DEMURE is an international online study examining body image, eating behaviors, and mental health across sexual orientations and gender identities. Participation consists of an online questionnaire at your own pace and is open to 2S/LGBTQIA+ participants as well as heterosexual and/or cisgender participants. Ten participants will be selected to receive $100 for their participation.

STARS explores how discrimination and stigma affect the health and wellbeing of 2S/LGBTQIA+ adults. Using biological and psychosocial measures, we examine how chronic stress shapes physical health, mental health, resilience, gut microbiome diversity, and cognitive performance. Our goal is to inform targeted interventions that reduce health disparities in 2S/LGBTQIA+ communities.

STARS is committed to transparent and reproducible research practices. See our Open Science Framework study page for more information.

The recruitment phase of this study is complete. The team is currently conducting analyses and preparing publications.

SYNC examines how couples adapt to stress, with a focus on how individual and relational factors (including sex, gender, sexual orientation, intimacy, and attachment) shape stress responses in couples. This study aims to inform more targeted clinical interventions for couples’ physical and mental health.

The recruitment phase of this study is complete. The team is currently conducting analyses and preparing publications.

SexCog investigates how sex hormones, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender roles influence cognitive performance, and examines how these factors relate to mental health.

The recruitment phase of this study is complete. The team is currently conducting analyses and preparing publications.

COVID Crisis Competence (CCC) examines how sex and gender factors shape stress, coping strategies, resilience, and mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular attention to how pandemic-related disruptions have affected men, women, and gender-diverse individuals differently.

The recruitment phase of this study is complete. The team is currently conducting analyses and preparing publications.

One of the largest biobanks of biological, psychosocial and clinical data from persons living with mental health conditions.

Since 2009, more than 80 researchers and clinicians have contributed to the selection of 23 psychosocial questionnaires and 23 biomarkers that make up the Signature Biobank. Data collection begins at emergency unit admission and includes longitudinal follow-ups, with ongoing recruitment. Several research projects using this data are currently underway. To learn more, visit the Signature Biobank website.

QueerTech examines the experiences of 2S/LGBTQIA+ employers and employees in the Canadian tech industry to better understand the challenges they face in professional settings. Findings aim to inform the development of inclusive policies and best practices related to equity, diversity, and inclusion across the Canadian tech sector.

TQual is a qualitative study exploring how stigma, systemic transphobia, and associated barriers affect the health and wellbeing of transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals. The study examines both the negative consequences of these stressors and the resilience strategies and coping mechanisms that gender-diverse people develop in response. TQual also critically examines health research methods with the goal of making them more inclusive of gender-diverse populations.

OSC examines how the gender balance of psychiatric hospital workplaces affects the health and wellbeing of employees. The study investigates whether working in a profession dominated by one sex influences stress levels, allostatic load, and mental health outcomes across hospital staff.

PAL is a systematic literature review examining which biological markers of allostatic load are most strongly associated with mental health disorders and symptoms. The study aims to identify the physiological indicators of chronic stress most relevant to psychiatric populations, contributing to a clearer and more standardized understanding of how the body responds to prolonged stress.

Study of the impact of minority stress on violent behaviors in lesbian couples and on the mental health of sexual minority women in Canada.

Study of the influence of self-identified gender roles and personality traits on mental health (depression, anxiety, and suicide).

Literature review on the influence of sex hormones on cognition.

GEO is a collaborative study examining how geopolitical location across the United States influences the health and wellbeing of gender-diverse people.

EDI is a questionnaire-based study mapping the diversity of the Francophone academic environment at the Université de Montréal. The study collects data on potential sources of discrimination, including ethnicity, immigration status, income, domestic life, sex, gender, sexual orientation, physical disability, mental health, and academic experiences. In the long term, we hope this tool can be adopted across Francophone universities to assess and improve equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic settings.

+Fièr is a digital health project developing adaptive tools to support the mental health of 2S/LGBTQIA+ youth and their families in navigating identity-related stressors, including public discrimination and the process of coming out. The project builds on +Fort, an application designed by collaborator Dr. Isabelle Ouellet-Morin to support youth experiencing bullying, and extends that work to address the specific needs of gender-diverse young people and their families.