Good oral health reduces risk of fatal outcomes from COVID-19
Infected and inflamed gums may result in higher rates of complications and more fatal outcomes for individuals diagnosed with the SARS-COV-2 virus, according to a new international study led by McGill researchers recently published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology. The study suggests that gum disease may be associated with higher risks of complications from COVID-19, including ICU admission and death.
Meet the inaugural class of McCall MacBain Scholars
Twenty aspiring innovators, community-builders, and leaders will join the first class of McCall MacBain Scholars at McGill, recipients of Canada’s first comprehensive leadership-based scholarship for master’s and professional studies.
Americans are super-spreaders of COVID-19 misinformation
Misinformation about COVID-19 is spreading from the United States into Canada, undermining efforts to mitigate the pandemic. A study led by Ï㽶ÊÓƵ shows that Canadians who use social media are more likely to consume this misinformation, embrace false beliefs about COVID-19, and subsequently spread them.
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ receives $5 million in funding from Quebec government to bolster retail sector
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management will receive $5 million in funding to drive retail innovation and research, and support the province’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Launching our third century: Ï㽶ÊÓƵ celebrates 200 years
Today marks Ï㽶ÊÓƵ’s 200th anniversary. As one of Canada’s first universities to reach this significant milestone, McGill will commemorate this historic occasion with a special broadcast Celebrate 200: Launching Our 3rd Century, along with a series of signature 200th anniversary events and activities planned for this bicentennial year.
Narwhal tusks reveal mercury exposure related to climate change
In the Arctic, climate change and pollution are the biggest threats to top predators like narwhals. Studying the animals’ tusks reveals that diet and exposure to pollution have shifted over the past half century in response to sea-ice decline. Human emissions have also led to a sharp rise in the presence of mercury in recent years, according to an international team of researchers.
First images of magnetic fields at the edge of black hole in M87 Galaxy
The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration, which includes researchers from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, who produced the first ever image of a black hole, has revealed this week a new view of the massive object at the centre of the M87 galaxy: how it looks in polarized light. This is the first time astronomers have been able to measure polarization, a signature of magnetic fields, this close to the edge of a black hole.
Rural Alaskans struggle to access and afford water
Water scarcity in rural Alaska is not a new problem, but the situation is getting worse with climate change. Lasting solutions must encourage the use of alternative water supplies like rainwater catchment and grey water recycling. They must also address the affordability of water related to household income, say researchers from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ.
Bilingual babies prefer baby talk - in any language
Babies prefer baby talk in any language, but particularly when it’s in a language they’re hearing at home, according to a new study including close to 700 babies on four continents.
It’s snowing plastic
The snow may be melting, but it is leaving pollution behind in the form of micro- and nano-plastics according to a McGill study that was recently published in Environmental Pollution. The pollution is largely due to the relatively soluble plastics found in antifreeze products (polyethylene glycols) that can become airborne and picked up by the snow.
How sperm remember
It has long been understood that a parent’s DNA is the principal determinant of health and disease in offspring. Yet inheritance via DNA is only part of the story; a father’s lifestyle such as diet, being overweight and stress levels have been linked to health consequences for his offspring. This occurs through the epigenome - heritable biochemical marks associated with the DNA and proteins that bind it.
McGill24 raises over $3.8 million for causes across the university in sixth annual day of giving
On March 10, the global Ï㽶ÊÓƵ community came together – in an entirely virtual way this year – to once again make a difference on McGill24, raising a record $3,810,861 in 24 hours during the sixth edition of the University’s annual day of giving. The final tally, which comes on the strength of 6,885 donations, will support McGill’s students, student-athletes, future leaders, and the everyday heroes making a difference in their communities.
Air pollution: The silent killer called PM2.5
Millions of people die prematurely every year from diseases and cancer caused by air pollution. The first line of defence against this carnage is ambient air quality standards. Yet, according to researchers from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, over half of the world’s population lives without the protection of adequate air quality standards.
$110M for nine innovative McGill research projects
Today, Élisabeth Brière, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages announced funding results from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) Innovation Fund (IF) for universities in Quebec.
Delay of second doses of COVID-19 vaccines has epidemiological benefits, but long-term effects depend on strength of immunity
Delaying second doses of COVID-19 vaccines should reduce case numbers in the near term; however, the longer term case burden and the potential for evolution of viral ‘escape’ from immunity will depend on the robustness of immune responses generated by natural infections and one or two vaccine doses, according to a study from Ï㽶ÊÓƵ and Princeton University published today in Science.