/medhealthsci-research/ en /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/new-canadian-study-sheds-light-misunderstood-childhood-food-allergy%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E A few hours after eating, an infant may suddenly experience a severe reaction that leaves his or her parents searching for answers. Such episodes may be caused by food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), a condition that is often mistaken for other health problems and frequently goes undiagnosed. A new study conducted by researchers at the Research Institute of the 91˿����Ƶ Health Centre (The Institute) describes the symptoms and triggers associated with this syndrome, as well as its progression in 87 children aged one month to 13 years who were followed at the Montreal Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1653 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/health-arena-advances-oncology-innovations-250000-philanthropic-funding%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E At the inaugural edition of the Health Arena competition, more than $250,000 in philanthropic funding was awarded to two promising oncology projects, chosen by our esteemed jury. Among the winning initiatives were a novel prebiotic derived from an Amazonian fruit designed to enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy, and an AI-powered molecular imaging platform that enables the assessment of bone cancer margins during surgery. These breakthroughs, developed by researchers in Montreal, have the potential to transform cancer care and improve patient outcomes around the world. Designed to Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1652 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/122-mcgill-research-projects-awarded-30-million-nserc-discovery-grants-funding%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has awarded 122 91˿����Ƶ research projects funding from its Discovery Grants competition for a total investment of $30 million. The Discovery Grants program is NSERC’s largest and longest-standing program. Discovery Grants support ongoing projects with long-term goals, providing researchers with the flexibility to explore the most promising avenues of research as they emerge. The funding was announced on July 7 by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1651 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/international-study-validates-first-universal-risk-classification-system-pediatric%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E A team of pediatric surgeons led by Sherif Emil, MDCM, FRCSC, FACS, FAAP, Investigator at The Institute’s Child Health and Human Development Program, has demonstrated for the first time that a new risk classification system for pediatric appendicitis can be reliably assigned by surgeons and trainees in diverse practice settings around the world. The study, published in Annals of Surgery Open, was conducted by the Canadian Consortium for Research in Pediatric Surgery (CanCORPS) with partners across 29 institutions in 8 countries on 6 continents. A disease in need of a common language Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1650 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/gambling-addiction-treatment-underused-quebec-study-finds%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E A new study finds public specialized gambling addiction treatment services are underused in Quebec, pointing to a need to better reach people with gambling disorder. Researchers at 91˿����Ƶ and the Douglas Research Centre followed more than 2,300 people with a gambling disorder over 13 years. Despite free access, patients averaged fewer than two treatments during that period. “Gambling disorder is not something that can be resolved in a single treatment. It often requires sustained, long-term care. We need to approach it as a chronic condition for some patients, comparable to Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1649 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/reducing-vehicle-emissions-could-prevent-thousands-deaths-canada%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E A shift to cleaner transportation could prevent more than 3,600 premature deaths in Montreal and Toronto by reducing ultrafine particle pollution, finds a new study led by 91˿����Ƶ researchers. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are microscopic pollutants produced in large quantities by vehicle exhaust. Because of their small size, they can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream and may contribute to serious health problems such as heart and lung disease. “Most Canadians are exposed to UFPs on a daily basis and these pollutants are not currently regulated, despite growing evidence linking them to Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1648 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/long-hours-lack-social-support-undermine-caregivers-well-being-study-finds%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E While caregiving can be meaningful and rewarding at manageable levels, those who spend more than 20 hours a week delivering unpaid care to others have poorer mental health outcomes, a 91˿����Ƶ study has found. However, the researchers also found that the provision of social support to high-intensity caregivers mitigates negative impacts. “Programs that connect intensive caregivers to emotional, informational and practical support (respite care, caregiver support groups, community services) could make a real difference,” said Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Professor and Chair of the Department of Equity Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1647 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/bike-infrastructure-expanding-canada-access-remains-uneven%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Children and older adults are consistently less likely to live near bike lanes, finds a new study that mapped cycling infrastructure in three Canadian cities over a decade. The 91˿����Ƶ-led research analyzed census data for Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria. Across all three cities, neighbourhoods with a higher proportion of children (under 15) and older adults (65+) were located farther from cycling infrastructure. “Safety is one of the biggest barriers to cycling for children and older adults. Improving access to dedicated cycling infrastructure can help people feel safe enough to choose biking Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1646 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/study-yields-new-insights-what-makes-conversation-engaging%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E What makes a speaker engaging? Both what is said and how it is said matter, but in different, complementary ways, a new study conducted at the 91˿����Ƶ School of Communication Sciences and Disorders has found. When people try to sound “engaging,” they tend to speak more loudly and in a higher pitch, and this can lead listeners to evaluate them more positively, the researchers said. However, the study also reveals that the listener’s desire to extend a conversation depends mainly on interest in what the speaker has to say. “We were surprised to find a clear split: social impressions of the Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1645 /medhealthsci-research/%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A//www.mcgill.ca/medhealthsci-research/article/institute-joins-airis-project-build-ai-research-collaborator-biomedical-science%22%20hreflang%3D%22en%22%3Eview%3C/a%3E Patients with the same diagnosis can experience very different disease courses and treatment outcomes, shaped by a complex interplay of biological and environmental factors. However, current generative AI systems aimed at modelling such diseases primarily learn statistical correlations from their training data rather than the underlying biological mechanisms that cause disease. As a result, their predictions can be unreliable and difficult for researchers to interpret and trust. This is especially true for diseases whose mechanisms are not yet fully understood, even by medical practitioners Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0400 Health e-News 1644