The McGill Biomedical Technical Seminar Series
Welcome to the webpage for the McGill Biomedical Technical Seminar Series, held jointly by the Experimental Medicine Graduate Students' Society (EMGSS), the Graduate Association of Physiology (GAP), the Graduate Association of Pharmacology and Therapeutics Students (GAPTS), the Lady Davis Institute Trainee Committee (LTC) and the trainees of l’Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM). Our award-winning speaker series has been growing for several years and we are proud to support the open exchange of techniques that are used to fuel high-impact biomedical research at McGill.
If you would like to share or discuss a method that you regularly use in the lab with others, contact our VP external at michelle.chen@mail.mcgill.ca with your proposal. You do not have to be directly affiliated with the Division of Experimental Medicine to present your work.
Mass Spectrometry for Biologists
Mass spectrometry (MS) is a robust analytical method used in biological research to characterize the mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios of analytes in complex mixtures. While MS can be used to analyze intact proteins and/or protein complexes, MS-based proteomics enables the proteome-wide analysis of biological samples by digesting proteins into peptides and monitoring changes on a peptide level. These kinds of proteomics workflows remain unparalleled in their ability to quantify global alterations in protein abundance, post-translational modifications, proximity-based interactions, and more. In this talk, Andrew Bayne presented a hands-on approach to the principles, practical implementations, and limitations of intact protein MS analysis and proteomics. This seminar also focusses on a handful of published examples to dissect the methodological steps in common mass spectrometry-based workflows and provide resources for successful experimental design, data analysis, and troubleshooting.
This seminar was presented on April 20, 2022.
This seminar was generously sponsored by the McGill Post-Graduate Students' Society.
Microscopy Applications: From Whole Organisms to Single Molecules
Light microscopy provides more than just a beautiful picture; it is a quantitative tool whose versatility allows it to be implemented across a broad range of research applications. In this edition of the Technical Seminar Series, Rebecca Deagle, research assistant in the lab of Dr. Jorg Fritz and former support staff at the Advanced Bio-Imaging Facility (ABIF) at McGill, highlighted microscopy techniques best suited for common biological samples and research questions, as well as important information to consider while designing your imaging experiment.
This seminar was given on March 30, 2022.
This seminar was generously sponsored by the McGill Post-Graduate Students' Society (PGSS).
Viruses as a Vehicle for Genetic Modification
Viral vectors have become increasingly powerful tools for gene transfer in a variety of applications. In experimental systems, they efficiently deliver nucleic acids to many cell types, both in tissue culture and animal models. In recent years, they have also been placed at the forefront of modern medicine; viral vectors have found encouraging new roles in vaccines and in gene therapy for the treatment of several cancers and diseases. While different viral vectors, including adenoviruses, retroviruses, and adeno-associated viruses, should share several key properties allowing for transgene expression, they must be tailored to their specific purpose. In this edition of the Technical Seminar Series, Ariana Arduini, a MSc student in the Liang Lab, discussed the general characteristics and uses of available viral vectors in laboratory and clinical settings, and how to appropriately select a vector based on your experimental goals. This seminar also described a protocol to safely assemble viral vectors for downstream genetic modification experiments.
This seminar was generously sponsored by the McGill Post-Graduate Students' Society (PGSS).
Proximity Ligation Assay
Initially seen as single monomeric entities, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are nowadays understood to be assembled into oligomers. Such quaternary structure allows fine-tuning of the critical functions they modulate. However, despite extensive study of GPCR oligomerization in overexpression systems, their characterization in native tissues remains challenging due to technical limitations.
Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA) is an immunofluorescent technique that has emerged in the last decade and allows the detection of protein-protein interactions with single molecule resolution. Etienne Billard, a postdoctoral researcher in the Hébert lab, provided an overview of this method which he used in his research, aiming to demonstrate the existence of a 5-HT2A/AMPA hetero-oligomer and its putative impact on the action of psychedelics.
Generation and Validation of a CRISPR-Cas9 Knock-In Mouse Model
The Kirrel3 receptor has been implicated in the regulation of multiple processes during the development of nervous system circuitry, including the targeting and coalescence of axons within synaptic fields and the formation of synapses. The function of Kirrel3 in these processes has been proposed to rely on homophilic adhesion between Kirrel3 molecules, but the physiological importance of Kirrel3 homophilic interactions in circuit development remains to be established. In the December edition of the Technical Seminar Series, Neelima Vaddadi, a PhD student in the Cloutier Lab, discussed an application of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to examine the importance of Kirrel3 homophilic adhesion in circuit formation in vivo.
Neelima has generously created a guide for generating CRISPR knock-in mice that can be found here. This guide is the property of Neelima Vaddadi. Please contact her at neelima.vaddadi@mail.mcgill.ca before using any of the guide’s schematics.
Downstream Analysis for scRNA-seq: Part 2
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technique that allows researchers to investigate gene expression at a single-cell resolution. scRNA-seq produces a wealth of data but managing information from a collection of different tissues, conditions, or individuals can be challenging. This technical seminar was presented on November 10th, 2021 by Matthew Salaciak, a MSc student in the Johnson Lab at the Lady Davis Institute. Matthew expanded on his previous talk to introduce R-based computational methods for analysis of data derived from heterogenous samples.
Brain Organoids: Generation and Experimentation
Researchers have historically relied on tissue cultures and animals to model biological phenomena in humans. However, traditional 2D tissue cultures lack physiological complexity and animals may be inappropriate models for certain human diseases. Recent discoveries have made it possible to faithfully re-create key elements of the architecture and physiology of human organs using stem-cell-derived 3D culture systems (organoids). Human organoids provide unique opportunities for the study of human biology and disease. This technical seminar was presented by Dr. Nguyen-Vi Mohamed and Dr. Maria La Calle Aurioles, a Postdoctoral Fellow and a Research Associate at The Montreal Neurological Institute's Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU). The presenters covered their respective expertise in generating midbrain organoids from human iPSCs and assaying/imaging 3D tissues to answer specific research questions.
Downstream Analysis for scRNA-seq: Part 1
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides researchers the ability to explore gene expression at a single-cell resolution. With the maturation of scRNA-seq and bioinformatics comes an incredible number of analytical tools. When applied, these tools allow us to deepen our understanding of biological systems, including regulatory networks, unique cell types, and steps involved in the development of a phenotype. This technical seminar was presented by Matthew Salaciak, an MSc student in the Johnson Lab (Lady Davis Institute) on April 8th, 2021. The seminar provided an overview of scRNA-seq technologies with a focus on computational analysis in R using popular software packages. The seminar/workshop will familiarize you with standard downstream workflows using an example dataset.
A Basic Overview of Immunohistochemistry in Free-Floating Tissue
The February technical seminar was presented by Morgan Foret, a PhD candidate in the Cuello lab (McIntyre Medical Building), with help from Ryan Rys, a PhD candidate in the Johnson lab (Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research), on March 5th, 2021. This seminar covered the basics of how to perform immunohistochemistry (IHC) for both brightfield and fluorescent labelling in free-floating brain tissue sections and briefly in other tissues. Topics included how to select and troubleshoot primary and secondary antibodies as well as other experimental conditions to consider depending on the tissue and protein of interest.
BH3 Profiling: A Flow Cytometry Protocol to Determine Apoptotic Competency
A hallmark of cancer growth and progression is the evasion of apoptosis and resistance to treatment in malignant cells. Recent focuses of cancer research have included the development of targeted therapies aimed at increasing a cell’s response to apoptotic stimuli. In the December edition of the Technical Seminar Series, Ryan Rys, a PhD candidate in the Johnson Lab (Lady Davis Institute), highlighted a technique for analyzing apoptosis in cancer cells called BH3 profiling. This flow cytometry assay helps to determine whether a cell can undergo apoptosis by assessing the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. A fast and efficient method, Ryan discussed the protocol and provided examples of how this technique can be used to classify levels apoptotic dysfunction, screen for drugs that are efficient in inducing cell death and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Setting Sail for the Hi-Cs : An Introduction to 3D Chromatin Structure
Over the last two decades, the field of epigenomics has been rocked by innovations in the study of 3D chromatin structure. Such innovations have shown that chromatin structure plays a crucial role in key cellular functions, in embryonic development and in cancer progression. Here, Benjamin LeBeau, a PhD candidate in the Witcher lab (Lady Davis Institute), introduced the biological importance of 3D chromatin interactions and their regulating mechanisms, further including a deep-dive into the experimental techniques used to investigate these structures alongside multiple bioinformatic pipelines used to analyze and visualize chromatin conformation.
Covid-19 biobanks: Expectations, Limitations, and the JGH Experience
To better understand the complexities of COVID-19 and the determinants of disease susceptibility at a population level, large collections of biological and clinical patient data are needed in the form of a biobank. Our October Technical Seminar was hosted by Dr. Guillaume Butler-Laporte, a clinical trainee in the Richards lab (Lady Davis Institute) who is currently working on the Biobanque québécoise de la COVID-19 (BQC19). Watch the recording for an interesting talk on the set-up, expectations and limitations of the BQC19 at the Jewish General Hospital to understand the uses of biobanking and the implications it may have on the course of the current pandemic and more broadly on the future of medicine.
See the following link for more details about the BCQ19: https://www.bqc19.ca/
Using Inducible Pluripotent Stem Cell Models in Research
Presented by Kyla Bourque (Hébert lab).
Progress in the field of inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has expanded what we can model in vitro, ranging from complex neurological disorders to cardiomyopathies. However, you may wonder how easy is it to integrate iPSCs into our daily routine. This talk discussed considerations for how to culture and differentiate iPSCs and addressed some common challenges associated with keeping these cells in culture.
This seminar was sadly not recorded.
All seminars in this series from before 2020 were in-person and not recorded. If you would like to know more about previous topics and the experts who presented them, feel free to reach out to the current EMGSS Vice President of External Affairs.
“History is who we are and why we are the way we are”- David McCullough.
We are living in a time in history where we have to examine the violence several communities have faced throughout their lives. The Experimental Medicine Graduate Students’ Society (EMGSS), as part of McGill University, acknowledges that the land where our Annual McGill Biomedical Graduate Conference (AMBGC) happens, is the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’keha:ka. The Kanien'kehá:ka Nation is a founding nation of the Haudenosaunee/People of the Longhouse (Iroquois) Confederacy which is also comprised of the Seneca, Tuscarora, Cayuga, Onondaga, and Oneida Nations. EMGSS honours, respects and recognizes these Nations. We encourage everyone to understand the history of this land. For more information visit the McGill Indigenous Initiatives website.
«L'histoire définit qui nous sommes et pourquoi nous sommes comment nous sommes» - David McCullough.
Nous voulons reconnaître que l’Université McGill est située en territoire autochtone, lequel n’a jamais été cédé. Nous reconnaissons la nation Kanien'kehá: ka comme gardienne des terres et des eaux sur lesquelles nous nous réunissons virtuellemement aujourd'hui. Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal) est historiquement connu comme un lieu de rassemblement pour de nombreuses Premières Nations, et aujourd'hui, une population autochtone diversifiée, ainsi que d'autres peuples, y résident. La Nation Kanien'kehá: ka est une nation fondatrice de la Confédération Haudenosaunee / Iroquois qui comprend également les nations Seneca, Tuscarora, Cayuga, Onondaga et Oneida. C’est dans le respect des liens avec le passé, le présent et l'avenir que nous reconnaissons les relations continues entre les peuples autochtones et autres personnes de la communauté montréalaise. Nous encourageons tout participant présent à mieux connaître l'histoire de cette terre. Pour plus d'informations, visitez le site Web des initiatives autochtones de McGill.