April 22, 2026 | The Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy has co-published a new summary report, Canada and the Future of AI for Inclusive Prosperity, with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Expert Group on Canada and the Future of Development Cooperation. Drawing on a February 2026 roundtable of 19 Canadian and international experts, the report calls on Canada to adopt a more strategic and coherent approach to AI.

Scientists have developed a strategy to boost the cancer-fighting power of natural killer (NK) cells, part of the immune system’s first line of defence. NK cells can detect and destroy cancer cells, but tumours often create a protective barrier that blocks them, allowing cancer to grow.

Researchers at McGill University’s Rosalind & Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, in collaboration with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, found that suppressing two specific proteins helps NK cells overcome this blockage, turning them into more potent cancer killers.

Dear members of the McGill community,

I am delighted to announce that Prof. Alanna Watt will be McGill’s next Dean of the Faculty of Science. The McGill University Board of Governors approved her appointment at its meeting on April 23, 2026, and her five-year renewable term will begin on May 1.

As winter transitions into spring, pollen in the air is triggering seasonal allergies for many. A warming climate is contributing to earlier seasonal onset, longer growing seasons and increased pollen production. McGill experts are available to comment on this topic.  

David Wees, Faculty Lecturer in the Department of Plant Science, can discuss the impacts of climate on pollen production and seasonal allergies.  

Tayah Liska successfully defended her PhD Oral Defence in Currie Room 304  on April 21st, 2026.

The title of her thesis:
"Identifying the conceptual attributes of physical activity maintenance among adults with physical disability"

Oral Defence Comittee:
Prof. Shane Sweet (Supervisor), Dr. Daniel Fortin-Guichard, Dr. William James Harvey, Dr. Kathleen Martin Ginis, Dr. Rebecca Bassett-Gunter, Prof. Guillaume Gervais

On April 16, McGill University and the Confederation of Faculty Associations of McGill (COFAM) held a scheduled bargaining session. During this meeting, the University presented five new non‑monetary counter‑proposals addressing sabbatical leaves, tenure‑track professor regulations, contract academic staff (CAS) regulations, retirement provisions, and a new professional development leave option for CAS members.

This matter has been in arbitration for some time. However, the parties agreed to replace the recently scheduled hearing days with negotiation sessions, with the aim of achieving as much convergence as possible before the arbitration phase resumes, during which the arbitrator will be called upon to determine the remaining outstanding items.

Americans are more likely to turn to authoritarian leaders when jobs are being lost due to offshoring than they are when job losses result from automation, an international research team has found. This is despite the fact that automation tends to lead to greater job losses.

April 10, 2026 | Jennifer Welsh was among ten recipients honoured at the second annual NDG MNA Medal Ceremony, hosted by Désirée McGraw, Member of the National Assembly for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, at Villa Maria College. The medal recognizes leaders, builders, and changemakers whose work helps shape the NDG community and, in many cases, leaves a lasting mark on Quebec.

Distinguished James McGill Professor of Twentieth-Century Literature Allan Hepburn recently published Elizabeth Bowen in Context (Cambridge University Press, 2026) and Citizenship in Mid-Century British Literature: War, Statehood, Ex

Researchers at McGill University have found that briefly treating peanuts with cold plasma, an ionically charged gas that triggers chemical changes, reduces their potential to cause allergic reactions. The researchers say this is probably because the process causes changes to the protein structure, the part of the peanut that can trigger an immune response. The technology was also shown to improve functional properties important for food manufacturing. 

This message is sent on behalf of Serge Bergeron, Senior Director, Budget and Finance, Analysis, Planning and Budget and Tonia Sciannamblo, Deputy Controller, Financial Services

Dear Colleagues,

The overhead recovery fee currently being charged on actual revenues earned in non-1A unrestricted funds will remain at 7.5% in FY2027. This is unchanged from FY2026. The process for collecting and recording of this fee will continue to occur on a quarterly basis.

International energy research organization Ember has released its annual Global Electricity Review. It reports that clean energy sources have met all new energy demand since 2025, while electricity generation from fossil fuels has remained unchanged. The review notes that solar power is growing at the fastest rate. However, in Canada, it notes, solar and wind make up less than 10 per cent of the country’s electricity generation, compared to the G7 average of 19 per cent. 

It’s rare that any business faces the type of challenges that a symphony orchestra does. An orchestra needs to perform at elite level, night in and night out. But it also needs to make money.

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra (MSO) rises to the challenge. The traditional model of staging about dozen shows per season for a loyal audience has evolved, MSO CEO Mélanie La Couture told Prof. Karl Moore for an article in Les Affaires.

Please note that myFuture will be unavailable on April 23, 2026, from 9:00 to 9:15 a.m. due to scheduled maintenance.

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Veuillez noter que myFuture sera indisponible le 23 avril 2026, de 9 h à 9 h 15, en raison d’une maintenance planifiée.

Some of Dr. Jeffrey Mogil’s most influential discoveries could be considered serendipity. He may not have set out to revolutionize the field, but what he ended up finding has made a lasting impact in the world of pain research.

Dr. Mogil is a pain researcher and professor at McGill University, and his CIHR-supported work uncovered two big blind spots: the research had focused almost entirely on male pain and mostly measured one type of pain—and not the type that makes the biggest difference for patients.

April 20, 2026 | Pearl Eliadis spoke to HRReporter on how Quebec's Bills 94 and 9 are reshaping religious accommodation. The "sleeper" issue for HR teams, Eliadis argues, is Bill 9's replacement of the "undue hardship" threshold with a "more than minimal hardship" standard, letting employers refuse religious accommodation on the basis of minor inconvenience.