Novel origami pattern turns flat sheets into load-bearing 3D technology

McGill University researchers have discovered a new way to fold flat sheets into smooth, curved shells that can switch from floppy and flexible to stiff and load-bearing on demand. By designing a special origami pattern and threading cable-like elements through it, they can control the material’s final three-dimensional shape and how rigid it becomes.

Historic plant collections offer a window into genetic change

Pressed plant specimens collected centuries ago and stored in herbaria around the world could play a key role in facilitating the tracking of genetic change and extinction risk in plants, a McGill University-led study indicates.

Study finds early complex life lived in oxygenated seas, challenging long‑held views of evolution

The earliest known eukaryotes, the ancestors of all complex life on Earth, lived in oxygenated, shallow marine environments nearly 1.7 billion years ago, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill University and the University of California, Santa Barbara. The findings cast doubt on the long-held belief that early complex life emerged in oxygen-poor environments or floated freely in the open ocean.

Teaching children to be better, more critical internet users

A digital literacy program for elementary school students designed by researchers at McGill University was successful in improving students’ ability to evaluate websites and their content.

Skills targeted included how to search for information, how to identify credible websites, how to evaluate the quality of information sources and how to address conflicting information.

‘Jumping gene’ helps explain elevated pancreatic cancer risk in French-Canadians

Researchers at McGill University have discovered a centuries-old genetic mutation that helps to explain why some French‑Canadians in Quebec are at an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer. Until quite recently, standard genetic tests have not been able to identify this “jumping gene” cause.

The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Genetics, suggest better-targeted genetic testing could help identify people at higher cancer risk who were previously missed.

McGill researchers help secure Canadian access to the world’s largest telescope

A team led by the Université de Montréal, the Observatoire du Mont‑Mégantic (OMM) and the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx), in partnership with the University of British Columbia and McGill, has been awarded nearly $11.3 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support Canada’s contribution to ANDES, a flagship scientific instrument for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) under construction in Chile.  

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.

McGill researchers’ sustainable construction method aims to improve earthquake safety

Researchers at McGill University are carrying out large‑scale tests of a new timber-steel structural system designed to help buildings better withstand earthquakes. Early results suggest the system performs well under simulated earthquake forces, offering a potential path toward safer, more sustainable construction in Quebec and beyond.

A promising new way to transplant cells could lead to a better treatment for Type 1 diabetes

Researchers at McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC) have developed a novel device to transplant insulin-producing cells that integrates directly with existing blood vessels in the body. The technology, which showed promising results in preclinical trials, aims to overcome key challenges of emerging long-term cell-based treatments for Type 1 diabetes.

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.

Moderate UV light is best when it comes to boosting the vitamin D content of edible mushrooms, McGill study finds

Researchers at McGill University have discovered that moderate ultraviolet (UV) light exposure is best when the technique is used to enhance vitamin D₂ in edible mushrooms. Excessive exposure leads to nutrient degradation or a plateau effect, they found. The paper also provides quantitative guidance. 

McGill researchers engineer faster, more effective blood clots

Researchers at McGill University have developed a rapid way to engineer blood clots that stop severe bleeding and support tissue healing more effectively. Their technique, called “click clotting,” links red blood cell surface proteins through a chemical reaction, resulting in a biocompatible clot that is 13 times more resistant to fracturing and four times more adhesive than natural blood clots.

McGill researchers’ novel device could boost the development of sound-based lasers

Researchers at McGill University have developed a novel device that generates sound-like particles known as phonons at extremely cold temperatures. The technology could be used to create phonon lasers, with possible applications in communications and medical diagnostics.

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.