The research team at Université Laval is addressing a wide range of global health and wellbeing challenges, from chronic diseases to mental health conditions.
Global health faces complex challenges, including rising chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions and cancer, alongside persistent threats from infectious diseases. Socio-economic disparities hinder access to quality healthcare for vulnerable populations, while climate change and environmental degradation contribute to the spread of emerging and vector-borne diseases. Mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression, have also intensified due to global crises like COVID-19.
Solving these urgent issues requires the combined expertise of leading research institutions worldwide. In response, Université Laval, located in Québec City, Canada, addresses these global and regional health challenges through an interdisciplinary research model focused on societal impact and strengthened by international partnerships.
Over 500 professors from numerous faculties conduct research at Université Laval’s renowned affiliated health centres, including the Québec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (CRIUCPQ), the CERVO Brain Research Center, and North America’s largest francophone health research centre, the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval (CRCHUQ-UL). Their internationally-recognised work spans a vast range of health fields – cardiology, oncology, respiratory health, infectious diseases, mental health, and public health – placing Université Laval at the forefront of addressing urgent health issues worldwide.
Canada’s recent associate membership in Horizon Europe enhances Université Laval’s capacity for innovation, offering expanded opportunities for joint funding and deeper collaborations with European research institutions. This new level of partnership strengthens Université Laval’s mission to tackle global health challenges through sustainable, cross-border solutions and positions the university as a leader in driving impactful change.
Canada Excellence Research Chairs: A catalyst for global health leadership and international collaboration
Driven by a commitment to global impact, Université Laval advances health research through robust national and international collaborations. The recent allocation of four Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERCs), one of Canada’s most prestigious research awards, underscores Université Laval’s leadership in health innovation. These awards attract world-class researchers to lead high-impact projects in fields critical to global health, supporting pioneering teams in developing essential health solutions. Through some of these CERCs, Université Laval has established Joint International Research Units (JIRUs) with leading European institutions, fostering interdisciplinary co-operation and knowledge exchange in health sciences.
Building pandemic preparedness through cross-species virus insights
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted critical vulnerabilities in global health systems, exposing gaps in pandemic preparedness and reiterated the growing threat of zoonotic viruses – those that cross species barriers, infect humans, and spread rapidly. Addressing these risks is essential to prepare for future pandemics and strengthen global resilience against emerging pathogens.
Launched in September 2024 and led by Dr Kanta Subbarao at the Infectious Diseases Research Centre of CRCHUQ-UL, the CERC in Biology and Control of Zoonotic and Pandemic Respiratory Viruses directly tackles these challenges. Dr Subbarao’s team focuses on the factors enabling cross-species transmission and human-to-human spread, with a particular emphasis on influenza A viruses and coronaviruses.
The programme prioritises virus biology, virus-host interactions, and immune responses, aiming to identify determinants of cross-species jumps. Leveraging Dr Subbarao’s expertise as a virologist and former director of Australia’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza, the programme will employ an interdisciplinary approach, and will unite experts in virology, clinical research, aerosol biology, engineering, and pharmaceutical sciences to devise strategies for preventing zoonotic spillovers and containing outbreaks. In addition to research, the initiative will develop a talent pipeline in virology, immunology, and vaccine development, contributing to Canada’s public health preparedness goals.
Supporting this work, Université Laval secured a major grant to establish the National Primatology Centre for Pandemic Preparedness, Canada’s only non-human primate research colony dedicated to infectious diseases. With a biosafety level 3 lab, the facility will enable detailed study of virus behaviour in primates, closely mirroring human infection scenarios, enhancing vaccine and antiviral development efforts.
Empowering the mind: Integrative approaches to brain health
With mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s affecting millions worldwide, there is a growing need for holistic, evidence-based approaches to treatment and prevention. Research in neuroplasticity – the brain’s capacity to adapt and heal – offers promising insights into how lifestyle choices and therapies can enhance mental wellbeing.
Since March 2024, Dr Steven Laureys has led the CERC in Neuroplasticity, addressing mental health disorders by advancing knowledge of neuroplasticity. Dr Laureys, a specialist in consciousness and neurology, explores how lifestyle factors such as meditation, sleep, and exercise impact mental wellbeing. His research combines these practices with pharmacological treatments to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Located at CERVO, one of Canada’s largest neuroscience research centres, the Chair has access to cutting-edge facilities like a neurophotonics centre, MRIs, and advanced neuromodulation technologies. CERVO’s multidisciplinary team – spanning cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and engineering – enables comprehensive study of lifestyle impacts on the brain.
The team bridges conventional and complementary medicine, scientifically validating effects of yoga, meditation, and hypnosis on neuroplasticity to support preventive and therapeutic mental health. This includes collaborative clinical studies to connect physiological brain changes with lifestyle improvements, empowering both patients and providers.
Dr Laureys also maintains strong collaborations with the University of Liège’s GIGA Institute, facilitating global collaboration and resource sharing in neuroplasticity research, bridging traditional and alternative mental health practices for integrated care.
Innovative paths to combat global metabolic disorders
With over 2.5 billion adults classified as overweight in 2024, including 890 million living with obesity, the global health crisis of obesity and metabolic disorders demands urgent, innovative solutions. These complex conditions significantly heighten the risks of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses, underscoring the need for advanced research into preventive and therapeutic approaches.
Addressing this crisis, the CERC in the Microbiome-Endocannabinoidome Axis in Metabolic Health, led by Dr Vincenzo Di Marzo at CRIUCPQ and Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), focuses on the gut microbiome and the expanded endocannabinoid system to uncover therapeutic targets that could transform metabolic disease management. This research examines two interconnected systems crucial to metabolic health: the gut microbiome, influenced by diet, medications, and environment, which affects immunity, behaviour, and metabolism; and the endocannabinoidome, which regulates metabolism, appetite, inflammation, and neuromodulation. Together, these systems facilitate communication between the gut and brain, impacting overall metabolic and mental health.
Dr Di Marzo’s work centres on metabolic syndrome – a cluster of risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Unlike traditional views linking metabolic disorders solely to excess weight, metabolic syndrome now encompasses indicators such as visceral fat, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and high blood sugar. Using metagenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic technologies, the Chair seeks early biomarkers of metabolic disease, laying the groundwork for personalised, preventive healthcare. Additionally, the Chair investigates also mood disorders often accompanying obesity, such as anxiety and depression.
To strengthen its international impact, the Chair collaborates with Italy’s National Research Council, leading to the establishment of the JIRU for Chemical and Biomolecular Research on the Microbiome and its Impact on Metabolic Health and Nutrition. This partnership promotes cross-border resource-sharing and supports comprehensive strategies to combat global metabolic disorders.
Exploring childhood origins of psychiatric disorders
Psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression affect millions globally, creating a significant public health burden. Early diagnosis and prevention remain challenging, as these disorders often begin with subtle neurodevelopmental changes in childhood but lack reliable early biomarkers. Addressing this gap is essential to mitigate long-term impacts on individuals and societies.
The CERC in Neurophotonics, led by Dr Pierre Marquet at CERVO, tackles these challenges by focusing on the early diagnosis and prevention of psychiatric disorders. Dr Marquet’s team is developing ultra-high-resolution optical techniques, including digital holographic microscopy (DHM), to observe cellular structures and neuronal dynamics at the nanoscale. These tools create ‘cellular profiles’ for biomarker detection and model development. Non-invasive sampling from at-risk children’s skin and hair allows researchers to generate neurons for studying stress responses and vulnerability biomarkers.
Supported by the JIRU in Child Neurodevelopment and Psychiatry with Université of Lausanne, Switzerland, this research explores risk biomarkers and endophenotypes in children of parents with psychoses, studying multigenerational cohorts of over 2,000 individuals in Québec. This approach aims to identify a ‘childhood risk syndrome’, helping develop targeted preventive interventions to reduce or normalise the risk of psychiatric disorders. By tracing biological roots from childhood, the UMI and CERC contribute to destigmatising these disorders through their neurodevelopmental foundations.
Vision for the future and invitation to collaborate
Université Laval’s four CERCs are embedded within a rich and diverse ecosystem of health research, encompassing a broad spectrum of expertise in cardiology, infectious diseases, mental health, metabolic disorders, and beyond. This vibrant research environment not only fosters innovative approaches to pressing health issues but also aligns with Université Laval’s long-term vision to lead global health transformations through expanded international collaboration. By integrating diverse perspectives and leveraging state-of-the-art technologies, Université Laval seeks to address not only current health crises but also future challenges that require adaptable, sustainable solutions.
With Canada’s new associate membership in Horizon Europe, Université Laval is poised to deepen partnerships with European institutions, opening pathways to joint research funding and co-operative ventures that can accelerate discovery and implementation. This expanded network strengthens our commitment to advancing research that transcends borders, addressing complex global health issues such as pandemics, chronic disease management, and mental health on a larger scale.
Université Laval enthusiastically invites researchers, healthcare organisations, and institutions from around the world to join forces, building on our shared commitment to tackle these critical challenges. Together, we can cultivate innovative solutions that drive meaningful change, ensuring a healthier, more resilient future for all communities.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 20th edition of our quarterly publication.
