Virus particles used as gene delivery vectors by parasitoid wasps—and people? By: Jacob Van Oorschot, Contributing Writer If ever you … More
Category: a – Biology & Medicine
The epigenetics of exercise: Strengthening your muscles and your mind
By: Becca Carballal, Contributing Writer Finals season is fast approaching, and with it are also coming many hours spent in … More
Origins of the nervous system as told by sea sponges and comb jellies
By: Jacob Van Oorschot, Contributing Writer Who branched off first: comb jellies or sea sponges? Scientists have long debated whether … More
So, vampires would get bloodborne diseases, no?
Lately, I’ve been concerned for the health of vampires. While I may not bear the curse of eternal life, I clearly have a bit of extra time on my hands. But seriously, vampires’ strictly-blood diet has me worried, due to all the blood-borne diseases they would be exposed to.
Memory Beyond the Brain: How Non-Neuronal Cells Are Capable of Remembering
Memory has long been a central focus of neuroscience and psychology, with extensive research exploring how information is encoded, stored, and received by the brain. A groundbreaking new study had introduced the possibility that memory processes may also be occuring outside the brain.
Beyond the Fall: Embracing Life after Breast Cancer
In the relentless pursuit of a cure, we have made incredible strides in cancer diagnosis and treatment– turning what was a seemingly insurmountable challenge into a journey of resilience and hope. With these new highly sophisticated, individualized treatments extending the average life expectancy and survival rate for people with cancer, it is time for our narrative to shift from survival to the full restoration of life and well-being.
Diving Into Winter: The Effects of Cold Water Immersion
The thought of going for a swim may seem crazy as winter approaches, but for some, the dropping temperatures indicate the start of polar plunge season. A quick dip in the frigid Canadian waters sends a shock through the body–but upon returning to shore, this is replaced by a sweeping refreshing sense of calm. Is this activity, seen as reckless by some, actually beneficial to one’s physical or mental health.
Micro-allies in our gut help us fight cancer
Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized oncology over the last three decades, but a serious problem remains: more than half of treated patients do not respond to the therapy. Recent research, including work at McGill, reveals that manipulating the microorganisms living in our gut could help improve treatment outcomes.
Empire in the bloodstream: The Opium Wars and their after-effects
By: Parmida Talebi, Contributing Writer In the early nineteenth century, British ships sailed the South China Sea, hulls heavy with chests … More
Flu Season and the Future of Influenza in a Post-Covid World
With every winter comes flu season. What does that mean? Between larger pandemic outbreaks like the 1917 Spanish flu and a few others since, we run into seasonal epidemics of the disease. Influenza is far from a steady presence in our lives throughout the year; in Canada, seasonal influenza is a phenomenon that ramps up every November, peaks in the winter, and all but disappears come summertime. What causes this cycle, and, following the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, how will it be altered in future years?
The Abstract 