Mini-Symposium & Discussion Day – October 1 2025, Recap

On October 1, 2025, the McIntyre Medical Building hosted an engaging Mini-Symposium & Discussion Day in Rooms 210/11 at 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler.

The event followed the McGill–Kyoto–ASHBi Symposium on Advances in Human Biology and Their Significance for Genomic Medicine*, continuing the momentum of cross-institutional scientific exchange on the next day October 2nd 2025

Throughout the day, participants enjoyed a series of short presentations delivered by joint McGill–Kyoto PhD students, highlighting the strong collaborative research efforts emerging from the partnership between the two universities. Their talks showcased innovative projects at the intersection of human biology and genomic medicine.

  Program

Dr. Satoshi Yoshiji CERC PI, Dr. Sirui Zhou CERC PI, Ms. Mayumi Yoshida CERC Project administrator, and Dr. Vincent Mooser, CERC Chair, were also in attendance, providing support to CERC and contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of interdisciplinary discussion and knowledge sharing.

Highlights of the Day

The sessions covered a wide range of topics, including:

• Single-cell and spatial genomics

• Epigenetics and CRISPR technologies

• Long-read sequencing and RNA innovations

Distinguished Speakers

The symposium featured renowned experts from McGill University and Kyoto University, including:

• Mitinori Saitou (ASHBi, Kyoto University)

• Mark Lathrop (McGill University)

• Yasuaki Hiraoka (ASHBi, Kyoto University)

• Claudia Kleinman (McGill University)

• Yue Li (McGill University)

• Raquel Cuella Martin (McGill University)

• Knut Woltjen (Kyoto University)

• Taka Inoue (ASHBi, Kyoto University)

• Yasuhiro Murakawa (ASHBi, Kyoto University)

• Ioannis Ragoussis (McGill University)

• Thomas Duchaine (McGill University)

CERC related Presentations

• Dr. Mark Lathrop, Scientific Director, Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine, shared insights into CERC activities, highlighting strategic initiatives and collaborative opportunities.

• Dr. Raquel Cuella Martin, CERC PI, presented her research alongside her team, offering an in-depth look at their latest findings.

• Two joint McGill–Kyoto PhD students, Susannah Selber- Hnaiw from Dr. Sirui Zhou lab and Masashi Hasebe from Dr. Saotshi Yoshiji Lab, delivered compelling presentations on their projects.

Networking Reception

The day concluded with a cocktail reception at the Redpath Museum (859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal), offering attendees an informal setting to connect with speakers and collaborators.

🧬 CERC Greet and Meet — Welcoming the 2025–2026 Academic Year

September 15, 2025 — Room M48

The CERC team came together for a warm and engaging Greet and Meet event to mark the beginning of the 2025–2026 academic year. Held in Room M48, the afternoon was filled with food, presentations, and meaningful conversations among students, staff, and principal investigators.

🍽️ Potluck & Meet-and-Greet (12:00–1:00 PM)

The event kicked off with a lively potluck lunch, where team members shared a variety of homemade dishes. Thanks to the organized sign-up sheet, the selection was diverse and well-balanced. The informal setting provided a great opportunity for new and returning members to connect.

🎓 Presentations & Welcome Session (1:00–2:30 PM)

The formal program began with a welcome address from the CERC Chair, Dr. Vincent Mooser, who introduced the CERC mission and outlined the core activities of the program. The Chair also welcomed new students and staff, setting a positive tone for the year ahead.

The session continued with:

• CERC Principal Investigators, Dr. Daniel Taliun, Dr. Claude Bhérer, Dr. Raquel Cuella-Martin, Dr. Sirui Zhou and Dr. Satoshi Yoshiji, presenting their labs and sharing insights into their current research projects.

• The administration team, Mayumi Yoshida explaining office procedures, expectations, and resources available to support the team.

• A dedicated segment on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) by Dr. Claude Bhérer, emphasizing the importance of inclusive practices and respectful collaboration within the CERC community.

• A closing reminder on data security protocols by Dr. Daniel Taliun, reinforcing best practices for handling sensitive information.

The room was fully engaged, and the session sparked thoughtful discussion and curiosity.

🌳 Mont Royal Walk (2:30 PM)

To end the afternoon, a small group of six participants took advantage of the pleasant weather and headed out for a walk to Mont Royal. Though the turnout was modest, the walk offered a refreshing opportunity to connect in a relaxed setting.

Thank you to the CERC Chair, PIs, and Admin who contributed, and to all CERC members who participated!
The event was a great start to the academic year, reinforcing our shared commitment to research excellence, collaboration, and community values.

🎉 Human Genetics Research Day 2025 – A Resounding Success!

The Human Genetics Research Day, held on May 27, 2025, was a vibrant celebration of scientific progress and student excellence. With an enthusiastic turnout of over 150 students and faculty members, the event highlighted the dynamic research being conducted within our department.

Throughout the day, CERC members showcased their work through poster presentations, 3-minute flash talks, and 12-minute oral presentations. It was truly inspiring to witness the depth of research and the outstanding communication skills demonstrated by our students.

👏 Congratulations to all our participants!
We also take this moment to celebrate and proudly recognize the three individuals who received presentation awards:

🗣️ 3-minute flash talks

• Hongyu Xiao, MSc student (Taliun Lab)

• Wardah Masud, MSc student (Cuella Martin Labs)

🧠 12-Minute Oral Presentations

• Júlia Cabré, MSc student (Bhérer & Cuella Martin Labs) – Winner

• Juliano Malizia, MSc student (Bhérer & Zhou Labs)

🧬 Poster Presentations

• Alex Chan, MSc student (Bhérer Labs)

• Olivia Cardinal, PhD student (Taliun Lab)

• Sedat Demiriz, MSc studen (Taliun Lab)

• Benjamin Benjamin Kaufman, PhD student (Bhérer Lab) – Winner

• Amisha Minju O P, PhD student (Cuella Martin Labs)

• Peyton McClelland, PhD student (Taliun Lab)

• Hongyu Xiao, MSc student (Taliun Lab)

• Chen-Yang Su, PhD student (Yoshiji & Zhou Labs)

• Thomas Zheng, PhD student (Zhou & Richards Lab) – Winner

Your outstanding work and communication skills exemplify the excellence we strive for in human genetics research. 🌟

👏 A special thank you to CERC professors; Raquel Cuella Martin, Sirui Zhou, and Satoshi Yoshiji, who generously volunteered their time to serve as judges during the event.

A successful Day of Learning, Sharing, and Connection! - CERC Scientific Retreat 2025 - Integrating EDI in Research

June 16, 2025
📍 McGill University, Trottier Building

The McGill CERC Scientific Retreat 2025, Integrating EDI in Research: Principles and Practices, organized by Prof. Claude Bhérer, Mayumi Yoshida along with the Retreat’s Committee members (below) was held on June 16th, 2025. This full-day event brought together over 35 participants—including the CERC Chair, principal investigators, staff, and trainees—for a day that was as enriching as it was energizing.

🌟 A Shared Vision for Inclusive Research

With the overarching goal of integrating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) into all aspects of research, the retreat created a dynamic space for learning, reflection, and action. The atmosphere was warm, collaborative, and filled with enthusiasm from start to finish.

🔍 A Day of Insightful Dialogue and Hands-On Learning

The day began with inspiring opening remarks from CERC Chairholder Dr. Vincent Mooser, followed by a foundational session led by Amirah-Iman Hicks on the basics of EDI in research. An interactive quiz sparked lively discussion and set the tone for a day of active engagement.

Participants were treated to a series of thought-provoking talks by Dr. Daniel Taliun, Dr. Satoshi Yoshiji, Dr. Sirui Zhou, Dr. Raquel Cuella-Martin, and Dr. Claude Bhérer, covering topics from grant writing and genetic diversity to Indigenous research ethics and molecular biology.

A standout session on writing sex and gender considerations in grant proposals—moderated by Tanja Sack and led by Alexander Chan and Vincent Chapdelaine—gave attendees the chance to write, share, and receive feedback in real time.

🔄 Rotating Tables: Deep Dives into Complex Issues

In the afternoon, rotating activity tables invited participants to explore:

• Population Descriptors in Genomics – Claude Bhérer & Satoshi Yoshiji

• Social Determinants of Health – Alexander Chan & Amirah-Iman Hicks

• Designing Accessible Therapeutics – Raquel Cuella-Martin & Tanja Sack

These sessions sparked meaningful conversations about scientific racism, eugenics, and the ethical responsibilities of researchers in ensuring equitable outcomes.

🍽️ Intercultural Potluck: A Feast of Flavors and Friendship

One of the most beloved moments of the day was the intercultural potluck lunch, where participants shared homemade dishes representing their diverse backgrounds. The room was filled with laughter, delicious aromas, and heartfelt conversations—truly a celebration of community and culture.

🗣️ Closing Reflections and Looking Ahead

The retreat concluded with a reflective poll and closing remarks from Dr. Bhérer and Dr. Mooser, who shared insights on the evolution of EDI within the CERC program. The sense of shared purpose and renewed commitment to inclusive research was palpable.

🌿 Community, Connection, and a Breath of Fresh Air

To cap off the day, participants enjoyed a scenic walk to the Kondiaronk Belvedere—soaking in the views, sharing stories, and building lasting connections. It was the perfect ending to a truly memorable day.

This retreat was more than just a meeting—it was a joyful, energizing, and transformative experience. A heartfelt thank you to all the organizers, speakers, and participants who made it such a success. Here's to continuing the journey toward inclusive excellence in research!

Scientific Retreat Organizing Committee 2025 

FACULTY AND STAFF: Claude Bhérer (Chair),  Raquel Cuella Martin, Amirah-Iman Hicks (PCGL EDI advisor), Daniel Taliun, Satoshi Yoshiji, Mayumi Yoshida (CERC Administrator), Sirui Zhou 

VOLUNTEERS: Alexander Chan (MSc), Vincent Chapdelaine (HQP), Tanja Sack (Post-doc) ​

🌟 Celebrating Chen-Yang’s Recent Achievements

We’re thrilled to share a series of recent accomplishments that spotlight the impactful research and growing recognition of Chen-Yang Su, a valued member of the CERC community. These milestones highlight Chen-Yang’s leadership in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of social science, genomics, and precision medicine.

🏅 Post-Publication Review Selected as Top 5

Chen-Yang’s review titled “Navigating Clues to Success in Academia” was selected as one of the Top 5 submissions in the Tremplin Post-Publication Review "Win and Publish" Competition, chosen by the Tremplin Consortium Board.
📄 Read the review Navigating Clues to Success in Academia
This recognition reflects strong critical engagement with academic work and showcases emerging voices shaping scholarly discourse.

January 2025

Invited Talk – National Taiwan University
Chen-Yang was invited by National Taiwan University to deliver a talk at their Monthly Talks on Poly-omics & Precision Medicine, hosted by Prof. Pei-Lung Chen. This event gathered prominent researchers, including the CEO of Taiwan Biobank, to discuss innovations in genomics and precision medicine.
🎥 Watch the talk: YouTube – NTU Poly-omics Series

Selected for IGES Young Investigators Committee
Chen-Yang was selected by the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) to serve a two-year term on the Young Investigators Committee (YIC). This leadership role supports the development of early-career researchers in genetic epidemiology.
🔗 More about IGES YIC

May 2025

1st Prize – Oral Presentation & Panelist at QIRC/CQRM
Chen-Yang won First Prize for their oral presentation at the Congrès québécois de recherche sur les MICI (CQRM) / Quebec Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Research Conference (QIRC).
Additionally, Chen-Yang was invited to participate in a panel discussion with Mark Daly, a leading figure in genomics research.
📄 Abstract attached
📸 Event photos

May 15–16, 2025

Invited Speaker – Advances in Social Genomics Conference
Chen-Yang was invited to present at the Advances in Social Genomics Conference at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This prestigious invitation included full travel and accommodation support (~$1300 USD), generously sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, the La Follette School of Public Affairs, and the Initiative in Social Genomics
🔗 Conference details: The Advances in Social Genomics Conference – Methods 1, 2025

We applaud Chen-Yang for these well-deserved recognitions and look forward to continued impact from their work at the forefront of genomic social science and health equity research.

Human genetics professor receives Banting Discovery Award

Sirui Zhou, Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Genetics, has been awarded a prestigious 2025 Banting Discovery Foundation’s Discovery Award. The award program recognizes innovative biomedical health research projects led by outstanding new investigators at universities and research institutes in Canada. 

Zhou received the inaugural $30,000 Banting-Canerector Foundation Discovery Award, established to support investigators focused on Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), diseases that cause a defect in the human body’s connective tissue.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive the prestigious Banting Discovery Award,” says Professor Zhou. “This support will advance our research to unravel the complex determinants of EDS and HSD. None of this would have been possible without the invaluable collaboration and support of my colleagues in the McGill Canada Excellence Research Chair Program in Genomic Medicine, particularly Dr. Benoît Delabays and Dr. Vincent Mooser—the driving forces behind this program.”

Zhou and her research team aim to uncover the causes of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS)—the most common subtype of EDS and one that is poorly understood. The connective tissue disorder causes a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms, including chronic pain, fatigue, joint instability, depression, and anxiety. There is currently no cure for hEDS, and treatment options remain limited to symptom management.

Zhou’s research program will study individuals with hEDS and their family members across Quebec. Using advanced tools to analyze genes, proteins, and metabolites, her team will identify the genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors that contribute to the disorder—laying the groundwork for more targeted and effective approaches to diagnosis, treatment, and management.

Zhou leads the Population Genomics and Multi-Omics lab which is under the umbrella of the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Genomic Medicine at McGill. She is also a member of the Qualitative Life Sciences Program and an Investigator at McGill's Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Institute of Genomic Medicine.

The Banting Discovery Awards are awarded for a one-year term. The intent is to provide seed funding so researchers can gather pilot data and enhance their competitiveness for other sources of funding. This is the Banting Discovery Foundation’s 100th cohort of Discovery Award recipients.   

• Last updated: Mon, 06/02/2025 - 12:05

• Source Site: /research

  Article own by McGill Research and Innovation

Category: 

• Medicine and Health Sciences

• Research and innovation

CERC team members at IGES and ASHG conferences in Denver !

Last week was a big week, full of accomplishments, for 9 CERC team members who accompanied Vincent Mooser, CERC Chairholder, to the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) annual meeting on Nov 5-9, 2024 in Denver Colorado. One of them also attended the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) annual meeting on Nov 3-4, 2024, just before ASHG conference.

3 MSc students, 2 PhD students, 2 bioinformaticians and 1 post-doc got their abstract selected for posters presentation. You can find their abstract below:

• MSc students: Alyssa Green, Juliano Malizia, Irene Pender

• PhD students: Peyton McClelland, Thomas Zheng

• Bioinformaticians: Vincent Chapdelaine, Justin Pelletier

• Post-doc: Benoît Delabays

Finally we must congratulate Chen-Yang Su for not one but two big achievements ! His abstracts won 2 awards in each conference ! At IGES, Chen-Yang received the Roger Williams Award Finalist which rewards the top 4 abstracts by a student enrolled in a bachelor, master or PhD program at the IGES Annual Meeting among hundreds of abstract submissions. At ASHG, Chen-Yang was invited to give a talk at the Platform Oral Presentation rewarding the top 10% of abstracts submitted to the conference. Please find his abstracts below:

• IGES

• ASHG

CERC EDI strategy revised

The CERC EDI-in-Action Committee is proud to present the 2nd version of the CERC EDI strategy. The initial CERC EDI strategy outlined five commitments and specific actions. In 2023, the CERC team submitted a 2-page summary of progress on EDI activities for the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) mid-term report. In 2024, applying TIPS’ mid-term review recommendations, the CERC-EAC decided to revised its EDI Strategy, and associated EDI Workplan/Roadmap until the end of the CERC Program.

The main changes are the following: producing a CERC annual EDI survey, organizing a retreat on EDI in CERC projects related to underrepresented groups, updating the student recruitment processes to improve the representation of Canadian diversity, as well as implementing a targeted recruitment strategy corresponding to various projects' needs. The Program’s EDI Strategy is fundamental and transversal, cutting across the scientific, governance, recruitment, and training facets of the Program. This Strategy is defined by five principal commitments, described below:  

EDI commitments:

1. Ensuring that research projects within the CERC Program include and benefit diverse social groups

2. Equitable representation across ranks/groups among faculty and trainees working in connection with the Program

3. Building an inclusive and respectful climate

4. Developing and implementing an effective mode of receiving disclosures of EDI-related conflicts or challenges

5. Transparency in commitments, metrics, progress, and outcomes

Visit of Ignazio Cassis, Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, at McGill University

Mr Ignazio Cassis, Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, and a delegation including 3 Ambassadors and 3 Consuls, visited McGill on October 30th, 2024, for a lunch at the Faculty Club. The goal of the meeting was to give to this delegation an overview of McGill and a description of the multi-disciplinary approach that McGill is using to develop and implement genomic medicine. Vincent Mooser, CERC Chairholder, was leading the McGill delegation, including Dominique Bérubé, Vice-Principal (Research and Innovation) and Anja Geitmann, Vice-Principal (Global Engagement). It became immediately apparent during the meeting that genomic medicine is a perfect topic for Diplomacy and Science, an area of high interest for the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs.

Chen-Yang Su awarded the Best Oral Presentation CMDO Annual Symposium on Health Research and Artificial Intelligence

We would like to congratulate Chen-Yang Su, PhD student of the McGill CERC in Genomic Medicine, who was awarded the Best Oral Presentation at the Cardiometabolic Health, Diabetes and Obesity Research Network (CMDO) Annual Symposium on Health Research and Artificial Intelligence on October 24th, 2024.

You will find the abstract of his presentation below:

Multi-ancestry proteome-phenome-wide Mendelian randomization offers a comprehensive protein-disease atlas and potential therapeutic targets  

Authors 
Su Chen-Yang, MSc *[1,2], van der Graaf Adriaan, PhD [3], Zhang Wenmin, PhD [4], Selber-Hnatiw, Susannah, MSc [2,5], Richards Brent, MD, MSc [5,6,7,8,9], Flannick Jason, PhD [10,11], Zhou Sirui, PhD [2,5], Mooser Vincent, MD [2,5], Lu Tianyuan, PhD [12,13,14,15], Yoshiji Satoshi, MD, PhD [2,5,6,10,11]

Objective: Circulating proteins influence disease risk and are valuable drug targets. To increase the discovery of protein-phenotype associations and identify therapeutic targets for diverse populations, we conducted multi-ancestry proteome-phenome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR), followed by sensitivity analyses and druggability assessment.

Methods: We performed two-sample MR, analyzing 2,265 unique proteins from two platforms (SomaScan v4 and Olink Explore 3072)—2,110 proteins from four European cohorts (n = up to 35,559 individuals), 1,144 from two African cohorts (n = up to 1,871), and 581 from a novel East Asian cohort (n = 1,823). We curated the largest GWAS for 179 traits in Europeans, 26 in Africans, and 206 in East Asians. To reduce horizontal pleiotropy, we ensured instruments were cis-pQTL for the protein of interest and had the highest Open Targets variant-to-gene score. We performed sensitivity analyses including colocalization with PwCoCo and SharePro, a novel method we recently developed. We evaluated shared causal effects of prioritized proteins across ancestries and assessed overlap with the druggable genome, Open Targets, and DrugBank.

Results: We tested 726,035 protein-phenotype pairs in Europeans, 33,078 in Africans, and 115,352 in East Asians. Notably, 119 proteins were instrumentable only in Africans and 17 proteins only in East Asians due to allele frequency differences that are common in these ancestries but rare in Europeans.  We identified 3,949, 56, and 325 unique protein-phenotype pairs in European, African, and East Asian populations, respectively. To showcase our findings, we illustrated the causal role of IL1RL1 in inflammatory bowel diseases, which was supported by multiple lines of evidence.

Conclusion: This study provides the largest multi-ancestry atlas of protein-disease associations, expanding insights into disease etiology and opportunities for prioritizing therapeutic targets. Results are available at the Common Metabolic Diseases Knowledge Portal (https://hugeamp.org/r/protein_mr_atlas).