A new genetic atlas is helping scientists trace the DNA changes that transformed a shared primate ancestor into modern humans.

For the first time, researchers can systematically test which genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees affect gene activity.

The study, published in Nature, grew out of a collaboration among researchers at McGill University, Kyoto University and the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Award will support research into overcoming immune resistance to brain tumour treatment.

A surprising feature of how the brain stores memories could help explain why harmless situations can sometimes quickly feel threatening, a hallmark of anxiety and trauma disorders.

Scientists have long believed that fear helps the brain draw a clearer line between danger and safety. The new study from researchers at the Douglas Research Centre at McGill University and the University of Toronto-Scarborough, published in Nature Neuroscience, suggests the opposite.

People experience the steepest increases in pain before age 55, rather than in later life as might be expected, a new study led by McGill University researchers has found.

Published in Nature Medicine, the study analyzed self-reported pain data from more than 6.1 million people across 118 countries and territories.

New federal investment launches Phase II of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, building on McGill's leadership in genomics, data science and personalized cancer care.

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Montreal, October 8, 2026 – BMO has donated $200,000 to the McGill University Dementia Education Program, helping advance its mission to provide education, resources, and support to people living with dementia and the family members and friends who care for them.

To the surprise of researchers, certain diets often considered “unhealthy” or “fattening” were associated with better responses to a type of cancer immunotherapy.

"There is a synergistic relationship between the bacteria that reside in our GI tract, and the food we eat,” said Daniela Quail, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology and Principal Investigator at the Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute.

More than a century after legendary ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky penned a diary in a state of psychosis, McGill University researchers have mined the pages to learn more about how mental illness can affect language.

Nijinsky was once considered among the world's greatest dancers, but his career ended abruptly after the onset of psychosis in 1918. A diary he filled with intensely personal reflections was saved by his wife and initially published in an edited form. Only recently did a version much closer to the original become available.

McGill researchers have created and validated a virtual coaching program that helps parents of preschoolers with developmental delays navigate the maze of assessments, appointments and decisions with which they can be faced.

BRIGHT Coaching provides one-on-one support from a trained coach, offering practical guidance and information for concerns ranging from speech and language delays to autism and cerebral palsy. Coaches also guide parents on how to promote healthy child development and family resilience while they wait for services.

$2.5M prize will fuel groundbreaking project to build AI models that capture the uniqueness of individual minds, potentially advancing mental health care.

McGill neuroscientist and AI researcher Blake Richards has won a Schmidt Sciences Polymaths Award. Worth up to $2.5 million over five years, the prize will support work Richards said could reshape approaches to mental health care.

McGill’s 2026 cohort includes President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini, recognized for his leadership in building stronger and more innovative Canadian universities, and championing their vital role.

An environmental policy designed to improve air quality also has benefits for cardiovascular health, finds a new McGill-led study.

Researchers found China's Clean Heating Policy – introduced to reduce smog by helping rural households switch from coal to electric or natural gas home heating – also lowered adults’ blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide.

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By Neale McDevitt
Editor, McGill Reporter

September 4, 2026

In the midst of another intense wildfire season, a new study sheds light on the risks they pose to life-sustaining dialysis care for thousands of Canadians.

In a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary project conducted by McGill researchers from the Departments of Medicine and Geography, the team led a national wildfire risk assessment focused on Canadian dialysis facilities. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the team integrated dialysis facility locations with historical wildfire records and current fire danger data to identify communities and patients at greatest risk.

The legalization of cannabis affects substance use, with the potential for both negative and positive impacts on public health, a new McGill-led study found.

The researchers conducted a systematic review of evidence from 176 studies spanning 30 years in Canada, the United States, Europe, Uruguay and Australia. Published in The Milbank Quarterly, the review is one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of how cannabis policy reforms affect substance use and public health.

27 August 2026 – Chloé Arson, Tomislav Friščić, Julie Lockwood, Sameer Sonkusale, Phillip Zamore and Ethan Zuckerman have been named McGill University’s inaugural Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada. Supported by $52 million in federal funding awarded to the University over eight years, these appointments build on McGill’s established strength in health, sustainability systems and public policy research.

The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) is proud to celebrate the election of three of its distinguished researchers to the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS): Dr. Edward Fon, Director of The Neuro, Professor Michael Petrides, and Professor Robert Zatorre.

A short workout or a nap can help protect memory after a sleepless night, a McGill University-led study has found.

Researchers found people who either completed 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise or took a 90-minute nap performed about 22 per cent better on memory tests after 30 hours without sleep than those who did neither. The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), point to practical ways to counter the effects of sleep deprivation.

From next-generation energy solutions to sustainable food innovation, 25 McGill research projects receive support through CFI's John R. Evans Leaders Fund. 

The arrival of generic semaglutide in Canada significantly improves the cost-effectiveness and affordability of recommended treatments for up to 2.1 million Canadians living with Type 2 diabetes who face a high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a simulation study led by researchers at McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.