McGill University attracts six leading researchers thanks to Government of Canada’s $1 billion program
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.
Workout or nap? Either can help your sleepless brain, study finds
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.
McGill researchers develop a more efficient way to identify when AI responses may need human review
McGill University researchers have developed a more energy-efficient method of building AI systems that are better at measuring – and indicating – their own uncertainty. This will help users determine when human oversight is needed, when additional data should be collected and when a model is being asked to work beyond the conditions it was trained for, the researchers said.
Generic semaglutide could reshape diabetes drug coverage in Canada
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.
App helps families find inclusive activities
An app developed by McGill researchers is helping families find inclusive activities for children with disabilities.
The Jooay app, created by Prof. Keiko Shikako and Prof. Annette Majnemer, is a free platform that connects users with information on inclusive sports, arts programs, camps and other recreational opportunities in their community.
New book club aims to advance civic dialogue in Quebec
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trois-Rivières, Aug.17, 2026
At a time of polarization, disinformation and growing distrust of institutions, a new French-language book club open to the public aims to create spaces for civic discussion across Quebec.
Right-leaning Canadians are losing trust in Canada’s electoral process, study finds
Right-leaning Canadians’ trust in the bodies that manage Canadian elections has declined significantly since 2019, a McGill-led research team has found.
Their research draws on data collected between 2008 to 2021 by the Canadian Election Study (with about 72,000 respondents), as well as information gathered by the Media Ecosystem Observatory after the 2021 Canadian federal election (with nearly 3,000 respondents) and the Quebec election of 2022 (with approximately 1,500 respondents).
Scientists discover immune cells have a ‘sense of touch’
A McGill University-led study has uncovered a previously unknown ability of T cells that could change our understanding of how long-term immunity develops.
Scientists have long believed that tissue resident memory T cells – which remain in tissues after an infection has cleared and respond rapidly if the threat returns – are shaped primarily by biochemical signals.
McGill study demonstrates that restricting short-term rentals improves housing affordability
Municipal regulation of short-term rentals “is low-hanging fruit” that helps improve housing affordability, a new study by McGill researchers suggests.
The study found that rents were relatively lower in Canadian municipalities that imposed restrictions on when and how principal residences can be offered as short-term rentals.
The benefits also extended to neighbouring municipalities that did not adopt restrictions.
Online conflict may strengthen, not weaken, social movements, McGill researchers find
Online conflict tends to advance social movements rather than undermine them, according to new research from McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management.
Electric buses in cold climates: Optimizing operations is key, researchers say
A McGill University study recommends cold-climate cities increase their electric bus fleets and expand charging capacity so vehicles can be charged slowly, a process that draws less power from the grid than fast charging.
Efficient energy use is particularly important in cold weather, when electric batteries drain more quickly and use more energy than in milder conditions, they noted.
The researchers said their approach could help these cities fully electrify transit systems, eliminating reliance on diesel.
Youth mental health program saves nearly $10 for every dollar invested
An innovative youth mental health service model can improve care and ease pressure on Canada's health-care system, a new study led by researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Research Centre demonstrates.
Posture can influence your mood and behaviour, McGill study suggests
A person's posture appears to affect their emotions and decision-making ability more than they realize, according to new research from McGill University. In a recent study, participants sitting upright performed better at a risk-taking task and reported more positive feelings than did their peers in the slouching or control groups.
Pregnancy complications can signal heart disease risk years before traditional screening, study finds
McGill University researchers have developed a new tool to identify heart disease risk in women earlier in life.
Findings from a study published in JACC: Advances highlight gaps in existing approaches.
Restored wetlands aren’t clear-cut wins against climate change, McGill study suggests
Wetland restoration is often promoted as a definitive way to support wildlife, improve water quality and help store carbon. However, new research from McGill University suggests the overall climate picture is more complicated.
Supporters of losing political parties express less trust in fellow citizens, study says
Supporters of losing parties express more distrust of their fellow citizens after elections than do supporters of winning parties, a new study has found, with voters who more strongly disliked rival parties showing even greater distrust.
Study offers new insights into why ex-smokers remain at elevated risk of lung disease
A new study by a team of McGill researchers could help explain why people who have quit smoking remain at elevated risk of lung disease long after their last cigarette.
Their paper, published in Translational Research, provides one of the most detailed pictures to date of how quitting smoking affects the human lung at the cellular level.
Green LED light could help keep leafy greens fresher longer, McGill study suggests
Low-intensity green lighting in refrigerated storage can slow spoilage in leafy greens, helping maintain their appearance and nutritional value, according to a new study from McGill University.
“We found that something as simple as changing the light in refrigerated storage may help fresh produce stay fresher for longer,” said Shafieh Salehinia, lead researcher and affiliate member in the Biomass Production Lab, headed by Prof. Mark Lefsrud.
CHIME collaboration helps identify location of "missing" matter in the universe
Estimates of ordinary matter in the universe exceed the amount observed in stars and galaxies, leaving much of it unaccounted for. Researchers from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)/Fast Radio Bursts Collaboration, including McGill University and MIT, have developed a new method to seek out this “missing” matter by combining galaxy locations with fast radio burst detections. A fast radio burst, or FRB, is an ultrabright, millisecond flash of radio waves emitted by extremely energetic phenomena in the distant universe.
McGill-led study could help event organizers prevent crowd crushes and stampedes
McGill researchers have found that dangerous crowd conditions leading to surges and stampedes may not emerge suddenly, but instead develop gradually, as repeated physical contact and pushing may accumulate and become synchronized among nearby individuals.
Recognizing how these conditions arise could help organizers strengthen security, site management and evacuation planning, reducing the likelihood of injuries during large-scale public events.