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ALSCanada:OverviewofResearch
ALSSocietyofCanadafundedresearchershavecontributedtointernationalbreakthroughsinthesearchtofindacureforALS.Havingmademajordiscoveries,CanadianALSresearchersarerespectedleaderswithintheglobalresearchcommunity.Atypicalresearchprojectinvolvesahypothesis,orquestiontobeanswered,andlaststhreetofiveyears.Often,asaprojectisunderway,newquestionsarise.Thusasingleprojectoftenleadsdirectlyintoanewproject.ThegoalsofALSresearchprojectsaretounderstandthemechanismsofmotorneurondeathandidentifywaystokeepmotorneuronsaliveandfunctioningnormally.MotorneuronsarethecellsinthebrainandspinalcordwhichareresponsibleformusclefunctionandaretheprimarytargetfordegenerationinALS.Inordertounderstandwhatmotorneuronsneedtofunctioncorrectly,theyneedtobestudiedundernormalconditionsandtheninsituationswheretheyarestressed.Oneresearchprojectcostsonaverage$120,000$140,000peryearforthreetofiveyears.Thiscostdoesnotincludesalarysupportfortheprincipalinvestigator(basicscientistorclinician)orforgraduatestudentsorresearchfellowsresponsibleforcarryingouttheproject.Allthatwehavelearnedinthepast25yearsaboutALSconfirmsthatitisacomplexdisorderinvolvingnotonlymotorneuronsbutadditionaltypesofcells,whichcanprotectandsupporttheneuronsorleadtodiseaseprogression.Itisbelievedthateffectivetreatmentwillinvolvemorethanonetherapeuticagent,targetingseveraloftheknownmechanismsinsteadofone.Researchbreakthroughscanoccuratanytime,inanyoftheALSresearchareas.Itiscriticaltofundasmanyprojectsinparallelaspossible,toidentifymechanismsandrelatedtherapeuticapproachesforclinicaltrial.ResearchKeyMessages
ALSCanadahelpedtoestablishandcontinuestosupporttheCanadianALSResearchNetwork(CALS),whichbringsclinicaltrialsto15ALSCentresacrossCanadaandconductsthelatestclinicalALSresearch.
ALSCanadafundsanannualResearchForumfor100Canadianresearcherstoshareresultsandestablishcollaborationstoworkonfutureresearchpriorities.
ALSCanadafundstheALSmoduleoftheCanadianNeuromuscularDiseaseRegistry(CNDR),whichcanbeutilizedbyresearchersandclinicianstocollectdataonlifestylefeaturesandenvironmentalexposuresthatmayrevealanunderlyingcauseofALS.
ALSCanadainvests$1.5millionannuallytosupporthighquality,peerreviewedresearchprojects.
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TheWalksMakeResearchHappenThegraphbelowshowsALSCanadasannualresearchspendingoverthelast10years.
ResearchFocusTheALSSocietyofCanadaistheonlynotforprofitorganizationdedicatedtoALSresearchinCanada.Overthepasttenyears,withsignificantsupportfromtheWalks,morethan$10.5millionhasbeeninvestedintheCanadianresearchcommunity.CanadianALSresearchersfundedbyALSCanadaarecurrentlyexploringthefollowingavenuesofresearch:
Cellmechanismsandpathwaysproteinchangesincludingthemoleculesresponsiblefortheirsynthesis(mRNAs),andcellpathways,includingstresshandlingandcelldeath
Geneticsgenesandtheirrolesindiseasepredispositionanddevelopment
Environmentaltoxinspotentiallyharmfulfactorsintheenvironmentthatmayincrease
oneslikelihoodofdevelopingALS
Immunologyharmfulinflammatoryresponsesthatarebelievedtocontributetothe
degenerationanddeathofmotorneurons,andthedevelopmentofALSimmunizationorvaccination
BiomarkersbiologicalindicatorstohelpdiagnoseormonitortheprogressionofALS
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ResearchFundingInpursuitofourmaingoaltopromoteresearchfortomorrowscureALSCanadacontinuestofundrelevantresearchandencourageanewgenerationofscientiststostudyALS.TheNeuromuscularResearchPartnership(NRP)Createdin1999,withthefirstgrantscommencingin2000,theNRPisoneofALSCanadasmostimportantresearchprograms.TheNRPisathreewaycollaborationbetweenALSCanada,MuscularDystrophyCanadaandtheCanadianInstitutesofHealthResearch(CIHR)(InstituteofGenetics,InstituteofMusculoskeletalHealthandArthritis,andInstituteofNeurosciences,MentalHealthandAddiction).TheNRPprovidesgrantawardsforresearchintothecauses,treatments,andultimatelyacureforneuromusculardisorders.Thefocushasbeenthethreegeneralcategoriesofresearch:basic,focusedandapplied.Between2000and2010,fundinghasresultedinmorethan58researchprojectswithacombinedfinancialcommitmentofmorethan$29milliondollars.TimE.NolFellowshipinALSResearchALSCanadaestablishedthisfellowshipin2006inhonourofTimE.Nol,formerdeputygovernoroftheBankofCanada,whodiedofALSin2001.ThefellowshipisapartnershipbetweenALSCanadaandtheCIHRsInstituteofNeurosciences,MentalHealthandAddiction(INMHA);itrecognizesandsupportspostdoctoralALSresearchersbyawardingeachrecipientupto$55,000annuallyforamaximumofthreeyears.TheaimofthefellowshipistoencourageyoungscientiststopursueALSresearch.DoctoralResearchAwardToencouragecuttingedgeresearch,ALSCanada,inpartnershipwiththeCIHRsINMHA,createdtheDoctoralResearchAwardtofundPhDstudentsconductingALSrelatedresearchforuptothreeyears,toamaximumof$22,000peryear.ALSSocietyofCanadaNRPScientistsBridgeFundingNewin2009,anawardof$100,000wascreatedbyALSCanadatosupportmeritoriousresearchforoneyear,allowingtheinvestigatortobewellpositionedforfullfundingontheirprojectbytheCIHRatalaterdate.RonaldPeterGriggsMemorialPostdoctoralFellowshipThisisanothernewinitiativefromALSCanada,beingruninpartnershipwiththeCIHR.TheGriggsFellowshipprovidesthreeyearsoffundingat$55,000peryear.Itwillbeawardedin2010,2013and2016torecentPhDgraduatesforALSrelatedstudies.ThisfellowshiphasbeenmadepossiblethroughthegeneroussupportofHarveyandSueGriggsofToronto.Thecreationofthisfellowshipwillattracttheupcominggenerationofscientists,whoseworkwillbepivotalindevelopingtreatmentsandultimatelyfindingacureforALS.
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BerniceRamsayDiscoveryGrantsBeginningin2008,thisfiveyearinitiativefundstwoprojectsperyear(eachupto$100,000)forthepursuitofnewandpromisingdirectionsinALSresearch.MadepossiblebythegenerousestateofBerniceRamsay,whichdonated$2.28milliontoALSCanadain2006,eachrecipientreceivesaonetimegranttopursuenewandpromisingavenuesinALSresearch.ALSCanadaDiscoveryGrantsThisALSCanadagrantprogramwasinitiatedin2009tofundhighnovelty,highriskandpotentialhighimpactresearchproposals.Theawardforeachgrantis$100,000,tobeusedwithin24months.BerniceRamsayClinicalResearchFellowshipAnewinitiativebeginningin2009,thisprogramsupportsspecializedtraininginclinicalcareandresearchskillsrelatedtoALS.Theprogramawardsaresearcher$100,000peryearfortwoyears,encouragingnewlytrainedneurologiststospecializeinALSandconductclinicalresearchandclinicaltrialsinCanada.JointFundingwithTheALSAssociation(ALSA)Since2004,ALSCanadaandALSAhavejointlyfundedprominentCanadianALSresearchers.JointFundingwithTheALSAssociationandtheMotorNeuroneDiseaseAssociationintheU.K.Inanewpartnershipwithitstwosisterorganizations,ALSCanadahasagreedtoprovidepartialfundingfortheoperationoftheonlineCu/Znsuperoxidedismutasemutationdatabase,whichwasestablishedmorethan10yearsago.ResearchershaveunrestrictedaccesstoinformationaboutthefirstgeneandproteininwhichmutationsleadingtofamilialALSwereidentified.
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HowALSTreatmentsareDiscovered
Theillustrationbelowspans15plusyearsandcosts$1billionormorefromstarttofinish.
TranslationalResearchTranslatesknowledgelearnedfrombasicscienceintoclinicalapplications/treatments.Onlyfiveoutofevery10,000compoundsscreenedproceedtoclinicaldevelopment99.9%arenotpursuedorfail.
BasicResearchCIHR
Academia,Nonprofits
Discovery PreclinicalDevelopment
NoClearFundingSourcesClinicalDevelopmentinBiopharmaceuticals
PatientPilotStudies
PhaseITrials
PhaseIITrials
PhaseIIITrials
TranslationalResearch
HealthCanada
TherapeuticProducts
Directorate
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2011ALSCanadaFundingAwards*Listsall2011ALSCanadafundingawardswiththeexceptionoftheBerniceRamsayDiscoveryGrantswhicharestillbeingdeterminedNeuromuscularResearchPartnershipRecipients
Name Project Institute Province Year
JasnaKriz,MD,PhD
Glianeuroncrosstalkinearlyamyotrophiclateralsclerosispathogenesis
LavalUniversity Quebec 2011
AlexanderE.Mackenzie,PhD
Preclinicalassessmentofclinicreadyagentsforthetreatmentofmusculardystrophyandspinalmuscularatrophy(musculardystrophyproject)
ChildrensHospitalofEasternOntario(CHEO)
Ontario 2011
RobinMichel,PhD
Roleofcalcineurinanditssignalingmodulatorsinthedystrophicphenotype(musculardystrophyproject)
ConcordiaUniversity Quebec 2011
DouglasA.Monks,PhD
MousemodelsofKennedyDisease/SpinobulbarMuscularAtrophy
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2011
JaniceRobertson,PhD
TheTARDNABindingProtein(TDP43)andAmyotrophicLateralSclerosis
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2011
TimE.NolFellowshipsinALSResearch
Name Project Institute Province Year
SamarDib,PhD
PathophysiologyoftheTARDNAbindingprotein(TDP43)investigatedusingconditionalknockoutmice
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2011
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DoctoralResearchAwards
Name Project Institute Province YearHelenChiang
UsingproteomicstoinvestigatetheroleofTDP43(TARDNAbindingprotein43)inthepathogenesisofAmyotrophicLateralSclerosis
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2011
MeganONeill
Prionlikeintermoleculartransmissionofsuperoxidedismutase1(SOD1)misfoldinginanamyotrophiclateralsclerosis(ALS)model
UniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2011
ALSSocietyofCanadaNRPSeniorScientistsBridgeFunding
Name Project Institute Province Year
ChristineVandeVelde
DeterminingthemechanismsoftoxicityofmisfoldedSOD1onmitochondriainALS
UniversityofMontreal Quebec 2011
StefanoStifani
Regulationofmotorneuronidentityandcircuitdevelopment
MontrealNeurologicalInstitute,McGillUniversity
Quebec 2011
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ALSCanadaFundingAwardsoverthePreviousFiveYearsNeuromuscularResearchPartnershipRecipients
Name Project Institute Province Year
KelvinE.Jones,PhD
PromotingprotectionoffunctionallyintactunitsinALS
UniversityofAlberta Alberta 2010
JeanPierreJulienPhD
Pathogenicmechanismsassociatedwithneurofilamentdisorganizations
LavalUniversity Quebec 2010
JeanMathieu,MD
Motor,multisystemicandsocialparticipationassessmentinmyotonicdystrophytype1:a9yearlongitudinalstudy(musculardystrophyproject)
SherbrookeUniversity Quebec 2010
VictorRafuse,PhD
Developingspecificmotoneuronsubtypesfromembryonicstemcells,andinducedpluripotentstemcells,totreatneuromusculardisordersandparalysisduetoinjury
DalhousieUniversity NovaScotia
2010
CharlesKrieger,MD,PhDandFabioRossi,MD,PhD
BoneMarrowDerivedCellsasGeneDeliveryVehiclesinALS
SimonFraserUniversityUniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2009
BlairLeavitt,MD
DeterminationofmusclepropertiesthatalterALSonsetanddiseaseprogressionusingtheG93AmousemodelofALS
UniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2009
JaniceRobertson,PhD
PeripherinAbnormalitiesinALS
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2009
GuyRouleau,MD,PhD
MutationofKCC3:Understandingasensorymotorneuropathy
CentrehospitalierdelUniversitdeMontral
Quebec 2009
JaneA.Batt,MD,PhD
Nedd4RegulationofSkeletalMuscleAtrophyandRegeneration
St.MichaelsHospital Ontario 2008
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BernardBrais,PhD
Developingmolecular,cellularandmicemodelsforAutosomalRecessiveSpasticAtaxiaofCharlevoixSaguenay(ARSACS)(musculardystrophyproject)
CentreHospitalierdel'UniversitdeMontral
Quebec 2008
SusanO.Meakin,PhD
Nesca,anovelsignallingadapterthatregulatesneuronalgrowthandregeneration
UniversityofWesternOntario
Ontario 2008
JeanMarcRenaud,PhD
MutationofthemouseNaV1.4musclesodiumchannel:Understandinghyperkalemicperiodicparalysis(HyperKPP)
UniversityofOttawa Ontario 2008
JaniceRobertson,PhD
TheTARDNAbindingprotein43andALS
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2008
WayneS.Chen,PhD
Understandingthemoleculardefectsandtreatmentofhumanmalignanthyperthermiaandcentralcoredisease
UniversityofCalgary Alberta 2008
JosphineNalbantoglu,PhDandGeorgeKarpati,PhD
Moleculartherapiesfordystrophindeficiency(musculardystrophyproject)
McGillUniversity Quebec 2008
GuyA.Rouleau,MD,PhD
CellularandbiochemicalimpactofTDP43mutantsinALS
CentreHospitalierdel'UniversitdeMontral
Quebec 2008
MichaelStrong,MD
TheroleofTDP43inregulatingNFLmRNAmetabolism
UniversityofWesternOntario
Ontario 2008
PanayiotisVacratsis,PhD
Molecularmechanismsregulatingmyotubularinrelatedlipidphosphatasesmutatedinneuromusculardiseases
UniversityofWindsor Ontario 2008
JimingKong,PhD
Amyotrophiclateralsclerosis:RescueofmutantSOD1inducedmotorneurondeathbytargetingtheBNIP3deathgenefamily
UniversityofManitoba
Manitoba 2007
GuyRouleau,MD,PhD
CharacterizationofPABPN1forthedevelopmentofanOculopharyngealMuscularDystrophy(musculardystrophyproject)
UniversityofMontrealHospitalCentre
Quebec 2007
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MichaelSinnreich,PhD
Developmentoftherapeuticstrategiesfordysferlindeficiency(musculardystrophyproject)
McGillUniversity/MontrealNeurologicalInstitute
Quebec 2007
JacquesTremblay,PhD
ImprovingMPCtransplantationbyincreasingIGF1orMGFstimulation
LavalUniversity Quebec 2007
ChristineVandeVelde,PhD
IdentificationofthemechanismsofmotorneurondegenerationinALS
UniversityofMontrealHospitalCentre
Quebec 2007
SalvatoreCarbonetto,PhD
DystroglycanfunctionanddysfunctionintheflyCNS(musculardystrophyproject)
McGillUniversity Quebec 2006
MiltonCharlton,PhD
Analysisoftransmitterreleasemechanisms
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2006
HeatherDurham,PhD
Theroleofproteinchaperonesinregulatingneurofilamentdynamicsinhealthandneuromusculardisease
McGillUniversity Quebec 2006
MargaretFahnestock,PhD
Mechanismofsensoryprotectionofdenervatedmuscle
McMasterUniversity Ontario 2006
ElizabethMeiering,PhD
FoldingandaggregationofALSassociatedmutantsuperoxidedismutases
UniversityofWaterloo Ontario 2006
JaniceRobertson,PhD
PeripherinabnormalitiesinALS UniversityofToronto Ontario
2006
JacquesTremblay,PhD
Developmentofimmunologicaltoleranceinmonkeysfortherapiesformusculardystrophiesbasedoncelltransplantation(musculardystrophyproject)
CentrehospitalierdelUniversitLaval
Quebec 2006
TimE.NolFellowshipsinALSResearch
Name Project Institute Province Year
HusseinDaoud,PhD
Resquenagedelexomechezdespatientsatteintsdesclroselatraleamyotrophicfamiliale
UniversityofMontreal Quebec 2010
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BeibeiZhao,PhD
Investigatingthetypesandamountsofproteincreatedbymotorneuroncells,informationcalledatranslationalprofile
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2009
RodolphePerrot,PhD
Thestudyofpathogenicmechanismsassociatedwiththedisorganizationofneuronalcytoskeleton
LavalUniversityHospitalResearchCentre
Quebec 2008
SherifElbasiouny,PhD
Ionicmechanismsunderlyingmotorneurondegenerationinamyotrophiclateralsclerosis
NorthwesternUniversity
Illinois(USA)
2007
JoeChakkalakal,PhD
Theestablishmentofmotorunithomogeneityduringdevelopmentandafteraxonregeneration
HarvardUniversity Massachusetts
2006
FranoisGrosLouis,PhD
IdentificationofmisfoldedproteinsassociatedwithsporadicALSthroughinnovativeproteomicsapproaches
CentreHospitalierdelUniversitLaval
Quebec 2006
EdorKabashi,PhD
DevelopingandcharacterizingnovelmodelsofALSandotherneurologicaldisordersinzebrafishandmice
CentreHospitalierdelUniversitdeMontral
Quebec 2006
DoctoralResearchAwards
Name Project Institute Province Year
TeresaMcAdams
Detectionandcompensationformassmotionartifactsinfunctionalmagneticresonanceimaging(fMRI)
UniversityofWesternOntario
Ontario 2010
SarahRosePickles
DeterminingthemechanismsoftoxicityofmisfoldedSOD1onmitochondria
UniversityofMontreal Quebec 2010
JasonHamlin,PhD
FunctionofScyl1inmembranetraffickingandNeurologicalDisease
McGillUniversity Quebec 2009
BaharehAjami,PhD
Microgliahomeostasisandfunctionincentralnervoussystem(CNS)disease
UniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2008
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MathieuGravel
ImagingandanalysisofglianeuroninteractionsinALS
LavalUniversity Quebec 2008
DavidGosselin,M.Sc.
IncreasingmicroglialexpressionofCCR2andIGF1throughgeneticengineeringofhematopoieticstemcellsforthetreatmentofALS
LavalUniversity Quebec 2007
XiaoyangShan,MD,M.Sc.
TheroleofOglycosylationinamousemodelofALS
SimonFraserUniversity
BritishColumbia
2007
RishiRakhit Investigatingproteinfolding/misfoldinginvivo
OntarioCancerInstitute
Ontario 2006
JenniferSolomon,PhD
BonemarrowderivedcellsinthecentralnervoussysteminamousemodelofALS
SimonFraserUniversity
BritishColumbia
2006
RonaldPeterGriggsMemorialPostdoctoralFellowshipinALSResearch
Name Project Institute Province Year
GilLewitus,PhD
TNFalphamediatedsynapticscalingasamechanismforALSdiseaseprogression
MontrealGeneralHospitalResearchInstitute
Quebec 2010
ALSSocietyofCanadaNRPSeniorScientistsBridgeFunding
Name Project Institute Province Year
GabrielleBoulianne,PhD
Drosophilaasamodeltostudyagerelatedneurodegenerativediseases:theroleofTDP43inALS
TheHospitalforSickChildren
Ontario 2010
PierreDrapeau,PhD
MultigenicanalysisanddrugscreeningusinginvivomodelsofALS
UniversityofMontreal Quebec 2010
MichaelStrong,MD
MicroRNA(miRNA)modulationofNFLmRNAdegradationandtranslationsilencinginALS:anovelwindowtotheunderstandingofRNAstabilityinALS
UniversityofWesternOntarioRobartsResearchInstitute
Ontario 2009
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BerniceRamseyDiscoveryGrants
Name Project Institute Province Year
HeatherDurham,PhD
TheroleofPRMT1mediatedmethylationinamodeloffALScausedbymutationsinTLS/FUS
MontrealNeurologicalInstitute/McGillUniversity
Quebec 2010
DouglasP.Munoz,PhD
UsingeyemovementsandfunctionalbrainimagingtoinvestigatecognitivedeficitsinALS
QueensUniversity Ontario 2010
JaniceRobertson,PhD
Per28:abiomarkerforALS UniversityofToronto Ontario 2010
VictorRafuse,PhD
InducedPluripotentStem(iPS)CellDerivedMotorNeurons:aModelSystemforStudying/TreatingSporadicALS
DalhousieUniversity NovaScotia
2009
LorneZinman,MD,andYanaYunusova,PhD
NeuralMechanismsofCognitiveandBulbarMotorDeclineinALS
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2009
AvijitChakrabartty,PhD
CompositionofALSpathologicalinclusionbodiesusinganovelproteomicstechnique
UniversityofToronto Ontario 2008
AlexParker,PhD
InvestigatingthephysiologicalconsequencesofTDP43mutationsinasimplemodelsystem
UniversityofMontreal
Quebec 2008
ALSCanadaDiscoveryGrants
Name Project Institute Province Year
KelvinJones,PhD
ExerciseusingneuromuscularelectricalstimulationslowstheprogressionofALSintheSOD1mouse
UniversityofAlberta Alberta 2009
ChristopherShaw,PhD
ProgranulinasanoveltherapeuticformotorneuronrescueinananimalmodelofALS
UniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2009
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BerniceRamsayClinicalResearchFellowship
Name Project Institute Province YearVincenzoSantoBasile,MD
Electromyography(EMG)andthediagnosisofALS,multipledrugtrialsandthedevelopmentofamoleculargeneticsprogram
SunnybrookHealthSciencesUniversityofToronto
Ontario 2009
ALSCanadaPartnershipswiththeALSAssociation
Name Project Institute Province
YearCharlesKrieger,MD,PhDandFabioRossi,MD,PhD
BoneMarrowDerivedCellsasGeneDeliveryVehiclesinALS
SimonFraserUniversityUniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2009
K.MingChan,MD,FRCPC
Randomized,doubleblind,doserangingstudyofmemantineinpatientswithALS
UniversityofAlberta Alberta 2008
RobertTanguay,PhD
OverexpressionofsmallmitochondrialchaperonesinamousemodelofALS
LavalUniversity Quebec 2007
MinhDangNguyen,PhD
TherolesofNdel1inmotoraxon/neurondegenerationandregeneration
UniversityofCalgary Alberta 2006
SanjayKalra,MD
TheneurochemicalprofileofcognitiveimpairmentinALS
UniversityofAlberta Alberta 2006
ChristopherShaw,PhD
RoleofsterolglucosideneurotoxicityinALSPDC
UniversityofBritishColumbia
BritishColumbia
2006
ALSCanadaPartnershipswiththeALSAssociationandtheMotorNeuroneDiseaseAssociation(UK)
Name Project Institute Province YearAmmarAlChalabi,ChB,PhD
OnlineCu/Znsuperoxidedismutasemutationdatabase
UniversityCollege
London,UK
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Source:ALSSocietyofCanada(2009).TalkingwithYoungPeopleaboutALS.
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FrequentlyAskedQuestionsaboutResearchWhatarestemcells?Stemcellsarecellsnotyetspecializedtoperformaparticularfunction.Theyhavethepotentialtodifferentiateintobloodcells,musclecells,neurons,andmanyothertypesofcellsthatperformaspecificfunction.Stemcellshavetwopossiblefates:theycandividerepeatedlyortheycandifferentiatetoproducethecellsneededforgrowingtissuesthroughselfrenewal.Whatarepluripotentstemcells?In2006,anewsourceofstemcellswasidentified.Thesecellsarecalledinducedpluripotentstem(iPS)cells.iPScellsarereprogrammedadultcellsmostcommonlytakenfromapatientsownskin,butmuscle,liverandothertissuetypescanalsobesources.Scientistsfoundawaytoturnbacktheclockonskincells,suchthattheywillhaveapluripotentpotentialbelievedtobeequivalenttoembryonicstemcells.JeanPierreJulien,professorofanatomyandphysiologyattheCentrehospitalierdelUniversitdeLaval(CHUL)ResourceCentre,Quebec,explains,StudiesoniPScellderivedmotorneuronsmightleadtothediscoveryofbiologicaldefectsassociatedwithALS.HowstemcellstreatmentsmightworkforALSTobenefitpatientslivingwithALS,stemcellswouldideallysupportneuroregeneration,replacingdamagedneuronsandspurringfunctionalrecovery,butalsocouldserveasecondaryrolebyprotectingneuronsfrominjury.DoestheALSSocietyofCanadafundstemcellresearch?ALSCanadaisencouragingresearcherstoapplyrevolutionarymethodsthatcreatestemcellsfromapatientsownbodytofindtreatmentsandcuresforALS.Formoreinformationaboutstemcellspleasevisitwww.als.catodownloadourstemcellfactsheet.Whatisaclinicaltrial?Aclinicaltrialisaresearchstudyusinghumanvolunteerstostudythesafetyandeffectivenessofadrug,treatment,ordeviceinchangingthecourseofhealthoutcomes.Clinicaltrialsfollowbasicscientificresearchthathasbeenconductedtobetterunderstanddiseasepathwaysandpreclinicalstudiesthattesttreatmenteffectsinthelaboratory.Trialscanbeconductedtoprevent(i.e.,immunizationtrials)ortreatdisease(i.e.,drugandtherapeuticdevicetrials).InALSresearch,mosttrialshavebeendrugtrials.Drugtrialsstudywhetherexperimental(new)treatmentsornewways
