In the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, an asteroid measuring up to 1.5 kilometres across quietly traces its orbit, tilted 15 degrees from the planetary plane.

This celestial body, officially named Marshall McCall, honours a 91亚色 Faculty of Science professor emeritus whose research has illuminated the intricate structures of galaxies and their evolution.

For McCall, the recognition carries personal significance. 鈥淚 was deeply honoured,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he recognition makes me feel that my work in astronomy had some value.鈥�

The initiative to name the asteroid was led by Canadian astronomers Paul Wiegert (a former postdoctoral fellow at 91亚色 U) and David Balam, who sought to recognize McCall鈥檚 contributions to astronomy. 鈥淢arshall McCall鈥檚 research has had a lasting impact on our field,鈥� says Balam, an asteroid hunter based in British Columbia who first encountered McCall鈥檚 work decades ago.

McCall鈥檚 fascination with the universe began on Vancouver Island, where he pursued an undergraduate degree at the University of Victoria before earning his PhD at the University of Texas at Austin. In 1988, he joined 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Physics and Astronomy, where he not only advanced research, but also helped shape academic programs that have inspired generations of astronomers.

Among those mentored by McCall was Wiegert, now a professor at Western University. 鈥淢y time at 91亚色 deeply shaped my career,鈥� Wiegert says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a true pleasure for me to have been involved in naming an asteroid after Marshall McCall. This feels like a meaningful way to give back to that community.鈥�

McCall鈥檚 scientific career is marked by discoveries that have revealed hidden gems in the cosmos. While studying galaxies whose light is obscured by interstellar dust within the Milky Way, McCall and Ronald Buta of the University of Alabama identified four previously unknown celestial objects. Named MB 1, MB 2, MB 3 and MB 4 鈥� after their initials 鈥� the discoveries include two nearby galaxies (MB 1 and MB 3) located just 10 million light years away. MB 2, once thought to be a galaxy, turned out to be an unusual nebula within the Milky Way whose origin remains a puzzle. MB 4 is another nebula, likely formed from gas expelled during the birth of twin stars. 鈥淵ou never know what you will find when you penetrate the fog,鈥� McCall says, capturing the thrill of exploring the unknown.

Building on his discovery of MB 1 and MB 3, McCall鈥檚 work mapping galaxies within 30 million light years of Earth uncovered larger patterns that reshaped how astronomers view the cosmic landscape. Among these findings, he confirmed that the Milky Way is embedded in a vast, flattened arrangement of galaxies known as the 鈥淟ocal Sheet,鈥� a structure stretching 34 million light years across but only 1.5 million light years thick. 

He also identified the 鈥淐ouncil of Giants,鈥� a ring of massive galaxies 24 million light years in diameter encircling the Milky Way and its companion Andromeda. These galaxies act as cosmic gatekeepers, siphoning intergalactic material away from the 鈥淟ocal Group鈥� and limiting its ability to grow.

McCall鈥檚 work reflects a deep curiosity about the universe鈥檚 interconnected structures.

In a public lecture, he outlined how the Milky Way fits into the broader celestial arrangement: 鈥淲e live on a planet around a star in a galaxy in the 鈥楲ocal Group,鈥� encompassed by the 鈥楥ouncil of Giants of the Local Sheet鈥� next to the 鈥楲ocal Void鈥� at the periphery of the 鈥楲ocal Supercluster of Laniakea.鈥欌��

While these terms are technical, they describe how galaxies like ours are shaped by their surroundings 鈥� how gravitational forces and spatial patterns influence their evolution within the vast cosmic web.

For those who have worked alongside him or followed in his footsteps, McCall鈥檚 contributions transcend scientific achievements; they represent landmark discoveries that inspire further exploration and wonder. Now immortalized by an asteroid bearing his name, his legacy reaches beyond Earth into the cosmos he has spent his life studying.

鈥淚t is nice to feel that my efforts were not completely in vain and that there will be a memory of them up there when I am gone,鈥� McCall says. 鈥淢ost importantly, I feel privileged to have had even had this chance 鈥� to seek knowledge for its own sake as part of a society willing to enable such pursuits.鈥�

McCall joins a distinguished group of 91亚色 faculty members who have had asteroids named after them, including: Professor Emeritus Paul Delaney, Professor Michael Daly, Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering; Professor Patrick Hall, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science; the late Professor Emeritus Kim Innanen, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Faculty of Science; and the late Professor Richard Jarrell, Department of Science, Technology & Society, Faculty of Science.

Courtesy of聽YFile

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A 91亚色 researcher is advancing a drug initiative to give hope to millions of people around the world suffering from rare diseases for which drug therapies have not yet been developed.

Professor Conor Douglas is leading a global initiative to uncover the economic, political and regulatory barriers that prevent costly research into drugs that could treat rare diseases. The goal is to advance new approaches to drug development that could open the door to a broader range of treatments for rare diseases, not just those for more common ailments.

鈥淭he majority of rare disease patients have no kind of pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical treatment option,鈥� said Douglas, an associate professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Science, Technology & Society. 鈥淭he science is in prime time; it鈥檚 ready to go. But you can have the fanciest science and technology and it鈥檚 not going anywhere unless these other issues are being addressed.鈥�

Through the  project, Douglas is working with researchers around the world to find and advocate for changes he hopes will diversify a system that has been driven in part by profit motive and regulation.

鈥淎s a society, we鈥檙e choosing not to develop certain kinds of treatments because they might not be profitable enough,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淥ur notion of social pharmaceutical innovation is trying to understand initiatives that are tackling these problems of availability, accessibility and affordability in a way that ensures health system sustainability, supports a private insurance system that can afford to cover cutting-edge treatments and where people don鈥檛 have to pay for them out of pocket.鈥�

Although individually they are uncommon, rare diseases as a whole are quite common, with more than 7,000 identified today, and more being discovered as science progresses. It鈥檚 estimated that up to six per cent of people around the world suffer from rare diseases. There are up to two million sufferers in Canada alone, contributing to five to 10 per cent of the country鈥檚 hospitalization costs, according to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Last year, Canada announced a  and an investment of $1.5 billion to increase access to and affordability of drugs. As part of the strategy, provinces and territories are expected to cost share through their bilateral purchasing agreements for rare disease treatments with Health Canada.

鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely a policy window right now,鈥� said Douglas, whose innovation project is looking at more ways to ensure drugs for rare diseases are brought to market.

Ideas include involving patients in research and development, teaming them with clinicians to collect data on how drugs are working outside of clinical trials in an effort to move drugs through trials more quickly. In another example, companies trying to bring a treatment to market and provincial health-care systems could enter into risk-sharing agreements as a drug is tested. One such collaboration has already resulted in approval by Health Canada for enzyme replacement therapies to treat Fabry disease, a rare genetic condition caused by a missing enzyme that can attack vital organs.

Douglas said he hopes the examples of winning approaches he and his colleagues are uncovering will offer hope to those who suffer from rare diseases, many of whom struggle to get a diagnosis and then feel hopeless when they learn there is no treatment.

鈥淎lmost all of the cases that we come up against are full of often painful stories of suffering,鈥� he said, adding that the solution doesn鈥檛 lie only with the medical scientists.

鈥淭hey need help from people looking at regulatory changes. We need the patients鈥� input. We need collaboration from industry, and certainly we need buy-in from Health Canada and the provincial health-care systems and pharmaceutical plans. Change is underway; a different way of doing things is possible.鈥�

Courtesy of YFile

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The Faculty of Science is comprised of five departments that are home to a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs and high caliber researchers exploring areas of study that are shaping society. 

Biology

The Department of Biology conducts research and offers programs in all the major fields of biology, with particular strengths in cell and molecular biology, physiology, ecology and evolutionary biology.

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Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry offers a variety of innovative degree programs and conducts research in organic, inorganic, physical and analytical chemistry, as well as other specialized and emerging interdisciplinary fields.

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Mathematics & Statistics

Faculty and students in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics explore and develop new and wide-reaching ideas in applied and industrial mathematics, pure mathematics, statistics, actuarial science, mathematical biology, and mathematics for education.   

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Physics & Astronomy

The Department of Physics & Astronomy offers a broad mix of experimental, theoretical, and computational experiences in physics, astronomy and astrophysics in a research-intensive environment.  

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Science, Technology & Society

The Department of Science, Technology & Society offers an interdisciplinary program of study and research environment focused on the social, cultural, philosophical, and material dimensions of science and technology. 

罢丑别听Division of Natural Science, within the Department of Science, Technology & Society, offers general-level science courses to students in other Faculties.

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