Montreal researchers use AI and wearable sensors to detect inflammation before symptoms appear

Modern medicine is largely reactive—treating illness only after symptoms emerge. But a new study from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (The Institute) and McGill University points to a more proactive future: one where silent signs of infection are detected before we even feel sick.

Researchers’ novel lab technique reveals how ice crystals form in clouds

Researchers have developed a novel method to detect and study how ice forms in mixed-phase clouds, significantly boosting scientists’ ability to forecast weather and model climate change. 

Youth at risk of suicide show early warning signs that adults often miss

Drawing on a landmark 25-year study that followed Quebec children into adulthood, McGill University researchers have identified two distinct patterns in how suicidal thoughts emerge and the early signs that are often missed.

Suicidal thoughts are increasingly common among youth, but how they begin and what mental health symptoms often precede them are poorly understood, the researchers said.

Racial-minority business owners can benefit from ‘white guilt,’ marketing study finds

Researchers who explored how consumers’ ethical values can shape their shopping habits suggest that business owners from marginalized racial groups can appeal to socially conscious consumers by highlighting their identity, helping promote racial equity through values-driven purchasing.

Ancient viruses in our DNA may hold clues to what makes us human

Fragments of ancient viral DNA once dismissed as “junk” may play a role in controlling our genes, according to a new international study.

Using a novel method to trace the evolutionary history of viral DNA, researchers from McGill University and Kyoto University uncovered sequences that had been overlooked in earlier genome annotations.

Common hereditary cancer mutation in Quebec traced to single ancestor

Researchers have shed new light on the most common genetic variant linked to hereditary cancer in Quebec’s French-Canadian population. Their findings could result in cheaper and more effective screening methods.

The variant is associated with Lynch syndrome, a condition that greatly increases the risk of colorectal and other cancers.

Simple texting platform helps farmers adopt greener methods, McGill-led study finds

Farmers who exchanged text messages with peers were significantly more likely to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting the power of peer learning in digital formats, a new study co-authored by McGill University Professor Aurélie Harou found.