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Unleashing natural killer cells against cancer

admin — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:50:22 +0000

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

Only some kinds of job losses cause voters to elect strong leaders, study finds

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:57:47 +0000

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.

Study finds treating peanuts with cold plasma could make them less allergenic

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:16:33 +0000

Researchers at ��Թ� 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.

Researchers identify new jellyfish species in fossils near Quebec City

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:37:27 +0000

Researchers studying 450-million-year-old fossils discovered about 50 kilometres northeast of Quebec City have identified a new species of basal medusozoan: Paleocanna tentaculum, a soft-bodied, tube-shaped polyp with a ring of tentacles. Closely related to modern jellyfish, it is a rare discovery. Only a few other species in its subphylum have ever been described in the fossil record.

AI tool pinpoints cells driving aggressive cancers

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:47:49 +0000

��Թ� 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.

Internalization of homophobia and transphobia may undermine mental health benefits of religiosity or spirituality for LGBTQIA+ people, study finds

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:47:58 +0000

Non-affirming religious doctrine may engender internalized homophobia or transphobia among LGBTQIA+ people of faith, undermining the positive mental health outcomes otherwise associated with religiosity and spirituality, a ��Թ� study has found.

RESOLVED: ��Թ� websites loading slowly for users off campus

admin — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:47:34 +0000

Update (April 13, 2026): This issue is now resolved.

Original announcement (published Friday, April 10, 2026): ��Թ� websites are loading very slowly for users off campus due to a technical issue. ��Թ� users are advised to use the Virtual Private Network (VPN) until this is resolved.

We thank you for your patience.

Non-producing oil and gas wells emit microbial methane at rates 1,000 times higher than previously estimated

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:52:18 +0000

Microbial methane leaking from non-producing oil and gas wells is being emitted at rates about 1,000 times higher than previously estimated, according to a new study led by ��Թ� researchers.

��Թ� inaugurates new facilities at Macdonald Campus to advance teaching and research on climate‑resilient agriculture

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 10:32:51 +0000

��Թ� today inaugurated state‑of‑the‑art teaching greenhouse and plant phenotyping research facilities at its Macdonald Campus in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. These represent major investments in teaching and research focused on food security, crop resilience and sustainable agriculture.

Researchers turn to mussels and mistletoe to design sustainable materials

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:58:15 +0000

Taking inspiration from how mussels and mistletoe plants build natural fibres and adhesives, researchers at ��Թ� have developed a new way to manufacture complex materials that could offer a more environmentally sustainable alternative to conventional plastics and glues.

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

admin — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 13:39:31 +0000

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 ��Թ� researcher pooled brain imaging data from labs across five countries, creating the largest study of its kind to date.

Stability of brain’s internal compass may help explain how memories last

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:29:09 +0000

A new discovery by ��Թ� researchers sheds light on how we retain memories over time, even though brain activity is constantly changing.

Published in Nature, the preclinical study found the brain’s internal compass remains remarkably stable over time. The findings suggest this steady sense of direction may act as an anchor for memory.

��Թ� launches initiative to strengthen Canada’s healthcare system

admin — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:38:22 +0000

��Թ� 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.

Researchers warn of risks posed by ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ found in crops, agricultural soil

admin — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:16:17 +0000

A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops’ absorption of “contaminants of emerging concern” (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed.

CECs include pharmaceuticals, microplastics, engineered nanomaterials and PFAS (commonly known as “forever chemicals”). The researchers warn that even when present at very low concentrations, these chemicals can subtly alter plant physiology, disrupt soil health and pose wider environmental and human health risks.

Humans share acoustic preferences with other animals, study shows

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:18:52 +0000

A ��Թ�-led study has found that humans share acoustic preferences with other species, at least when it comes to animal calls. The results provide experimental evidence that shared sensory processing mechanisms may shape aesthetic judgments of sound.