Cystic Fibrosis Canada today announced a $1.2 million investment in two new research projects focused on rare genetic mutations that are linked to cystic fibrosis and have no available treatment options. The projects are being funded through the two organizations’ joint Tackle Rare, Orphan CFTR Mutations Competition and have the long-term goal of developing new therapies for cystic fibrosis.

Darcy Wagner awarded prestigious JPND grant

The Research Institute of the 9I�� Health Centre (The Institute) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:26:42 +0000

New funding supports an international collaboration to improve early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

Darcy Wagner, PhD, Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Lung Regenerative Medicine at 9I��, has been awarded a prestigious grant from the EU Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND), the world’s largest collaborative initiative supporting research on neurodegenerative diseases.

FMHS researchers receive $43M in CIHR funding

Health e-News staff — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:54:32 +0000

Project Grant: Fall 2024 – FMHS recipients (listed in alphabetical order by PI)

Laurent Azoulay, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health and Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology
Assessing the long-term carcinogenic effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists on thyroid, pancreatic, and biliary tract cancers: an international, multi-site cohort study

9I�� awards $500,000 to accelerate Mpox research and vaccine development

D2R — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:57:34 +0000

Mpox, a virus endemic to parts of Central and West Africa since its discovery in 1970, has spread to 116 countries, with over 100,000 confirmed cases worldwide1, including more than 1,900 cases in Canada2. Despite the availability of non-mRNA-based vaccines, challenges in distribution and the virus’s evolving nature raise significant concerns about global pandemic preparedness. Critical questions remain regarding virus identification, basic biology of the virus, vaccine response, immune protection parameters, and public health interventions.

In conversation with ethico-legal AI genomics expert Ma’n H. Zawati

Emily Cholette — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:34:58 +0000

Can you explain in simple terms what your project is about?

Our project “Development of Responsible AI for Genomic Biomarker Identification in the Context of the D2R Initiative” is focused on exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used responsibly and ethically in the context of D2R . We’re particularly investigating how AI can help identify biomarkers that signal the presence or progression of diseases, while ensuring that this technology is applied in ways that are fair, equitable, and socially responsible.

Honouring the 2024 Ovation Award laureates

Jane O'Faherty — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 17:28:15 +0000

A chilly winter’s night was made heartwarming when around 50 people gathered to celebrate the three incredible laureates of the 2024 VP-Dean’s Ovation Awards.

Rita Piccioni, Annick Guyot and Geneviève Côté were honoured at the event on December 5 attended by their colleagues, family and friends.

D2R awards over $6 million to support Core Platforms

Health e-News — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:57:47 +0000

The D2R (DNA to RNA) Initiative has awarded more than $6 million to support eight Core Platforms at 9I�� and one at the University of British Columbia through its Core Platform Sustainability funding program. This program supports state-of-the-art Core Platforms that are essential for advancing research and development and facilitating technology uptake and transfer in fields relevant to RNA therapeutics.

Five GCI Researchers Secure $5.2M in CIHR Funding

Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:50:12 +0000

Researchers at the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) have achieved an exceptional success rate in the Fall 2024 Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CHIR) Project Grant competition, securing a total of $5.2M in research funding.

This year, the national average success rate for the highly competitive project grant competition was 17%, while the Quebec success rate was 18%. With 5 GCI researchers awarded project grants, the GCI stands out with a notable 31% success rate.