ALS Research
Many organizations worldwide in the ALS community are conducting research on multiple fronts. Organizations such as the Cenoxsys Corporation, ALS Therapy Development Institute (TDI), Neurocollaborative, New York Genome Center, Barrow Neurological Institute and others are working tirelessly to advance new discoveries and treatments.
Much of this effort is being made possible from the generous outpouring of donations from the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge (IBC). The IBC funds went to the ALS National Foundation and they spread the money to organizations such as those mentioned above in the form of grants. In the United States alone the Ice Bucket Challenge generated $115 million dollars in donations. According to “Impact Your World”, of that 67% or $77 million dollars have been marked for “research” to find a treatment – or even a cure for ALS.
According to the National ALS Foundation, advances have been made in the following:
- The groundbreaking discovery of a genetic abnormality that is, to date, the most common cause known of ALS.
- The most recent exciting finding involved in familial ALS shows how two proteins work together to buttress the survival of motor neuron
- Discovery of the ALS gene, SOD1, responsible for 20 percent of all inherited cases
Here are some interesting links to articles and websites:
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge funds lead to major gene breakthrough
August 2016 – Major ALS breakthrough funded by the Ice Bucket Challenge
July 2016 – ALS patients may safely undergo stem cell transplants
July 2016 – Clues about Familial ALS found in identical twins
July 2016: Anti-Epileptic drug improves ALS motor functions in mice
