Research and Innovation

MI4 - The McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity: Leveraging the power of translational research for the prevention, cure and elimination of major infectious and immune threats to human health.

To know more, visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/mi4

The J.D. MacLean Centre for Tropical Diseases at McGill University is a world-renowned centre of expertise, research, and training in Clinical Tropical Medicine, including neglected tropical diseases, and is the largest of its kind in North America.

To know more, visit: www.mcgill.ca/tropmed/home-page.

Providing solutions to viral diseases that threaten public health by advancing research, education, and patient care through interdisciplinary efforts.

To know more, visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/mcvd/.

The mission of McGill Global Health Programs (GHP) is to address health inequities and improve global health through education, research, and partnerships. GHP and its partners draw on the talents and resources of one of the world’s leading educational and research institutions to achieve the following goals: 1) Offer high-quality education and training in global health, and enhance capacity in resource-limited settings; 2) Facilitate and conduct innovative, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and policy-relevant research to address critical global health challenges and priorities; and 3) Build strategic partnerships with major stakeholders and institutions in Canada and internationally, to exchange knowledge and skills, to ensure knowledge translation, and to support advocacy and implementation of policies.

To know more, visit www.mcgill.ca/globalhealth.

The Centre brings together over 20 investigators with expertise ranging from economics to mouse models, working both at an academic centre and with a number of collaborating groups around the world. Our Centre is a world leader in the interdisciplinary study of TB. Together we work to unravel the many mysteries of this recalcitrant disease.

To know more, visit: https://www.mcgill.ca/tb/

Dr. Barkati’s research focuses on measuring the burden and improving the care of parasitic diseases such as strongyloidiasis and tegumentary leishmaniasis in vulnerable populations with a focus on migrants and immunocompromised individuals. She is currently conducting studies on Strongyloides knowledge and awareness amongst Canadian physicians to build educational tools that will improve Strongyloides screening in the high-risk population. She is also studying the prevalence of Strongyloides in the immunocompromised population in non-endemic countries and the best screening strategy in that population. She works in collaboration with Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru and study the response to Strongyloides stercoralis treatment in the HTLV-1 population. She is also interested in the management of tegumentary leishmaniasis in the travellers and migrants. The ultimate goal of her research is to increase knowledge and awareness of parasitic diseases such as strongyloidiasis and tegumentary leishmaniasis among physicians in non-endemic countries, to determine the most cost-effective strategies for Strongyloides screening in the high-risk population and the best treatment in the immunocompromised population and HTLV-1 co-infected, to inform evidence based preventive clinical care and management guidelines. Since 2018, she has become an established international faculty of the Gorgas Diploma Course, Instituto De Medicina Tropical “Alexander Von Humboldt” at a university in Lima, Peru. She is the chair of the ISTM Migration and Refugee Interest Group Council.

Dr. Behr’s research uses genetic tools to study the epidemiology and pathogenesis of diseases caused by mycobacteria, including tuberculosis (caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (which cause chronic infections in patients with lung disease). His work is funded by a Foundation Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, by a Tier I Canada Research Chair and by Cystic Fibrosis Canada. For more information, see: www.mcgill.ca/molepi

Our Molecular Microbiology Diagnostics Laboratory performs routine PCR-based tests and thrives to constantly improve quality performance while reducing the cost of testing. Special focus is on high volume molecular screening assays (MRSA, Clostridium difficile, VRE...), maintaining strong partnership with other molecular-diagnostic hospital centers in Quebec and Canada. The resolution of technological bottle-necks in molecular microbiology is of major research interest, including universal bacterial genome amplification steps (from clinical samples), allowing enough material for downstream analysis on multiple platforms.

Dr. Cheng’s group performs translational research focused on patients with potentially lethal infections, including those with severe manifestations of sepsis, bloodstream infections, and opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts. His research program focuses on improving morbidity and mortality in these conditions by discovering original treatment strategies through avant-garde clinical trials. He also develops novel diagnostic assays to improve outcomes in these patients, such as using plasma cell-free DNA to monitor the host-response to infection and optimize treatment decisions.

Despite the success of highly active antiretroviral therapy, individuals with HIV appear to be at increased risk of chronic lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which cannot be accounted for by smoking alone. Dr Costiniuk’s clinical and translational research program focuses on understanding potential factors associated with accelerated chronic lung disease, such as pulmonary inflammation and pulmonary immune abnormalities, in HIV-infected individuals on effective antiretroviral therapy.

Doctor Charles Frenette has been a pioneer in developing and organizing the provincial network for surveillance of nosocomial infections in Quebec (SPIN) including surveillance for C. difficile, MRSA , VRE and nosocomial blood stream infections. With the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) he is been involved in evaluating and studying application and effectiveness of infection control measures in acute care hospitals in Quebec . In addition he is involved in the evaluation of rapid diagnostic techniques for the diagnosis of specific infectious diseases such as MRSA , influenza and C. difficile. He currently is the Chair of the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) a large network of Canadian teaching hospitals which has published extensively on the surveillance of nosocomial infections in Canada.

Immigrants are at increased risk for detectable and treatable infectious diseases as compared to the Canadian-born population however, there are no systematic screening or health promotion programs for this population after arrival. Dr. Greenaway’s research program is focused on measuring the burden and impact of infectious diseases in the immigrant population. The objective of her program is to decrease health disparities for this population and to inform public health programs and policy. She is currently conducting studies on the incidence, costs and health care utilization of vaccine preventable diseases, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, and intestinal parasites in the immigrant population. This data is being used in economic modeling studies to determine the most cost-effective strategies to address these health issues. She is actively involved in developing evidence based preventive clinical care guidelines for newly arrived immigrants for Canada and Europe.

Dr. Klein leads a team conducting clinical and epidemiologic research in HIV and Hepatitis C co-infection: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funded prospective Canadian Coinfection Cohort Study . The primary objectives are to study the interactions between these two chronic viruses and their natural history in

 the era of combination antiretroviral therapy and to evaluate therapeutic strategies aimed at improving health outcomes in co-infected persons. The cohort has evolved into a translational platform for research and mentoring across many disciplines. For example, we are: evaluating and validating non-invasive markers of hepatic fibrosis; evaluating the role of comorbidities in driving liver outcomes; studying immunologic correlates of HCV related health and treatment outcomes; developing new methods for eliminating bias in observational research studies, and conducting randomized interventional studies aimed at slowing liver disease progression in co-infected persons. http://www.cocostudy.ca/

Dr. Kronfli’s research focuses on designing, deploying, and evaluating evidence-based models of care that aim to increase engagement along the HIV and hepatitis C virus care cascades for vulnerable populations, with a particular focus on incarcerated and migrant populations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Kronfli’s research expanded to include seroprevalence studies in correctional facilities and interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people in prison. The ultimate goal of her research is to support the development of evidence-based policies to improve population health with an emphasis on eliminating certain infectious diseases such as hepatitis C and SARS-CoV-2 among neglected populations.

Healthcare-associated infections are a major patient safety issue causing significant morbidity. The research team of Dr. Longtin investigates the mechanisms leading to healthcare-associated infections, and aims to develop new strategies to prevent these infections. Research areas include the bacteria Clostridium difficile, drug-resistant bacteria and hand hygiene.

Dr. Lee's research focuses on conducting randomized clinical trials designed to improve the treatment of infectious diseases (e.g., C. difficile, COVID-19, S. aureus, Gram-Negative infections) and to innovate in the domains of care of complex hospitalized patients, care of older adults with polypharmacy, and stewardship of healthcare resources (e.g., testing, medications). https://www.drtoddlee.com

The Liang laboratory is dedicated to the understanding of host innate immune mechanisms that restrict HIV-1 infection and deter zoonotic viral transmission. Using proteomics and functional shRNA screening techniques, we have discovered the anti-HIV-1 activity of interferon stimulated genes IFITM and MxB, two of the few restriction factors reported so far in the HIV field. We have also pioneered the application of the CRISPR gene editing technology in curing HIV-1 infection by cleaving and eliminating HIV-1 DNA. We recently expanded the realm of our research to illuminate the molecular mechanisms underpinning SARS-CoV-2 transmission and pathogenesis, and to discover effective therapeutics.

Dr. Loo’s research group studies the intestinal pathogen Clostridium difficile. Her research activities primarily focus on the epidemiology, health outcomes, rapid diagnosis and infection control aspects related to C. difficile infection.

Dr. Andrew Mouland is cell and molecular virologist whose lab uses various in vitro and live cell model systems to understand the regulation of gene expression and cellular metabolism, with a particular focus on virus RNA biology and fate. His research laboratory is dedicated to elucidating the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to infectious disease and pathology, with an emphasis on retroviruses and emerging viruses and the impacts of infection on neurodegenerative diseases. Currently the Mouland lab employs state-of-the-art cell, molecular, RNA biology, high resolution imaging and biophysical methodologies to identify novel therapeutic targets leading to curative and prevention strategies for viral and neurodegenerative diseases.

http://www.ladydavis.ca/en/andrewmouland
https://www.mcgill.ca/expmed/dr-andrew-j-mouland
https://mcgill.ca/microimm/andrew-j-mouland

The laboratory is been built around the National Reference Centre for Parasitology (NRCP) which is focused on the development, evaluation and implementation of tests for human parasitoses. A wide range of in vitro/in vivo models have been developed to support the NRCP which are used to test novel vaccines/drugs and to study parasite biology. The lab is particularly interested in the non-malaria, blood/tissue protozoa (eg: African and American trypanosomiasis, crytposporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, leishmaniasis).

The Olivier laboratory is focused on host-pathogen interactions and innate inflammatory responses. More precisely, his laboratory works to 

decipher the cellular and molecular mechanisms whereby intracellular pathogens such as Leishmania can subvert macrophage immune functions by altering their signaling pathways; to study the role of malarial hemozoin in the development of malaria inflammatory related pathologies, as well as to study the role of exosomes (a type of microvesicles released by pathogens and their host) in the induction and the development of infection.

Research in the Reed laboratory focuses on the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of the infectious disease, tuberculosis (TB). Over recent years, it has become evident that considerable phenotypic diversity exists amongst clinical isolates of TB and we are interested in understanding the impact of this diversity on disease pathogenesis. Increasing our knowledge of variably expressed metabolic pathways and virulence mechanisms employed by M. tuberculosis may ultimately shed light on novel ways to diagnose and prevent TB transmission and disease.

Dr Semret’s main focus is on the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of Hospital Associated Infections (HAI) and the burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Africa, specifically Ethiopia, where she helped implement a training program in Infectious Diseases in collaboration with Addis Ababa University. Her group is assessing the impact of training and a systematic microbiology lab-supported antimicrobial stewardship intervention on the burden of AMR in this setting. She is also involved in surveillance studies of influenza among hospitalized patients in Montreal, and in assessing the impact of rapid respiratory virus testing on patient outcomes.

The Sheppard laboratory uses molecular and cellular biology approaches to understand the interactions of the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus with the human host. Using these approaches we have discovered the molecular mechanism by which this mold attaches to and invades human cells. In addition to continuing our studies probing the fundamental biology of host-fungal interactions, we are currently pursuing therapeutic strategies that target fungal adherence to host cells in order to prevent or treat invasive aspergillosis.

The Vinh laboratory combines molecular genetics with functional immunology to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which susceptibility to infection occurs. This integrated bench-to-bedside approach aims to correctly identify established and novel Primary Immunodeficiency disorders, and to develop a comprehensive understanding of the natural history, pathophysiology and management of these conditions.

The laboratory has 3 core areas of activity: 1) the development of plant-made, nanoparticle vaccines for respiratory viruses (measles, RSV, influenza, CDV) across 

the age-range 2) virus-micronutrient interactions with a particular focus on retinoid-virus interactions and 3) novel adjuvants and immunomodulators to enhance vaccine efficacy and safety. The lab is shared with Dr. Momar Ndao so a fourth area of interest is tissue/blood protozoan biology.

For many crippling infections in low-resource settings, accessibility of accurate diagnostic tests is the principal factor in limiting access to life-saving care or community-level disease control. Similarly, most remote aboriginal communities in northern Quebec have no local access to conventional microbiology services, 

despite a high burden of disease. Recognition of this diagnostic bottleneck has focused attention on bringing diagnostic testing closer to the point of care, with the objective of improving individual case management and community-level disease control. The Yansouni group works to develop diagnostic tools for infectious diseases that can be implemented in low-resource or remote areas. Theme 1 deals with the development of non-invasive testing strategies for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) that fill key gaps left by currently available tools. Theme 2 centers on assessing the role of near-care diagnostics in improving disease control for infections of public health importance in remote areas of northern Quebec.

The Zaharatos laboratory is focused on the development of gene-based vaccines and adjuvants with a particular emphasis on HIV vaccine discovery science. Specifically, we are interested in: 1) understanding innate cellular responses to DNA vaccine vectors and developing methods to render DNA vaccines more immunogenic for humans, 2) developing gene and protein-based vaccines capable of eliciting HIV-1 envelope-specific neutralizing antibodies and 3) exploring host parameters that modulate HIV-1 envelope-specific humoral responses in HIV-infected individuals. The lab uses a combination of molecular biology, cell biology, small animal immunization studies and immunoassay methods to iteratively design, develop and assess novel vaccine and adjuvant concepts. More information can be found at: http://www.ladydavis.ca/en/gerasimoszaharatos