/medhealthsci-research/ en /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/pregnancy-complications-linked-fathers-heart-risk%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are often considered temporary conditions affecting mothers. Increasingly, however, they are recognized as early warning signs of long-term cardiometabolic risk. While most research has focused on what these complications mean for women, new findings suggest their implications extend beyond mothers. A large population-based study from The Institute, led by Kaberi Dasgupta, MD, MSc, senior scientist in the Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program, shows that when gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension or preeclampsia Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1608 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/botox-new-therapeutic-approach-treating-finger-ulcers-and-gangrene%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Injections of botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, could be an effective and well-tolerated option for treating debilitating complications caused by reduced blood flow to the fingers, such as acute digital ischemia (which makes the fingers very painful, cold and sometimes white or bluish), digital ulcers (open wounds that heal poorly), and gangrene, according to a study recently published in JAMA Dermatology. The systematic review and individual-patient data meta-analysis of 30 published studies and one unpublished case, involving 119 patients, found that the treatment—which reduces blood Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1607 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/vision-impact-transforming-clinical-trials-institute%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Clinical trials mark the moment when discovery becomes care — when years of laboratory research and data analysis reach patients and begin to transform clinical practice. At the Research Institute of the 91˿����Ƶ Health Centre (The Institute), clinical trial excellence is not new. Investigators have long led high-impact studies across disciplines, contributing nationally and internationally to advances in patient care. With the launch of its 2030 Vision, that strength has become a coordinated strategic priority. Central to the plan is Research Priority 4: advancing clinical trials Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1606 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/largest-ever-study-psychedelics-could-help-advance-their-use-treating-mental-health%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E 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 91˿����Ƶ researcher pooled brain imaging data from labs across five countries, creating the largest study of its kind to date. The findings, published in Nature Medicine , could help guide the design of future treatments for mental health disorders. “This is a breakthrough in how we think about psychedelic drugs,” said senior author Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1605 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/3mt-finals-put-graduate-students-research-spotlight%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E From bird migration in urban landscapes to brain function, Martian microbiology and colonial-era Peruvian music, this year’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) and Ma thèse en 180 secondes (MT180) finalists demonstrated the breadth of research at 91˿����Ƶ – and the power of making it accessible. “This is one of the highlights – maybe the highlight – of our academic year,” said Josephine Nalbantoglu, Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, to the audience that packed the Ballroom of the Faculty Club on April 1. “You are going to be amazed at what you learn here today.” Fifteen graduate Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1604 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/stability-brains-internal-compass-may-help-explain-how-memories-last%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E A new discovery by 91˿����Ƶ 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. “This is a long-standing puzzle: if the brain’s memory structures keep shifting, how do our memories remain so stable? Our results offer an explanation,” said senior author Adrien Peyrache, Associate Professor at the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1603 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/sustaining-excellence-competition-supports-top-ranked-researchers%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Thanks to the generous support of the River Philip and Trottier Family Foundations, the 91˿����Ƶ Health Centre Foundation and The Institute have awarded the latest round of Sustaining Excellence Grants. The Sustaining Excellence Grants Program supports outstanding researchers at The Institute who ranked within the top 40% of CIHR Project Grant applications in the Spring 2025 competition but were not funded. The goal is to maintain the momentum of their research programs for an additional year, providing time and resources to revise and resubmit their proposals and strengthen their Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1602 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/mcgill-launches-initiative-strengthen-canadas-healthcare-system%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E 91˿����Ƶ 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. “As one of Canada’s major research universities, 91˿����Ƶ has a responsibility to help strengthen the systems that underpin our healthcare,” said Deep Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1601 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/new-gene-linked-inherited-neuropathy%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Researchers at The Research Institute of the 91˿����Ƶ Health Centre (The Institute) have played a leading role in identifying a new genetic cause of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, one of the most common inherited disorders affecting the peripheral nerves. The condition affects the nerves that control movement and sensation, often causing muscle weakness, difficulty walking and progressive disability. In a study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nathalie Lamarche-Vane, PhD, Senior Scientist at The Institute, and her international collaborators found that mutations in a Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1600 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/apixaban-safer-rivaroxaban-venous-thrombosis-treatment-major-clinical-trial-finds%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E The first clinical trial to compare two commonly used drugs head-to-head for venous thrombosis treatment has found a clear winner: while both drugs work well to prevent recurrent blood clots, apixaban is safer than rivaroxaban, with fewer bleeding complications. Venous thrombosis occurs when a blood clot lodges in the veins of the legs or lungs. It is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death after heart attack and stroke and is the most common preventable cause of death in hospitalized patients. Clinical guidelines currently recommend that patients recovering from venous thrombosis take Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1599