McGill’s Bravo Gala shines a spotlight on research excellence

At event honouring 116 winners of major awards, keynote speaker and SSHRC Gold Medal recipient Myriam Denov emphasized the importance of listening. McGill celebrated more than 100 researchers at the 21st edition of Bravo, a gala event May 7 honouring the winners of major provincial, national and international research prizes and awards in 2025.

Provost honours 31 McGill professors for exceptional research achievements

The 2026 cohort of Distinguished James McGill Professors, James McGill Professors and William Dawson Scholars embody ‘the very best of our academic community’.

Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic) Angela Campbell has named 31 McGill professors as Distinguished James McGill Professors, James McGill Professors or William Dawson Scholars. The internal awards recognize exceptional research achievements.

McGill awarded 16 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs

From fundamental physics to child well-being, McGill researchers advance discovery across disciplines  McGill has been awarded $18.1 million in federal funding to support 16 Canada Research Chairs – six new and 10 renewed.

$1.25 million for McGill research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

Federal fund will support transformative high risk, high reward research across engineering, science, and medicine at McGill.

Icing injuries may slow recovery and prolong pain, study finds

Icing a sprained ankle or sore muscle, long used to reduce pain and swelling, may in the longer run delay recovery and prolong pain, new research suggests.

In a preclinical study published in Anesthesiology, McGill University researchers found that even though cryotherapy (icing) eased pain in the short term, recovery time was more than doubled in some cases.

Discovery of fat-burning ‘switch’ could lead to advances in bone disease treatments

Scientists’ discovery of a molecular “switch” that activates an energy‑burning pathway in mice has the potential to lead to new treatments for bone disease.

Public education will be critical as provinces roll out new cervical cancer screening method, researchers say

As Canada moves to modernize cervical cancer screening, a new study suggests most women do not yet understand or trust the shift from the Pap test to human papillomavirus (HPV) based screening.

Unleashing natural killer cells against cancer

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.

NSERC awards two McGill professors $1.65 million each to prepare the next generation of researchers

Projects focusing on MedTech and genomics cut across disciplines while mobilizing expertise at McGill and other Quebec institutions to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow  

AI tool pinpoints cells driving aggressive cancers

McGill University researchers have developed an artificial intelligence tool that can identify small groups of cells most responsible for driving aggressive cancers.

The tool, called SIDISH, offers scientists a clearer path to designing targeted therapies by showing which cells inside a tumour are most strongly linked with poor patient outcomes, rather than treating all cancer cells as if they behave the same way.

Weston Family Foundation awards two McGill researchers for human microbiome research

New funding fuels McGill-led breakthroughs on how gut viruses influence childhood health and how engineered proteins can prevent damaging oral bacterial biofilms. 

Largest-ever study of psychedelics could help advance their use in treating mental health disorders

Scientists have demonstrated, for the first time, that several psychedelic drugs – including psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT and ayahuasca – produce a common pattern of brain activity despite their distinct chemistries.

An international consortium led by a McGill University researcher pooled brain imaging data from labs across five countries, creating the largest study of its kind to date.

McGill launches initiative to strengthen Canada’s healthcare system

McGill University has launched the Initiative for Transforming Healthcare (ITH) to apply a systems-based approach and advance technology-enabled solutions to drive change in Canadian healthcare.

Mounting pressures – from limited access to family doctors to surgical backlogs and emergency room crowding – are straining Canada’s health system. The Initiative will explore ways to resolve these growing challenges through cross-sector partnerships.

Neuro researchers lead projects awarded $14.5 million

Five researchers from The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) are leading innovative new projects that have received major funding from Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Innovation Fund. They will be funded for a total of $14.5 million, part of $42 million going to McGill University scientists.

New injectable gel could help repair damaged swallowing muscles

A new injectable gel developed by researchers at McGill University and Kyoto University could enable stem cell-based treatments for swallowing disorders.

While stem cells have the potential to repair damaged swallowing muscles, ensuring their survival after injection has been a major challenge. In a preclinical study published in Biomaterials, the new approach improved stem-cell survival by more than five times compared with traditional methods.