Science Research news

Air pollution has already been linked to a range of health problems. Now, a ground-breaking new study suggests pollution from traffic may put women at risk for another deadly disease.

A team of McGill University researchers have reported how to visualize and study the process of energy transport along one single conductive polymer molecule at a time, a key step towards bringing exciting new applications to market.

Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids, and scientists have known since the 1980s that first one in the chain determines the lifetime of a protein. McGill researchers have finally discovered how the cell identifies this first amino acid – and caught it on camera.

A team of McGill chemists have discovered that a technique known as photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy could be used to identify the composition of pigments used in art work that is decades or even centuries old.

“It’s a global health disaster waiting to happen, even here in Canada, but this new paradigm in TB research may offer an immediate opportunity to improve vaccination and treatment initiatives,” explains Dr. Maziar Divangahi

Physicists at McGill University have developed a system for measuring the energy involved in adding electrons to semi-conductor nanocrystals, also known as quantum dots – a technology that may revolutionize computing and other areas of science.

A molecular switch, triggered by a signal, helps an organism instantly recognise a healthy and potential sex mate. "This mating decision is controlled by a simple chemical switch that converts an incoming pheromone signal into a cellular response," says study author Stephen Michnick, University of Montreal biochemistry professor.

The research news Web site Futurity, featuring discoveries from McGill and 45 other research universities in North America, has gained seven new partners in the U.K.

Preserving habitat corridors, thin strips of remnant habitat linking disconnected areas of natural habitat, to create habitat networks is a promising conservation strategy that can sustain biodiversity and ecosystem processes, according to a new McGill University-led study.

Following an intense study of agricultural ecosystems near Montreal, a new tool that enables the simultaneous analysis and management of a wide range of ecological services has been developed by Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne of McGill University’s Department of Geography, Elena Bennett of the McGill School of Environment, and Garry Peterson of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.

McGill University Astrophysicist Matt Dobbs has been awarded a prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship. Dobbs, a Canada Research Chair in Astro-particle Physics, investigates a big subject: the origins and evolution of the universe.

A new nanotech catalyst developed by McGill University Chemists Chao-Jun Li, Audrey Moores and their colleagues offers industry an opportunity to reduce the use of expensive and toxic heavy metals.

The United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, a celebration of life on Earth and of the value of biodiversity for all. McGill University is proud to launch the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, bringing together eight academic institutions, in collaboration with the Montreal Botanical Garden and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Another step on the road to a cure for diabetes may give hope to the world’s 171 million diabetes sufferers, thanks to collaboration between teams from McGill University and the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF).

Principal Heather Munroe-Blum signed a research memorandum of understanding with Dr. P.P. Bhojvaid, Vice-Chancellor of TERI University in India, placing Quebec at the heart of climate-change research. The signing was also attended by Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chancellor of TERI University, Premier of Quebec Jean Charest and Quebec Minister for International Relations Pierre Arcand.