E-I-E-I-Omics: New discoveries in corn genetics could help grow more productive, resilient crops

University of Michigan

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChat
WhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

Corn plants like these helped reveal pathways to more productive and resilient crops in a research project led by University of Michigan that studied genes in a cellular context.

view more 

Credit: Alexandre Marand

By analyzing DNA from different cells in nearly 200 lines of maize plants, research led by the University of Michigan has revealed insights that could help growers better adapt their crops to a fast-changing environment. 

The new study led by Alexandre Marand reveals previously hidden information about the activity of genes inside different cell types. This provides essential context that helps better understand how the molecular biology of a lineage connects to its readily visible traits, or its phenotype. This includes characteristics like how many ears of corn a plant has and how large those ears grow.

"One of the things that's really remarkable to me is that, maybe a decade ago, when these sort of studies first started coming out, we were just trying to associate a genetic change to how the phenotypes would change," said Marand, an assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology. "What this study shows is that, actually, most phenotypic variation comes from changes to regulation of a gene: when the gene is expressed, where it's expressed and how much of it is expressed."

Another way of looking at this is that there was a disconnect, at an intermediate stage, between our understanding of plant genetics and a plant's characteristics. 

Scientists first sequenced corn's full genome more than 15 years ago and, since then, they've developed the ability to spot even subtle differences in the genetic code between specimens. But these differences at the molecular level often didn't account for the large-scale differences that matter most to farmers.

So researchers began to suspect that how different cells were using those genes could play an important role. Although every cell in an organism shares the same genes, different cells use those genes differently.

Over the last five years or so, scientists' ability to investigate plant genes in a cellular context really took off, Marand said. And his team's new study, published in the journal Science, is the latest significant step in this promising trend.

"It's really about connecting the dots," said Marand, who began the work a few years ago as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Georgia. It's now been pushed past the finish line thanks, in large part, to two postdocs in his own lab at U-M: Luguang Jiang and Fabio Gomez-Cano.

"Now that we can make those connections, we can tease apart the different cell contexts and we can start to put things together to optimize plants or to optimize some trait that we're interested in," Marand said.

It's a bit like having a car, he said, where we knew what the different parts were and what they did, but not how they worked. Getting that information gives a new appreciation for the working of the entire car—the corn plant in this analogy—and opens up new opportunities to improve its performance.

It also helps better understand how tweaking one the operation of one component influences others in the system.

"This really helps with prediction," Marand said. "It lets us ask beforehand, 'if we make changes, are they going to be additive or even synergistic?' Will it be one plus one equals two? Or maybe it's 10—or negative 20."

The work also helps provide a head start in understanding where the best opportunities for synergy are waiting. Corn originated in the planet's tropical regions and has evolved into varieties that can now tolerate even Michigan's more temperate climes. 

By studying so many different varieties of corn, the new study shed a lot of light on evolutionary changes, helping understand how maize changed as growers selected the best performing plants in their environment.

"What we found is that a lot of those changes involved changes to the regulatory sequences that we were studying, and they have unique consequences in very specific types of cells," Marand said. "We can use that information to continue to improve plants and to make corn more adaptable to different climates."

Researchers at the University of Georgia and the University of Munich also contributed to the study, which was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the University of Georgia Office of Research.

---

Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.ads6601 

Article Title

The genetic architecture of cell type–specific cis regulation in maize

 

Big brains and big ranges might not save birds from climate change

Global bird sightings from citizen scientists and view into “climate niches” reveals unexpected risks for some birds.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Texas at Austin

Facebook

XLinkedIn

WhatsAppEmail

 

image: 

(a) The breeding range for the Bohemian waxwing (purple) extends over a large swath of the Arctic, while the chestnut-crowned laughingthrush (red) inhabits a much smaller arc in Asia centered on Nepal and Bhutan. (d) Yet the waxwing inhabits a much smaller and more extreme range of climate conditions than the laughingthrush, suggesting the waxwing may be at greater risk from climate change than previously thought.

view more 

Credit: Carlos Botero/University of Texas at Austin.

Biologists have long debated why some plants and animals can adjust to a wide range of climates, while others can’t. Understanding why could help conservation managers and decision makers identify which species are most vulnerable to climate change.

A new study in Nature Communications by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin evaluated global distribution maps and other data for about 1500 bird species and found some surprising patterns. For example, the researchers found that some species that breed over large geographic areas can still be adapted to a fairly narrow range of climates, making them more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought. Take for example the Arctic, which occupies a considerable portion of Earth’s landmass but exhibits very similar climate patterns all over.

“Because that region is so big, species that occupy it tend to have large populations and large geographic range sizes—two characteristics that are often associated with lower extinction risks,” said Carlos Botero, an associate professor of integrative biology and senior author of the new study. “The problem here is that because many of those species are adapted to a very narrow range of climates, those seemingly large populations can be quite susceptible to collapse when climate patterns begin to change.”

For example, the breeding range for the Bohemian waxwing, a bird well known to North American and European birders, extends over a large swath of the Arctic, while the chestnut-crowned laughingthrush inhabits a much smaller arc in Asia centered on Nepal and Bhutan. Yet the waxwing inhabits a much smaller and more extreme range of climate conditions than the laughingthrush, suggesting the waxwing may be at greater risk from climate change than previously thought.

The researchers also found that species with larger brains (relative to their body size) tend to be adapted to narrow climate niches, which suggests they could also be more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought. A climate niche is the range of different climate conditions (think temperature, precipitation and how predictably these two vary over time) that a species can thrive in.

“Larger brain sizes correlate with more flexible behavior, so big-brained birds are usually expected to be more adaptable,” Botero said. “However, it turns out that many big-brained birds are climate specialists—meaning that they have evolved to thrive in very particular climate types and may therefore also be more vulnerable to climate change than we expected.”

Botero carried out the study with corresponding author and former UT postdoctoral researcher João Fabrício Mota Rodrigues.

For this study, Rodrigues and Botero used avian range maps estimated from hundreds of thousands of direct observations by citizen scientists reported through eBird. This successful partnership between birdwatchers and scientists is providing highly accurate representations of where different species occur in space and is enabling scientists to answer questions that were simply impossible to address before.

The research team also created a system for describing all the climate types found on Earth in terms of two factors: “temperature harshness,” a value that increases with colder, more variable and less predictable temperatures—and “xeric harshness,” which increases with lower, more variable and less predictable precipitation. Then they created a 2D “climate space” map that shows how much of Earth’s land surface corresponds to each possible combination of these two factors. Places that are less harsh in temperature and precipitation are near the center, while places that are harsher in one or both factors are farther out.

Finally, for each species, they mapped the range of climates that species tends to occupy onto the climate space map to see where and how large their climate niche is. Birds with a smaller and more extreme climate niche tend to be at higher risk from climate change.

Botero said this study highlights why the usual way of assessing risk for a species, which typically involves a checklist of individual factors, misses the complexity of underlying patterns and contradictions.

“We need to stop looking at individual risk factors in isolation, but evaluate how these complex factors combine,” Botero said. “Sometimes, it is the unexpected interactions that matter most.”

This research was made possible by support from the National Science Foundation.

---

Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-58815-1 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

The global determinants of climate niche breadth in birds

Article Publication Date

23-Apr-2025

Study reveals factors driving range expansion in lesser goldfinches

Cornell University

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

Study Reveals Factors Driving Range Expansion in Lesser Goldfinches 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 23, 2025

ITHACA, N.Y. — New research published in the journal Ornithology shows that Lesser Goldfinches, a small songbird traditionally found in the Southwest, are expanding their range northward through the Pacific Northwest at an unprecedented rate, providing insights into how species adapt to environmental change. 

Researchers from Washington State University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology analyzed data from birdwatchers participating in two initiatives from the Cornell Lab — Project FeederWatch and eBird — to track the species' movement. The study found that Lesser Goldfinch populations increased dramatically in Washington (110.5%), Idaho (66.3%), and Oregon (16.9%) between 2012 and 2022. 

"When I first arrived in eastern Washington I was pretty new to birding and Lesser Goldfinches were new to me. I was seeing groups of 30 or 40 at a time and I sort of assumed that was normal, until I started meeting local birders who said, '10 years ago we never had Lesser Goldfinches,’ so I started to investigate what was going on,” said Mason Maron, lead author and graduate of Washington State University.  

"What's fascinating is how these birds are adapting to human-modified landscapes," said Maron. "They're not just moving north randomly — they're following specific corridors, particularly along rivers and through urban areas where temperatures are warmer and where both native and non-native plants provide food."

The research identified maximum annual temperature, annual rainfall, urban development, and proximity to major rivers as key factors associated with the northward expansion. Although the authors noted Lesser Goldfinches appear at backyard bird feeders often, when they looked at how bird feeders might affect establishment, surprisingly, bird feeders played a minimal role in establishing new populations. 

"There wasn't really a significant association with bird feeders," Maron said. The first individuals to arrive in a new area might go to feeders because they provide easy to access food, but Maron explained, “it's not going to be enough to sustain a whole population."

Rivers emerged as crucial corridors for expansion. "These rivers carry weedy plants and seeds really well," said Maron. "We, as people, like to live along the river, so we disturb the soil and that really creates this sort of chain of the perfect conditions for them."

Once established in new areas, the goldfinch populations remain stable. "Our results are suggestive of this species being able to pretty rapidly colonize new environments," said Jordan Boersma, co-author and research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "It's not just that Lesser Goldfinches are exploring these new areas...they are moving in and typically turning into stable populations or even increasing populations."

The Lesser Goldfinches might be shifting north in response to climate and habitat changes reported by this study, and indeed, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird Status and Trends project indicates that Lesser Goldfinches are declining in the southern parts of their range. 

While this expansion shows some species can adapt to environmental change, Maron cautions against broad generalizations: "What it really shows is that we know a lot of species are declining and struggling because of these changes. Some species can survive and adapt and do better, but it's not necessarily a trade-off." 

“This species has proven remarkably adaptable to environmental change," said Boersma. "Understanding how birds like the Lesser Goldfinch respond to climate change and urbanization helps us predict how other species might also be impacted." 

"When we understand how wildlife responds to environmental change, we're better equipped to make informed decisions about urban planning, conservation, and climate adaptation," said Maron.

The research was made possible by thousands of participants who contributed observations through Project FeederWatch and eBird. These participatory science programs provide researchers with valuable long-term data about bird populations across North America.

###

Reference: M. W. Maron, E. I. Greig, and J. Boersma. (2025). Range Expansion Dynamics of the Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) in the Pacific Northwest. Ornithology: 10.1093/ornithology/ukaf013

Editors: Download images. The use of this material is protected by copyright. Use is permitted only within stories about the content of this release. Redistribution or any other use is prohibited without express written permission of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology or the copyright owner.

Media Contact:

Kathi Borgmann, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, (607) 254-2137, klb274@cornell.edu

---

Journal

Ornithology

DOI

10.1093/ornithology/ukaf013 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Climate and landscape modification facilitate range expansion in Spinus psaltria (Lesser Goldfinch) across the Pacific Northwest

Article Publication Date

21-Apr-2025

 

Micronanoplastics found in artery-clogging plaque in the neck

American Heart Association

Facebook

XLinkedInWeChatBlueskyMessageWhatsAppEmail

Research Highlights

• A small study found that fatty buildup in the blood vessels of the neck (carotid arteries) may contain 50 times or more micronanoplastics — minuscule bits of plastic — compared to arteries free of plaque buildup. Plaque, the fatty deposits that can narrow the carotid artery, may cause a stroke.   

• People unknowingly eat and drink micronanoplastics from plastic waste broken down and collected in the soil and water supply. Researchers say there is currently no effective way to prevent exposure to micronanoplastics.

• Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

BALTIMORE, April 22, 2025 — People with plaque in the blood vessels of their neck have a higher amount of tiny plastic particles in those vessels compared to people with healthy arteries. This increase was significantly higher in people who had experienced a stroke, mini-stroke or temporary loss of vision due to clogged blood vessels, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Vascular Discovery 2025 Scientific Sessions: From Genes to Medicine, April 22–25 in Baltimore.

Micronanoplastics are tiny pieces of plastic created in industrial processes or from larger plastic objects as they degrade in the ocean or the soil. Micronanoplastics are not uniform in size and are a mixture of micro and nano plastic sizes. While microplastics are sometimes visible at less than 5 millimeters in size (5 millimeters is the size of a pencil’s eraser), nanoplastics are microscopic (invisible to the naked eye), less than 1,000 nanometers across. This makes them more easily dispersed and able to penetrate cells and tissues in living organisms. Researchers suggest that terminology should gradually transition to nanoplastics because that is more precisely what is being studied.

“These types of plastics are commonly found in the environment, especially in ocean garbage patches. Over many years, these plastics break down, mix into the soil and water, and can build up in the food chain,” said lead study author Ross Clark, M.D., M.B.A., R.P.V.I., a vascular surgeon-scientist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. “Many people think that micro and nanoplastics mainly come from using plastic utensils, cutting boards, packaging, water bottles and other plastic items. However, the main source is the food and water we eat and drink.”

In 2024, researchers in Italy reported finding micronanoplastics in plaque from some people without symptoms who underwent surgery to remove carotid artery plaque. Symptoms caused by carotid plaque buildup may include stroke, mini-stroke or temporary blindness. Followed for almost three years after surgery, people with micronanoplastics in their carotid plaque were significantly more likely to die or to have a non-fatal heart attack or stroke.

The current study, which included fewer than 50 participants, was built on the previous research conducted in Italy. Researchers compared the levels of micronanoplastics found in the carotid arteries of three groups: people with healthy arteries; those with plaque but no symptoms; and those experiencing symptoms due to plaque buildup. Researchers also compared plaques with low and high plastic levels to assess the effects of micronanoplastics on markers of inflammation, the gene activity of immune cells called macrophages and stem cells that help stabilize plaque.

The analysis found that the concentration of micronanoplastics in carotid arteries was:

• 16 times higher (895 micrograms/gram vs. 57 micrograms/gram) in plaque among people without symptoms compared to the levels found in artery walls of deceased tissue donors of similar age with no plaque; and
• 51 times higher (2,888 micrograms/gram vs. 57 micrograms/gram) in plaque from people who had experienced stroke, mini-stroke or temporary loss of vision due to blockage of blood flow to the retina, in comparison to samples from age-matched, deceased tissue donors.

Comparing high-plastic and low-plastic plaque levels, the analysis found:

• no link between the amount of micronanoplastics and signs of sudden inflammation; and
• differences in gene activity in plaque-stabilizing cells and less activity in anti-inflammatory genes of plaque macrophage immune cells.

“These findings indicate that the biological effects of micronanoplastics on fatty deposits are more complex and nuanced than simply causing sudden inflammation,” Clark said. In their next phase of work, they will focus on better understanding the immunological effects of micronanoplastics in clogged arteries.

“It's very important to study what these materials do to our bodies. However, we should be cautious about the early results of this study. We won’t fully understand the biological effects for many years to come,” Clark said.

The study has several limitations. It cannot prove that micronanoplastics in plaque were the cause of symptoms of carotid artery disease; micronanoplastics might be a sign of another health issue that caused these symptoms. Researchers did not have access to data detailing the sex or race/ethnicity of the tissue donors. Additionally, pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, used to measure plastic in biological samples may have limitations. This technique allows measurements to include nanoplastics and larger microplastic particles and uses high temperatures to break down plastics into smaller organic molecules. However, parts of the biological samples may also break down into similar molecules. For instance, fatty acids found in artery-clogging plaque could break down into compounds appearing similar to polyethylene.

“We are constantly improving our method to reduce the amounts of lipids in the samples to lessen their impact on the results. Lipids have a very similar spectral signature on gas chromatography as some plastic polymers (in particular polyethylene). It can be challenging to distinguish between the lipids and the polyethylene in the results. That’s why removing the lipids is so important. We believe our methods are currently the best way to address this specific criticism. However, new discoveries might change how we understand this data in the future,” Clark said.

“This is a very interesting and troubling study. To date, we have not considered exposure to plastic micronanoparticles a modifiable risk factor for stroke. Although it is important to understand the mechanism at play in the pathophysiology of symptomatic carotid atherosclerosis, this association presents a novel potential target for stroke prevention,” said Karen L. Furie, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, volunteer vice chair of the American Heart Association Stroke Brain Health Science Subcommittee and professor and chair of neurology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Furie was not involved in this study.

Study details, background and design:

• Researchers tested 48 samples of carotid arteries from 48 different adults collected in 2023-2024 at the University of New Mexico and the Office of the Medical Investigator (a state agency and part of the Department of Pathology at the University of New Mexico).
• About one-third of the samples were from people aged 60 to 90 who had surgery to remove plaque from their carotid arteries. These people had symptoms including stroke, mini-stroke or temporary blindness (called amaurosis fugax).
• About one-third of the samples came from people of similar age with no symptoms. They were having surgery to remove plaque buildup in their carotid arteries because a blockage was found during screening or a physical exam.
• The last one-third of the samples came from tissue donors. These age-matched donors had died of any cause and did not have carotid artery blockage.
• The researchers also compared plaques with low vs. high amounts of micronanoplastics on inflammation-related measures. All samples were analyzed to measure inflammation by looking at levels of inflammatory molecules TNF-α and IL-6. The levels were compared to the amount of plastics to find any connections. For the RNA sequencing studies, researchers examined samples with the highest and lowest concentrations of plastics.

The study author and co-authors’ disclosures are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

• VIDEO: American Heart Association volunteer expert interview and additional multimedia is available on the right column of the news release link.
• AHA news release: Chronic exposure to lead, cadmium and arsenic increases risk of cardiovascular disease (June 2023)
• AHA news release: Forever chemicals linked to hypertension in middle-aged women (June 2022)
• Follow AHA/ASA news from the meeting on X @HeartNews, #VascularDiscovery25

The American Heart Association’s Vascular Discovery 2025 Scientific Sessions: From Genes to Medicine is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in new and emerging scientific research in the areas of arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, vascular biology, genomics, precision medicine, peripheral vascular disease and vascular surgery. The primary goal of the meeting is to provide a forum for the exchange of information about new and emerging scientific research in lipids and lipoproteins, arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, vascular biology, genomics and peripheral vascular disease. The meeting is of special interest to scientists and clinicians in cardiovascular medicine, cardiovascular research, thrombosis research, clinical cardiology, molecular/cellular biology, vascular biology, vascular medicine, vascular surgery, endocrinology, genetics, functional genomics, hematology, immunology and physiology. Follow the conference on X at #VascularDiscovery25.

###

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS

Safer opioid supply improves health outcomes among people at high risk of overdose

A new study in The Lancet Public Health finds that safer supply programs complement existing treatment options

Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences

Facebook

X
Bluesky
Email

Toronto, ON, April 22, 2025 – Research from ICES and Unity Health Toronto shows that safer opioid supply programs and methadone both reduce opioid overdoses, healthcare utilization, and costs. 

Safer opioid supply (SOS) programs provide pharmaceutical-grade opioids such as hydromorphone to people struggling with opioid use disorder. Prescribed opioid medications are a safer alternative to drugs found in the unregulated drug supply due to the potency and unpredictability of that supply. 

“This is the first population-based study to compare SOS programs with opioid agonist treatment, and to explore how people’s outcomes change in the year after initiation,” says Dr. Tara Gomes, a scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital and ICES, and a principal investigator of the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN.) 

The researchers compared health outcomes among people newly prescribed SOS and those newly starting methadone as opioid agonist treatment (OAT) between 2016 and 2021, in Ontario, Canada, with follow-up extending to the end of 2022. 

The study identified 991 people newly prescribed SOS and 26,116 new OAT (methadone) users. Patients prescribed SOS faced more medical issues, including higher rates of HIV, hepatitis C, previous opioid overdoses, and infections, suggesting that people prescribed safer supply were generally more medically complex than people prescribed methadone when starting treatment. 

The researchers matched 856 new SOS patients to an equal number of methadone recipients who had similar health conditions, demographics, and lived in similar parts of the province. The report found that people in both the SOS and methadone groups had significant declines in opioid overdoses, emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, new infections, and healthcare costs in the subsequent year.  

In both groups, deaths related to opioids or any other cause were uncommon. 

SOS and methadone treatments complementary 

While both SOS and methadone recipients had an overall lower risk of overdose and poor health outcomes while on treatment, in a comparative analysis, individuals starting methadone had a slightly lower risk of experiencing an opioid overdose and being admitted to hospital compared to people starting safer supply. However, people starting methadone were more likely to discontinue treatment. After accounting for the higher rate of treatment drop-out in the methadone group, most of the benefits of methadone over SOS disappeared, with the exception of toxicities which remained slightly lower among those receiving methadone. 

“Neither methadone nor safer supply programs are a one-size-fits-all solution, but our findings show that both are effective at reducing overdose and improving health outcomes,” adds Gomes. “They are complementary to each other, and for many people who haven’t found success with traditional treatments like methadone, safer supply programs offer a lifeline. Our findings show that when safer supply programs are implemented, we see fewer hospital visits, fewer infections, and fewer overdoses.” 

The authors speculate that the different patterns of unregulated drug use between the two groups and the higher severity of opioid use disorder among SOS recipients may partly account for why the risk of opioid overdose was lower among methadone recipients compared to people receiving safer supply.  

“These findings highlight the value of including safer supply alongside OAT in our toolbox of programs and services designed to support people at risk of overdose in Ontario,” says Gomes. “Safer opioid supply programs are reaching those with high medical complexity and a history of serious harms from drug use – those in our community who need support the most.” 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 

Misty Pratt 
Senior Communications Associate, ICES 
Media@ices.on.ca  
343-961-6982 

 

About ICES  

ICES is an independent, not-for-profit research and analytics institute that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge on a broad range of healthcare issues. ICES leads cutting-edge studies and analyses evaluating healthcare policy, delivery, and population outcomes. Our knowledge is highly regarded in Canada and abroad and is widely used by government, hospitals, planners, and practitioners to make decisions about healthcare delivery and to develop policy. For the latest ICES news, follow us on BlueSky and LinkedIn: @ICESOntario  

About Unity Health Toronto 

Unity Health Toronto is one of the largest academic health sciences networks in Ontario with a wingspan across Toronto’s core. The breadth of services we provide, strengthened by community partnerships and our global profile in health research, education and innovation, positions us as a model for collaborative, integrated, high quality care as we work to build a stronger, resilient and equitable health system for all. 

Our mission and values, instilled over 130 years ago by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, drive our commitment to equity and social justice, as we seek to understand the challenges of disadvantaged populations and find new ways to eliminate the barriers they face. This mission is part of our legacy and ingrained in our culture. We know if we can get it right for those who need our help the most, we can have life changing impacts for all in society. 

Our motto – Caring hearts. Leading minds – captures our dual commitment to compassionate patient care and excellence in teaching, research and innovation. As a leading Canadian health research institution and learning destination of choice for top health professionals, we are advancing healthcare for all united by one vision: The best care experiences, created together.  

About St. Michael’s Hospital 

St. Michael’s Hospital provides compassionate care to all who enter its doors. The hospital also provides outstanding medical education to future health care professionals in more than 27 academic disciplines. Critical care and trauma, heart disease, neurosurgery, diabetes, cancer care, care of the homeless and global health are among the Hospital’s recognized areas of expertise. Through the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre, which make up the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, research and education at St. Michael’s Hospital are recognized and make an impact around the world. Founded in 1892, the hospital is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. 

About the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network 

Established in 2008, the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN) is a research program based out of St. Michael’s Hospital that brings together researchers, people with lived experience, clinicians, and policy-makers to generate evidence to inform effective drug policy development in Ontario. 

---

Journal

The Lancet Public Health

DOI

10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00070-2 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Comparing the effects of prescribed safer opioid supply and methadone in Ontario, Canada: a population-based matched cohort study

Article Publication Date

22-Apr-2025