Bio-Imaging

A quick guide to MRI and how it works

By / / Explainer, Science / , ,

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, often referred to as MRI, is a term you’ve probably come across before, but the inner workings of this advanced medical technology might seem like a puzzle. With roughly 30 million MRI scans performed every year in the United States, MRI is the third most commonly used imaging technique after X-rays and computed tomography (CT) scans, and the second most used neuroimaging technique after electroencephalography (EEG). Don’t let these jargon-heavy terms intimidate you – by the end of this blog post, you will have a better understanding of how MRI works. So bear with me and think of me as your friendly guide in unraveling this captivating yet intricate subject.

Pain and the brain: a real labyrinth!

By / / Interview, Podcast / , ,

For our fifth episode of the QBIN podcast (in French), Professor Mathieu Roy, a researcher and professor at McGill University, joins us to talk about bio-imaging and pain. Through our discussion, we explore how bio-imaging has helped researchers like himself to better understand pain, which is complex and hard to treat. More specifically, bio-imaging techniques like MRI can help us find patterns in the brain that are associated with pain. We also explored different types of pain such as suffering, which is considered more psychological, as well as sharp and chronic pain. Finally, we ended the podcast by talking about potential differences between men and women when they experience pain, and in the effects of music on pain management. 

A remarkable career of many decades: A conversation with Dr. Sandra Black, 2023 William Feindel lecturer

By / / Interview, Podcast, Women in science / , , ,

On the fourth episode of the QBIN podcast I had the opportunity to talk with our 2023 William Feindel Lecturer, Dr. Sandra Black. Through this podcast we explored Dr. Black’s career of many decades, and her views on research and patient care. Along the conversation we also talked about what it meant and what it currently means to be a woman in research, and about the changes in research due to the pandemic. We ended by talking about Dr. Black’s passion for piano and music, and her tips and tricks to have a better cardiovascular health.

Spotlight on a Rising Star: Who is Doctor Matthieu Pelletier-Galarneau?

By / / Interview, Podcast / ,

For our second episode of the QBIN podcast (in French), I discussed with this year’s recipient of the Rising Star in Bio-imaging in Quebec Award, Doctor Matthieu Pelletier-Galarneau. We talked about Doctor Pelletier-Galarneau’s career and his mentors along the way. We continued with a discussion on important themes in academia, such as failing and the future challenges of science. Finally, we ended by exploring unique and fun characteristics of Doctor Pelletier-Galarneau, and tips to promote cardiovascular health.

Meet the mentors of QBIN’s first cégep student mentorship program!

By / / Initiatives, Research / , ,

Last summer, QBIN launched the first trial of a new program designed to engage CEGEP students in bio-imaging research and help graduate students and postdocs gain valuable mentorship experience. Three PhD students from the Integrated Program in Neuroscience at McGill University were paired with two CEGEP students from Dawson College to complete a 10-week research internship. The pilot was a great success and we plan to expand the program to include more mentors and interns from across the province in summers to come! Read on to learn more about the program from the perspective of our first three QBIN mentors, Aurelie Bussy, Stephanie Tullo, and Isabelle Arseneau-Bruneau!

The link between hearing loss and cognitive decline

By / / Research, Science / , , , ,

In Canada, 38% of adults between the age of 20 and 79 years old suffer from hearing loss, and many never receive treatment. Furthermore, scientists have found that hearing loss often precedes diagnoses of age-related dementia by 5 to 10 years, suggesting that difficulty in hearing may contribute to cognitive decline – an interesting link that is supported by imaging studies showing functional and anatomical changes in the brains of older adults.

Sleep and Memory: A Story to Remember!

By / / Science / , , ,

It is the end of the semester again and your exams are fast approaching. Your new year’s resolution was to go from expert in procrastination to expert in time management, and yet here you are again, trying to learn three and a half months of school material in one week. Like always, you have convinced yourself that in one week, you will be able to learn, understand, and memorise all the facts and theories you need to know to pass your exams. At first, cramming doesn’t sound so bad, but as the sleepless nights turn to exhausting days, you notice it becomes harder and harder. You find yourself reading the same sentence over and over as if it’s written in a foreign language. Your flash cards and clever mnemonic devices aren’t helping as much as they did yesterday. Panic starts to set in as you realise that this is taking more time than you have left, and you wonder: “why is my memory failing me now?!”. Well, it’s likely that those sleepless nights could be taking a toll on your brain because of the interesting relationship between sleep and memory.

From mentee to mentor: a conversation with two QBIN awardees, Louis Collins and Hassan Rivaz

By / / Interview / ,

During the 2022 QBIN Scientific Day in Sherbrooke on June 2nd, three exceptional keynote lectures were given by this year’s William Feindel lecturer, Professor Louis Collins, and the two recipients of the 2022 Rising Star in Bio-Imaging in Quebec award, Professors Sylvia Villeneuve and Hassan Rivaz. In order to learn more about their career paths, research, and interests, the QBIN blog team conducted interviews with each of the award recipients.

Interviews with 2021-2022 QBIN scholarship recipients

By / / Interview / ,

[This post is only available in French] Chaque année, le RBIQ annonce le concours de bourses de recrutement aux étudiants à la maîtrise et au doctorat dans le domaine de la bio-imagerie. Ces bourses visent à promouvoir la recherche effectuée par les étudiants et postdoc au sein du réseau. Ces jours-ci, nous recevons les candidatures pour les bourses de l’année 2022-23. Nous profitons de ce moment pour vous présenter à trois des récipiendaires des bourses de l’année dernière (2021-22), qui ont bien mérité cette reconnaissance. On espère que ces petites entrevues rapprochent nos membres de nos futurs brillants chercheurs!

Best Buddies in research and beyond: how collaborative science facilitates progress in autism bio-imaging research

By / / Interview, Research, Science / , ,

How many times have you asked yourself whether your research has a broader impact on society? Why is it so hard to quantify the impact of our scientific endeavors? I recently sat down with a few prominent neuroscientists who are members of both QBIN and the Transforming Autism Care Consortium (TACC) network. I wanted to get a sense of the state of the art in autism bio-imaging research and what the motivating factors and benefits are behind collaborative science and inter-network initiatives in Quebec.

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