As part of the Nkabom Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation, McGill University has joined forces with Ghanaian institutions in a bold initiative to foster youth leadership and transform the agrifood ecosystem in Ghana and beyond.


Congratulations to two plant science students in Professor Mehran Dastmalchi's lab, who received awards for their presentations at two recent conferences!

Congratulations to McGill Plant Science students Henry Cordoba Novoa and Mason Jackson, who were awarded top honours at the National Association of Plant Breeding Conference, which took place in Hawaii from May 19 to 23, 2025.
Cordoba Novoa won first place in the Ph.D. poster competition for his poster on improving the understanding and breeding of common bean using multiple genome-wide approaches and the study of the accumulation partners of deleterious mutations in breeding populations.

For the first time, scientists have successfully edited oat DNA, a breakthrough that could accelerate the development of oats with more fibre, higher yields, and greater resilience to climate change.
Oats, a key crop both for human consumption and animal feed, are a major agricultural product in Canada, contributing to a global market work $8 billion. The Canadian oat crop is estimated to be worth approximately $900 million. But a short growing season and unpredictable late-season frost mean Canadian oat farmers face significant challenges.

The Canadian Society of Plant Biologists has selected Jaswinder Singh, Professor at McGill University's Department of Plant Science, to receive the 2025 Mary E. Spencer award, which recognizes outstanding plant biology research contributions and active public service engagement in the plant biology community.

On April 11, 2025, over 60 people gathered at the annual John Abbott Sustainability Through Science Symposium to hear how the research of three Macdonald Campus graduate students contributes to a more sustainable future. Honours and science students from John Abbott College, as well as members of McGill University's Macdonald Campus community, were inspired by short talks followed by a panel discussion on the students' university experience and their chosen career paths.

The 4th Cannabis Scientific Symposium: From Plants to People, to be held May 5–6 at the RI-MUHC, brings together top researchers as well as investigators, policymakers and industrial stakeholders from across Canada and around the globe. Among the speakers are Allyn Howlett and Bruce Bugbee, two of the most influential scientists in cannabinoid and cannabis research.
Royal Brinkman Canada has appointed Mohammed Antar (PhD, P.Ag) as head of its agronomy department, noting in their announcement that he "will play a key role in helping growers enhance crop productivity and quality through innovative, science-based solutions."
Mohammed earned his Ph.D. in Plant Science (Agronomy) from McGill University in 2024. His expertise spans agronomy, microbe-coated fertilizers, nutrient management, sustainable agriculture, and biological products.

A small town in Quebec's Montérégie region is trying a novel approach to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and accelerate the greening of the community, reports CBC News.
As of 2025, homeowners in Saint-Amable, Que., roughly 40 kilometres east of Montreal, are being charged an annual surtax of $200 if they don't have at least one leafy, deciduous tree in their front yard.

On March 27, McGill honoured 141 laureates at the 20th annual Bravo Gala, celebrating researchers who received prestigious provincial, national or international awards in 2024, including eight researchers in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
In his opening remarks, McGill President and Vice-Chancellor, Deep Saini, applauded the honourees for their efforts, underlining the importance of McGill’s research contributions.

McGill-led projects in genomics, imaging, and manufacturing serve businesses across Quebec

Her mission is to advance McGill’s vision for global academic leadership by enhancing the University’s international presence and ties
By Neale McDevitt, Editor, McGill Reporter
Anja Geitmann sees herself as a catalyst.
“I’m here to connect the dots and to support collaborations between McGill and the rest of the world,” said Geitmann, who today began a five-year renewable term as the University’s Vice-President (Global Engagement).

A recent study from McGill University proposes a way to enhance the nutritional value of oats by increasing their content of oleic acid, a type of healthy fat known for its cardiovascular heart benefits and potential to lower diabetes.
The findings also suggest this modification could improve their oxidative stability, making oat-based products, such as oat milk, less likely to spoil.

New award provides support for the next generation of sustainability researchers, promotes interdisciplinary approaches
Developing a smart insecticide, assessing protective coatings in marine environments and measuring space allocated to active transport are among the projects undertaken by the inaugural cohort of McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative (MSSI) Fellows.
Congratulations to McGill Plant Science Professor Valerio Hoyos-Villegas, 2024 winner of the North American Plant Phenotyping Network (NAPPN)'s Early Career Scientist Award! This award recognizes an early career scientist making important contributions to plant phenotyping.