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• Department of Chemistry
• Otto Maass Chemistry Building
• 801 Sherbrooke Street West
• Montreal, QC H3A 0B8
• Canada

• Telephone: 514-398-6999
• Fax: 514-398-3797
• Email: graduate [dot] chemistry [at] mcgill [dot] ca
• Website: www.chemistry.mcgill.ca

Research in Chemistry

Members of the Department are organized into various research themes. Some of the current research interests are listed below, and are presented in much more detail on the Departmental website at www.chemistry.mcgill.ca.

Analytical - Environmental

Analytical-Environmental research at McGill entails a wide range of exciting fundamental and applied research with focus on state-of-the-art instrumental development in spectroscopy; imaging; chemometric and analytical bio-spectroscopy; artificial intelligence; ultra trace sampling; state-of-the-art atmospheric kinetics and photochemistry; thermochemical, box, and cloud modelling; as well as the development and application of state-of-the-art numerical models of the chemistry of the regional and global atmosphere. Our collective research has direct implications in fields such as materials, environmental, and biomedical chemistry.

Chemical Biology

The Chemical Biology Thematic Group is engaged in a diverse range of research topics, which span structural biology, enzymology, nucleic acid research, signalling pathways, single-molecule biophysics, and biophysical chemistry of living tissues. Among the themes that unite the research being performed in this group is the attempt to learn new chemistry and physics from biological systems.

We have projects relating to pharmaceutically relevant enzymes such as those involved in drug metabolism and antibiotic resistance; development of therapeutic agents in the control of inflammation, cancer and viral infections; the chemical biology of NO; quantification of bioenergetic markers of metabolism; self-assembly mechanisms of the HIV-1 virion capsid; liposome microarray systems to address membrane protein dynamics and recognition; studies on reactive oxygen species translocation across the aqueous/lipid membrane interface; RNAi/antisense technologies; dynamic combinatorial chemistry; protein dynamics and function; mechanistic aspects involved in cellular adhesion and transport in membrane and zeolite channels; and cutting-edge microscopes used to examine transport, motility, and reactivity in cells.

Chemical Physics

The research interests of the members of the Chemical Physics Thematic group are diverse, with groups focusing on high-end laser and NMR spectroscopies, kinetics and modelling of atmospheric chemical reactions, experimental and theoretical biophysical chemistry, polymers at interfaces, and statistical and quantum mechanics. In the field of biophysical chemistry, single molecule spectroscopy is being used to probe enzyme function as well as DNA recombination and repair. Our recent advances in image correlation spectroscopic techniques now allow researchers to precisely follow the macromolecular dynamics in living cells. In a similar vein, breakthrough ultra-fast electron diffraction experiments have opened the window to real time observation of the making and breaking of chemical bonds. State-of-the-art multi-pulse femtosecond spectroscopy experiments are being applied to interesting and technologically important new materials such as photonic crystals and quantum dot superlattices. A molecular-level picture of polymer dynamics and structure at surfaces and interfaces is being developed through theoretical modelling, high-field solids NMR spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and other surface characterization methods. In the area of atmospheric chemistry, the chemical transformation of the atmosphere is being modelled both experimentally and theoretically to understand how these processes are currently affecting and driving climate change. Finally, we have basic theory projects relating to the experimental work just described, as well as in transport and structure in complex colloidal or zeolite systems, protein dynamics, and fundamental issues in quantum and statistical mechanics.

Materials Chemistry

The Chemistry of Materials is a rapidly evolving domain of research. Materials Chemistry seeks to understand how composition, reactivity, and structure are related to function from a molecular perspective. The functionality of materials is expressed in a variety of areas including photonics, micro- and nano-electronics, biosystems, nanotechnology, drug delivery, catalysis, polymer science, molecular biology, and chemical and biological sensing. Activities of the Materials Chemistry Group are often broadly interdisciplinary. University-wide synergies among members of this group have led to the creation of the McGill Institute for Advanced Materials (MIAM) and the McGill Nanotools Facility. The latter comprises state-of-the-art micro/nanofabrication, atomic manipulation and high-performance computing facilities. MIAM and members of the Chemistry Department have established research that links the Centre for Self Assembled Chemical Structures, the Centre for Biosensors and Biorecognition, the Centre for the Physics of Materials, and the Centre for Bone and Periodontal Research. Synthetic approaches to new materials include research in dendrimers, polynucleic acid architectures, polymers that conduct electrons or light and biopolymers. Polymer and colloid science figure prominently as does research and applications of the chemistry and physical properties of nanostructures. There is significant activity in understanding directed molecular assembly at interfaces and in the application of sophisticated spectroscopic tools to explore them.

Synthesis – Catalysis

The Synthesis/Catalysis Research Activity Group is a collective to develop the state-of-art catalysts, synthetic methodologies, reaction mechanisms, and synthetic routes for organic chemicals, natural products, and materials. The following are the major research activities at McGill: (1) Development of novel catalysts and catalytic reactions for highly efficient organic synthesis; Green Chemistry. This includes the study and discovery of novel transition-metal catalysts, biological catalysts, nano- and dendrimer-based catalysts for synthetic purposes; new chemical reactivity such as C-H activation, asymmetric catalysis and theory, multi-component reactions and combinatorial chemistry; innovative chemistry in alternative solvents such as water, sub-critical water, ionic liquids, and liquid CO2; photocatalytic reactions, reaction mechanisms, and physical organic chemistry; and computational chemistry. (2) Synthesis of biological compounds, organic materials, and natural products. Focus areas are total synthesis of natural products, synthesis of DNA and RNA analogues; synthesis of antiviral and anticancer nucleoside analogues, synthesis of amino acid and peptides; synthesis and study of carbohydrate derivatives; design, synthesis, and study of speciality organic chemical and materials.

The minimum academic standard for admission to research thesis degree programs is a minimum standing equivalent to a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 or a CGPA of 3.2/4.0 for the last two full-time academic years. Applicants from other institutions should have an academic background equivalent to that of a McGill graduate in the Chemistry Honours/Major programs. If possible, candidates should specify the field of research in which they are interested.

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See Application Procedures (for All Admissions Starting Summer 2013) for detailed application procedures.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees

Graduate students devote 12 hours per week (contact hours, plus grading of reports, etc.) during the academic session to their teaching duties. Financial assistance during the remainder of the year is provided from research funds. Scholarship holders, such as NSERC or awards of similar value, receive a tuition fee waiver.

All inquiries concerning graduate work in the Department should be addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Chemistry.

Revision, October 2012. End of revision.

• Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• McIntyre Medical Sciences Building
• 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Room 1325
• Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6
• Canada

• Telephone: 514-398-3623
• Fax: 514-398-2045
• Email: gradstudies [dot] pharmacology [at] mcgill [dot] ca
• Website: www.medicine.mcgill.ca/pharma

The Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics offers training leading to M.Sc. (Thesis) and Ph.D. degrees.

The Department also offers the Chemical Biology Interdisciplinary Graduate Option, together with the Departments of Biochemistry and Chemistry. Students interested in training in this option must first be accepted for graduate studies by one of the participating departments. Information on this option can be found at: www.mcgill.ca/biochemistry/chemicalbiology.

Pharmacology is a multidisciplinary science that deals with all aspects of drugs and their interactions with living organisms. Thus, pharmacologists study the physical and chemical properties of drugs, their biochemical and physiological effects, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and therapeutic and other uses. The Department offers broad exposure and training in both basic and clinical research in a range of areas of specialty, including neuropharmacology, reproductive, endocrine, receptor, cardiovascular, cancer, developmental, autonomic, clinical, and biochemical pharmacology, molecular biology, and toxicology.

The present 52 full and affiliate members of the Department have research laboratories located in the McIntyre Medical Sciences Building and in a variety of hospitals, institutes, and industry including the Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Allan Memorial Institute, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal General Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal Heart Institute, Lady Davis Research Institute, Pfizer Canada, and Merck Frosst Canada Inc. The participation of researchers from both industry and government ensures the relevance of the Department's applications-oriented training programs.

Candidates are required to hold a B.Sc. degree in a discipline relevant to the proposed field of study; those with the M.D., D.D.S., or D.V.M. degrees are also eligible to apply. A background in the health sciences is recommended, but programs in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physical sciences may be acceptable.

Admission is based on a student's academic record, letters of assessment, and, whenever possible, interviews with staff members. Students are required to take the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test (GRE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the equivalent, except as follows, in accordance with McGill policy, only those whose mother tongue is English, who graduated from a recognized Canadian institution (anglophone or francophone), or who completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction are exempt from providing proof of competency in English.

Inquiries relating to all aspects of graduate study should be directed to the Graduate Coordinator, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, as early as possible in each academic year.

Admissions Requirements – Chemical Biology Option

As for the regular graduate programs of the participating departments, acceptance into the Chemical Biology option consists of two steps:

1. Preliminary approval by the Department's Graduate Committee based on the student's transcript, references, and other documents submitted with the application. The criteria for assessment at this level are the same as those for the regular graduate programs of the participating departments.
2. Acceptance by an individual research director. For students wishing to participate in the Chemical Biology option, the director must propose a research project for the student that provides training in the methods and philosophy of chemical biology. Project proposals are assessed by the Chemical Biology Program Committee.

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See Application Procedures (for All Admissions Starting Summer 2013) for detailed application procedures.

Please refer to our website (www.medicine.mcgill.ca/pharma) for complete deadlines.

Revision, October 2012. End of revision.

• Department of Sociology
• Stephen Leacock Building, Room 713
• 855 Sherbrooke Street West
• Montreal, QC H3A 2T7
• Canada

• Graduate Program and Admission Information:
• Telephone: 514-398-6847
• Fax: 514-398-3403
• Email: graduate [dot] sociology [at] mcgill [dot] ca
• Website: www.mcgill.ca/sociology

The Department offers training leading to the following degrees:

• Master of Arts in Sociology (Thesis and Non-Thesis)
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Development Studies Option (Thesis and Non-Thesis)
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Environment Option (Thesis) (not offered in 2012–2013)
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Gender and Women’s Studies Option (Thesis and Non-Thesis)
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Medical Sociology Option (Thesis and Non-Thesis) with the Social Studies of Medicine Department
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Neotropical Environment Option (Thesis) (not offered in 2012–2013)
• Master of Arts in Sociology – Social Statistics Option (Non-Thesis)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology – Environment Option (not offered in 2012–2013)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology – Gender and Women's Studies Option

We have particular strengths in the following fields: states and social movements; economy and society; social inequality (class, ethnicity, and gender); deviance and social control; and health and society. The Department of Sociology has very high standards and an excellent record of placing students in both academic and non-academic careers in institutions ranging from the University of Chicago and Berkeley to StatsCan and CEGEPs. The Department has a stellar record of research publications and a lively graduate program, and we benefit from many new faculty appointments allowing us to contribute to the forefront of current issues. A large number of M.A. programs are offered. Fewer are offered at the Ph.D. level (see below). The Department houses the Social Statistics Unit. This has full access to the resources of StatsCan, with training for students to boot.

Availability of Funding

The Department offers a limited number of teaching assistantships. A full teaching assistantship shall consist of a maximum of 180 hours of work per term. Appointments for a full teaching assistantship span 15 weeks and involve an average of 12 hours per week.

M.A. Program Options

Ph.D. Program Options

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a standing equivalent to a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0. The degree may be either in Sociology or in another relevant social science. In the latter case, applicants may be required to take some additional Sociology courses to fill gaps in their background.

The strength of an applicant's academic record is of primary importance in consideration of an applicant's dossier. For a detailed description of courses open to graduates and undergraduates, and of preparation required of McGill University honours students, candidates should consult the Undergraduate Programs, Courses and University Regulations publication available at www.mcgill.ca/study.

All applicants are asked to submit an example of their written work. Applicants not registered at Canadian universities must submit with their applications the results of the Verbal and Quantitative aptitude tests of the Graduate Record Examination. Canadian students are also encouraged to submit the results of this test with their application. Arrangements to take the Graduate Record Examination should be made directly with the Educational Testing Service by visiting their website at www.ets.org/gre. Certain students must submit documented proof of competency in oral and written English. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL exam is 567 on the paper-based test and 86 overall on the Internet-based test (no less than 20 in each of the four component scores). For more information on whether the TOEFL is required please visit www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply/prepare/requirements/proficiency. International students can also contact International Student Services at 514-398-4349 for more information, or visit their website, www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents.

Candidates who lack sufficient preparation in the social sciences, but whose academic record justifies consideration for eventual admission to the master's graduate program, must register for a Qualifying year during which they are required to take courses to broaden their knowledge of sociology. Candidates must achieve a final grade of at least a B in these courses and an average in all courses of at least B+; in general, they must, in the opinion of the Department, have achieved sufficient preparation in the subject matter of sociology before they will be allowed to proceed with graduate work. All candidates are expected to have taken courses in statistics, research methods, and sociological theory at the undergraduate level.

Any prospective students are encouraged to contact faculty members that they may wish to work with to ascertain that they will be available and not on leave during the time at which they wish to study. If need be, they may feel free to contact the Chair of the Graduate Admissions Committee to guide them.

The program of study is designed to give students an advanced understanding of a major field in sociology, of current methods of sociological research, and of some principal theoretic issues in the discipline. Three terms of residence study is the minimum requirement for a master's degree. For the doctoral program, three years is the minimum residency requirement for students entering at the Ph.D. 1 level (those students without an M.A.) and two years for students entering at the Ph.D. 2 level (those with an M.A.).

M.A. in Medical Sociology

The program is open to students with a social sciences, health professions, or health sciences background. It is interdisciplinary in nature and includes required courses offered by both participating departments as well as a research paper/thesis based on original research. For additional information concerning this program, please consult the Social Studies of Medicine section or the website, www.mcgill.ca/ssom.

McGill’s online application form for graduate program candidates is available at www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/apply.

See Application Procedures (for All Admissions Starting Summer 2013) for detailed application procedures.

Please note that the dossier must be complete before the applicant will be considered for entrance to the graduate program.

M.A. in Medical Sociology

Admission is granted by a joint admissions committee made up of representatives from Sociology and Social Studies of Medicine.

Revision, October 2012. End of revision.