Meakins-Christie Laboratories
1001 boul Décarie, Block E, Room EM3.2219 H4A 3J1 Montreal, QC, Canada

Congratulations Julia Chronopoulos (PhD student with Dr. James Martin). Julia received a prize for best oral presentation during the Journées Québécoises de Recherche en Santé Respiratoire (JQRSR) from the Quebec Respiratory Health Research Network. Project title: Immunity to Influenza A Virus infection during Pregnancy.

What do we know about sleep apnea, pregnancy and gestational diabetes? November 14 is World Diabetes Day. Dr. Sushmita Pamidi, RESP program scientist, and Raphieal Newbold (MSc graduate) are studying the link that may lead to better health for mother and baby. Sleep apnea has strong links with type 2 diabetes and is quite prevalent in pregnancy. The research team found that increasing severity of sleep apnea in pregnant women with gestational diabetes was, in fact, linked with higher glucose levels at night. It is possible that improved glucose control in pregnancy by treatment of sleep apnea could lead to improved overall outcomes for mother and baby. https://rimuhc.ca/-/what-do-we-know-about-sleep-apnea-pregn

Dr. Bruce Mazer discusses findings and unanswered questions about immunity to COVID-19 and his role in the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force.

Dr. Dao Nguyen speaks with the MUHC Foundation on the importance of infectious disease research, especially now.

Dr. Nicole Ezer, researcher in the RESP program at the RI-MUHC, on CJAD 800 AM. What have doctors learned about treating COVID-19 patients?

Managing ventilators. Assisting with intubations. Caring for some of the sickest patients in the ICU. On this Respiratory Therapy Week 2020, we salute our incre...dible respiratory therapists for their heart and devotion in the fight against COVID-19. "The response of the Respiratory Therapists has been nothing short of amazing in placing themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis," says Peter Goldberg, Head of the MUHC Critical Care Program. "Thank you for all your dedication it is deeply appreciated by all of us in the ICU and, above all, by our patients. We really are at the forefront of the COVID-19 fight, says Chantal Piché, Clinical specialist in respiratory therapy. "I am so proud to be part of this spectacular team who go above and beyond every day for every patient." Join us in extending a warm thank you to each respiratory therapist at the Glen adult site, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, the Lachine Hospital, the Neuro, and the Montreal General Hospital! #RespiratoryTherapyWeek #MUHC #ThankYou

Congratulations Dr Nargis Khan (PDF) and Jeffrey Downey (PhD trainee), from the Dr. Maziar Divangahi laboratory, on their new study published today in Cell! The study shows that stem cells can be targeted for protective vaccination as well as be hijacked by a pathogen to increase TB virulence.

Dr. Nicole Ezer, RI-MUHC RESP program member, is among those working on new medications that will keep people with COVID-19 from having to be admitted. Nicole is testing the efficiency of ciclesonide, an inhaled and nasal steroid drug currently used for asthma and nasal rhinitis, on patients with milder symptoms of COVID-19.

The MUHC COVID-19 Biobank is actively looking for participants - adults, children and twins - to advance critical COVID-19 research. Participation only involves... giving health information and blood. If you tested positive for COVID-19 at any point in time, we urge you to please email [email protected]

Dr. Benjamin Smith discusses his latest study which he hopes will be a game changer for COVID-19 quarantines.

Dr. Carolyn Baglole discusses the existing stigmas surrounding medical cannabis.

A new study by Dr. Sushmita Pamidi and colleagues found that sleep apnea treatment at night can lower daytime resting heart rate in patients with prediabetes who have obstructive sleep apnea, reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease. The study’s findings are especially timely, given that people with diabetes or cardiovascular problems are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19. Read more: https://rimuhc.ca/-/sleep-apnea-treatment-reduces-heart-pro

A team of RESP Program researchers (Drs. Nicole Ezer, James Martin, Ben Smith, and Andrea Benedetti) and colleagues have initiated a clinical trial of ciclesonide to possibly prevent mild cases of COVID-19 from worsening. To learn more about the study led at the RI-MUHC: https://rimuhc.ca/-/nip-it-in-the-bud-new-study-will-attack

A new cost-analysis study published by Dr. Dick Menzies and colleagues in CMAJ recommends widespread SARS-CoV-2 testing of priority groups, including healthcare workers, school students and staff, and essential services employees. The benefit of widespread testing would be detection and isolation of asymptomatic people infected with SARS-CoV-2. This could prevent community transmission, which otherwise could result in a second wave, and a second shutdown. https://www.meakinsmcgill.com//systematic-testing-for-sar/

Congratulations to all, and in particular, to #RIMUHC scientist Maziar Divangahi on this terrific honour! #RESPProgram Meakins-Christie Laboratories #RIMUHC

Congratulations Dr. Peter Goldberg! Dr. Goldberg received a COVID-19 Innovation Grant for the Code Life Ventilator Challenge. He and his team launched the SubK Sprint to build a clinical-grade ventilator that can be produced cheaply and easily, anywhere in the world.

Dr. Irah King speaks to our understanding of disease tolerance in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Jean Bourbeau is principal investigator on this Phase III study, and a Senior Scientist in the Translational Research in Respiratory Diseases (#RESP) Program at the #RIMUHC.

Congratulations Dr. Bill Powell! Liminal BioSciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has acquired a preclinical research program of small molecule antagonists. This program is based on the research of Dr. William Powell, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Medicine at McGill University, working in collaboration with Dr. Joshua Rokach of the Florida Institute of Technology. Investigational therapies developed in this program target a key chemoattractant and ac...tivator of eosinophils, which play a key role in Type 2 inflammation-driven diseases through tissue repair and resolution of inflammation. Drs. Powell and Rokach developed a series of potentially first-in-class, oral, selective OXE receptor antagonists against 5-oxo-ETE, one of the most potent human eosinophil chemoattractants. Migration of eosinophils to body sites including the lungs and intestines is mediated by eosinophil chemoattractants such as 5-oxo-ETE. Eosinophils play a key role in Type 2 inflammation-driven diseases, including certain respiratory and gastro-intestinal diseases. Dr. Powell will serve as an advisor to Liminal BioSciences on the Fairhaven R&D Program. See more

In his opinion piece appearing in the July 13, 2020 edition of The Gazette, Dr. Maziar Divangahi of the Meakins-Christie Laboratories addresses the question: How can we eliminate this virus? Dr. Divangahi speaks to the growth of the knowledge base about this virus to date and some of the many remaining questions to be answered.