Latest news with #INRS
Global News
26-05-2025
- Health
- Global News
Quebec launches heat wave alert system to protect public health, vulnerable population
In a proactive move to protect vulnerable people from heat waves, Quebec is launching an automated alert system designed to warn residents ahead of upcoming extreme weather events. In a release published Monday, Quebec's health ministry says subscribers will receive a message by telephone, email or text message — depending on the person's preference — a day before a heat wave to warn them of its arrival. The new service, dubbed 'Conseils climat,' which translates to 'climate tips,' will be available to all but is aimed at helping more vulnerable groups when temperatures soar. This includes those aged 65 and over, people with chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension, heart, lung or kidney problems, etc.), and children aged five and under (with the system registered through their caretakers). Extreme heat causes nearly 500 deaths per year in Quebec, report finds Extreme heat has a major impact on Quebec's health-care system, according to a report published last summer by the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) that shed light on various heat-related mortality and morbidity statistics in the province. Story continues below advertisement The INRS findings revealed that high temperatures during the months of May to September in Quebec are linked to an estimated 470 deaths, 225 hospitalizations, 36,000 ER visits and 7,200 ambulance trips. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The study said the province's 811 Info-Santé health line also deals with a surge in calls, reporting an estimated 15,000 heat-related calls during those months. The report says the burden on the health-care system falls on five per cent of the hottest days from May to September. An estimated 200 deaths, 170 hospitalizations, 6,200 ER visits, 1,500 ambulance trips and 3,300 calls to Info-Santé are due to the heat during that time period. Extreme heat waves are defined as high temperatures that have a statistically significant effect on health and last at least three consecutive days. 'Knowing that extreme heat will be amplified by climate change, our team hopes that these results will lead to more action to better protect the Quebec population against the effects of heat,' wrote the report's author, Jérémie Boudreault. Canadian scientists have warned that the country's future includes longer and more intense summer heat waves, which can also directly impact people's mental health. The ministry says it is exploring the possibility of expanding the system to include alerts for other climate-related threats such as smog and high pollen levels. The service is free and residents can sign up by creating an account online or by calling 1-866-982-7282.
Cision Canada
22-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Launch of a Municipal Research Chair for Ecological and Social Transition Français English
MIRABEL, QC, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ - Ville de Mirabel and Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) are proud to announce the creation of a Municipal Research Chair for Ecological and Social Transition. This partnership embodies the city's commitment to innovation through exemplary eco-responsible transition in agriculture, strategic waste and water management and land development. This Chair will be a catalyst for change, bringing together researchers, citizens and local actors around research and knowledge-transfer activities that meet the community's current and future needs. The Chair's activities will contribute to the creation of distinctive technology showcases for agri-tourism in the region, promoting the innovation and expertise of local players. Leading the Chair, INRS professors Philippe Constant and Kokou Adjallé have agreed to put their expertise at the service of the Mirabel community. Microbiologist Philippe Constant, the Chief Scientific Advisor for Ville de Mirabel, has been working closely with the city since 2021. Kokou Adjallé is a chemical physicist who has distinguished himself in the fields of environmental biotechnology and green chemistry. Together, they are already piloting research projects in Mirabel involving more than ten companies, four universities, two research centres and three economic development organizations. These projects are helping them develop a clear portrait of the city's specific needs. This project is part of the $1,487,405 agreement signed in 2024 with the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation (MAMH) as part of the Fonds régions et ruralité (FRR) Volet 3 – Projets "Signature innovation" creating the Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable in Mirabel. Part of this amount ($300,000 over five years) will be used to fund the Research Chair, ensuring its lasting impact on the city and citizens for years to come. Quotes: "Our government is confirming its commitment to the regions of Quebec by providing financial support to Mirabel. The creation of an eco-responsible innovation hub will help make the region's economic development greener and more sustainable. Thanks to initiatives like the Municipal Research Chair, we are building a more responsible future that meets the real needs of Canadians. I am proud of that! " Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs "Through our partnership with INRS, this Municipal Research Chair is an opportunity to use research to understand our environment better in order to interact with it sustainably. With these actions, we want to inspire our community and explore technological and innovative opportunities to preserve the soil, the ecosystem and future generations. " Patrick Charbonneau, Mayor of Mirabel "This new Municipal Research Chair exemplifies INRS's mission to put science to work for society and, in this case, communities. Through our partnership with Ville de Mirabel, we are joining forces to take concrete action in response to the environmental and economic challenges of today and tomorrow. By mobilizing the expertise of our researchers and fostering innovation in the field, we are helping to build a more sustainable future rooted in local realities. " Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Chief Executive Officer, INRS "This Municipal Research Chair demonstrates our ongoing commitment to support Mirabel's efforts to innovate. The resilience of agricultural businesses and farmlands in the face of economic, social and environmental challenges is the heart of our research activities. " Philippe Constant, INRS professor and Chief Scientific Advisor for Ville de Mirabel "This Municipal Research Chair offers a concrete opportunity for INRS to use its expertise to serve a mid-sized city without a university in its territory. Through this Chair, Ville de Mirabel can strengthen its existing partnership with INRS, as part of its innovation and sustainable development plans and efforts, to become a model city for agriculture and food self-sufficiency in Quebec. " Kokou Adjallé, INRS professor and scientific head of the Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory Highlights: Research themes Mobilization of the ecosystem (creating a community of practice) Strategic waste and wastewater management (precision composting, upcycling, political ecology) Regenerative agriculture (soil health, water quality, adaptation and resilience) Land development (ecosystem services, terroir signature and agri-tourism, culture and belonging) Carrefour d'innovation écoresponsable de Mirabel (CIEM) The CIEM is a project led by Ville de Mirabel, made possible thanks to funding from MAMH's FRR Volet 3 – Projets "Signature innovation." Its mission is to draw on the dynamic forces in the region, where agriculture and agri-food are shaping the landscape. The CIEM's distinctive signature is its terroir road stop, combining the sale of local products with a technology showcase. About INRS INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to research and graduate training. INRS ranks first in Quebec in research intensity. Its community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff. Since its creation in 1969, as per its mission, it has contributed to the economic, social and cultural development of Quebec. It is made up of five interdisciplinary research and training centres and concentrates their activities in strategic sectors: Eau Terre Environnement (Quebec City), Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications (Varennes), Urbanisation Culture Société (Montreal), Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie (Laval) and Sustainable Ruralities (Charlevoix, a center currently under development). The INRS community comprises nearly 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and staff. SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS)
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New tool for cutting DNA: promising prospects for biotechnology
MONTREAL, April 14, 2025 /CNW/ - An INRS team discovers a new family of enzymes capable of inducing targeted cuts in single-stranded DNA. A few years ago, the advent of technology known as CRISPR was a major breakthrough in the scientific world. Developed from a derivative of the immune system of bacteria, CRISPR enables double strands of nucleotides in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to be cut. This makes it possible to specifically modify a targeted gene in plant, animal and human cells. Ultimately, CRISPR became a preferred method in the search for treatments for acquired or hereditary diseases. Recently, Professor Frédéric Veyrier at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and his team developed a new genetic tool based on a family of specific enzymes called Ssn that allows targeted cuts to be induced exclusively in single-stranded DNA. The results of their work were recently published in the journal Nature Communications. This major breakthrough sheds light on a crucial genetic mechanism that could revolutionize a multitude of biotechnology applications. A form of DNA with a key role Single-stranded DNA is less common than double-stranded DNA. It is often found in some viruses and plays a key role in certain biological processes, such as cell replication or repair. Single-stranded DNA is also used in many technologies (sequencing, gene editing, molecular diagnostics, nanotechnology). To date, no endonuclease – enzyme that cuts DNA – has been described as exclusively targeting a single-stranded DNA sequence, which has constituted a barrier to the development of technologies based on this type of DNA. Now, for the first time in a laboratory, Professor Veyrier's team has identified a family of enzymes capable of cutting a specific sequence in single-stranded DNA: the family of Ssn endonucleases. To achieve this, the research team at INRS's Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre first characterized a new family of endonucleases part of the GIY-YIG superfamily called Ssn. More specifically, researchers focused on one of these enzymes in the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also known as the meningococcus. The enzyme targeted in the study is crucial to the exchange and alteration of genetic material, which influences evolution. "In studying it, we found that it recognizes a specific sequence that is found in many instances in its genome and plays a key role in the natural transformation of the bacterium. This interaction directly influences the dynamics of the bacterial genome," explains Professor Veyrier, a specialist in genomic bacteriology and evolution. In addition to this fundamental discovery, INRS's research scientists identified thousands of other similar enzymes. "We demonstrated that they are able to recognize and specifically cut their own single-stranded DNA sequence. Thousands of enzymes therefore have this property with their own specificity," adds Alex Rivera-Millot, a postdoctoral fellow on Professor Veyrier's team and co-first author of the study. An undeniable asset for health research These results, which represent a new tool for DNA recognition and exchange, are significant. They pave the way to many novel applications in biology and medicine. On the one hand, understanding this mechanism could help better control the bacteria in question and the associated infections. On the other, the discovery of enzymes specific to single-stranded DNA makes it possible to develop more precise and efficient genetic manipulation tools. This could namely improve methods of gene editing, DNA detection and molecular diagnosis. These enzymes could also be used to detect and manipulate DNA in various medical and industrial applications, such as pathogen detection or genetic manipulation for medical and therapeutic purposes. All of these avenues hold significant promise for addressing many health issues. Currently, there is a patent pending for the results of this work. About the study Chenal, M.*, Rivera-Millot, A.*, Harrison, L.B. et al. Discovery of the widespread site-specific single-stranded nuclease family Ssn. Nat Commun 16, 2388 (2025). This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS). About INRS INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to graduate research and training in strategic sectors in Quebec. For the past 55 years, it has actively contributed to Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development. INRS is first in Canada in research intensity. It is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, which focus their efforts on strategic sectors: water, earth, and environment (Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre); energy, materials, and telecommunications (Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre); urbanization, culture, and society (Urbanisation Culture Société Research Centre); and health and biotechnology (Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre). The INRS community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty and staff members. SOURCE Institut National de la recherche scientifique (INRS) View original content to download multimedia:
Associated Press
14-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Primary Hydrogen Partners With INRS on Natural Hydrogen in Canada
CALGARY, AB / ACCESS Newswire / April 14, 2025 / Primary Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV:HDRO)(FRA:83W0)(OTCQB:HNATF) (the 'Company' or 'Primary'), a leading exploration company focused on identifying and developing natural hydrogen resources, is pleased to announce the partnership with Institut national de la recherche scientifique ('INRS') to advance natural hydrogen exploration in Canada. The Company has partnered with INRS in connection with a research grant to study hydrogen sampling techniques. 'INRS is at the forefront of the scientific advancement of natural hydrogen in Canada, following the publication of six research reports last year' commented Benjamin Asuncion, CEO of Primary Hydrogen. 'Partnership with INRS to pioneer hydrogen exploration allows us to leverage both the compendium of expertise and external funding to explore our Canadian asset portfolio.' The partnership will allow fine-tuning and field-validating soil gas sampling techniques that were developed by the INRS team in the laboratory. These methods developed are critical to ensure that the scientific and exploration community reports robust and comparable data. In addition, the partnership will allow field measurement of soil gas H2 in promising geological settings in Eastern Canada, with the project anticipated to be completed in Q2/2025. About INRS The Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS) is a leading research and training institution in Canada, dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and technological innovation. As part of the Université du Québec network, INRS focuses on applied and fundamental research in strategic sectors, including energy, environment, health, and advanced technologies. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and cutting-edge facilities, INRS fosters innovation that addresses societal challenges and supports sustainable development. For more information, visit About Primary Hydrogen Corp. Primary Hydrogen is committed to pioneering the natural hydrogen sector, leveraging cutting-edge exploration techniques to identify and develop sustainable energy solutions. The Company has an extensive portfolio of properties covering over 740 acres in the USA and 210 square kilometres across Canada including the Blakelock and Hopkins projects in Ontario, the Mary's Harbour project in Labrador, the Point Rosie project in Newfoundland, and the Crooked Amphibolite, Coquihalla, and Cogburn projects in British Columbia. The Company also holds the Arthur Lake copper project in British Columbia. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Ben Asuncion Chief Executive Officer Primary Hydrogen Corp. Email: [email protected] Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains 'forward-looking information' and 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this news release only. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as 'plans', 'expects', 'is expected', 'budgets', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'predicts', 'projects', 'intends', 'targets', 'aims', 'anticipates' or 'believes' or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions 'may', 'could', 'should', 'would', 'might' or 'will' be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated effects of the Shares' quotation on the FSE and OTCQB. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. Forward-looking statements are based on certain material assumptions and analysis made by the Company and the opinions and estimates of management as of the date of this news release. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, the risk that the quotation of the Shares on the FSE and the OTCQB do not have the anticipated effects, inherent risks associated with the mining industry and the results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties, stock market volatility and capital market fluctuations, general market and industry conditions, as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's most recently filed management's discussion and analysis filed under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Primary Hydrogen Corp. press release
Associated Press
03-04-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Natural selection for greener cleaning products?
An INRS study based on natural selection is paving the way for very promising advances in biosurfactants. LAVAL, QC, April 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Produced biologically using bacteria, these 'natural soaps' are a more environmentally friendly, less irritating and non-toxic alternative to synthetic surfactants derived from petrochemical processes, which are found in most soaps, detergents, shampoos, etc. However, the inadequate performance of the bacteria that produce them and the very high cost of production remain major development and marketing hurdles. Natural selection to increase the production of secondary metabolites: a first Professor Eric Déziel, an expert in microbiology and bacterial multicellularity, has long been interested in these biosurfactants and is a pioneer in this field. He wants to improve the production of these bacteria-based 'natural soaps' and make their use widespread. Together with his team, he recently developed a novel Adaptive Laboratory Evolution (ALE) procedure, a directed evolution method based on natural selection (darwinism), to improve the productivity of biosurfactants. It is the subject of the article 'Implementation of an adaptive laboratory evolution strategy for improved production of valuable microbial secondary metabolites' recently published in Bioresource Technology. The laboratory, which is specialized in sociomicrobiology (social behaviour of bacteria), is the first to use such a strategy to increase the production of so-called 'secondary' metabolites, here biosurfactants, using bacteria. This is exceptional since ALE strategies, which are based on a 'fitness' advantage, are normally used to improve essential organism traits. However, the biosurfactants studied here are not crucial to bacteria survival. 'Using natural selection to increase the production of secondary metabolites, in this case biosurfactants, provides a unique perspective in the field of biotechnology. This will enable new bioprocesses to be developed to valorize wastes and replace chemicals. This is very promising for the bioeconomy since it is based on the performance of bacteria, not their growth, as in traditional methods.' Professor Eric Déziel, INRS microbiologist A promising new bacterium being studied For this study, Professor Déziel's team, based at the INRS Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre, used a new biosurfactant-producing bacterium named Burkholderia thailandensis. The bacterium does not pose a risk to humans, contrary to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is generally used for the commercial production of rhamnolipids, one of the two main biosurfactants currently available on the market. The 'swarming' type of social motility expressed by B. thailandensis in order to effectively colonize its environment requires the production of rhamnolipids. These 'soaps' act as motility facilitators by wetting the surface and reducing surface tension and friction. When growing bacteria in the laboratory, microbiologists use agar as a gelling agent for nutrient media. The research team hypothesized that an increase in agar levels during swarming experiments would force cells to produce more surfactants to move more easily over the surface. Consecutive cycles of B. thailandensis cultures on swarming media achieved with increasing concentrations of agar indeed increased the production of rhamnolipids, with the surfactants acting as a wetting agent, by evolved populations. In addition, the study of these evolved bacterial populations has identified a previously unknown protein, QsmR, which acts as a suppressor of rhamnolipid production. This is an unexpected discovery that promises further advances in the production of biosurfactants by Burkholderia bacteria. Paving the way to sustainable biotechnology The natural selection experimental strategy developed by Professor Déziel's team could be used by researchers to improve the performance of new producing bacteria. This would increase the variety of 'natural soaps' available to meet different consumer needs and thus make this sustainable alternative to chemicals more widely available. It could represent a revolution in the field, since surfactants, ingredients widely used in cleaning, personal care and pharmaceutical products, currently represent a market of more than $50 billion. The industry has already expressed its interest in this innovative methodology to Professor Déziel. About the study The article 'Implementation of an adaptive laboratory evolution strategy for improved production of valuable microbial secondary metabolites' by Sarah Martinez, David N. Bernard, Marie-Christine Groleau, Mylène C. Trottier and Eric Déziel, was published in Bioresource Technology on March 4, 2025. 'Participating in this innovative project was an enriching experience for my doctorate, driven by the curiosity to apply a simple but bold idea, knowing that it would have an impact on the future of research into biosurfactants. Working on the basis of the principles of natural selection allows us to free ourselves from GMO concepts, which can sometimes be poorly regarded in biotechnology, thus offering new study perspectives.' PhD graduate Sarah Martinez, INRS This research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, with the support of the Armand-Frappier Foundation. About INRS INRS is an academic institution dedicated exclusively to graduate research and training in strategic sectors in Quebec. For the past 55 years, it has actively contributed to Quebec's economic, social, and cultural development. INRS is first in Canada in research intensity. It is made up of four interdisciplinary research and training centres located in Quebec City, Montreal, Laval, and Varennes, which focus their efforts on strategic sectors: water, earth, and environment ( Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre); energy, materials, and telecommunications ( Énergie Matériaux Télécommunications Research Centre); urbanization, culture, and society ( Urbanisation Culture Société Research Centre); and health and biotechnology ( Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie Research Centre). The INRS community includes over 1,500 students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty and staff members.
