Project ALS Therapeutics Core
From discovery to new therapies.
We bring the best minds together to develop, test, and advance promising treatments and clinical tools for people living with ALS.
Explore Our Research ↓WHAT IS THE CORE?
One mission.
Many minds.
The Project ALS Therapeutics Core is an open-campus collaboration among academic laboratories, industry partners, and the ALS community.
Launched to translate basic ALS research
into new therapies and clinical tools,
the Core specializes in preclinical
research: developing and de-risking new
approaches before they move toward
clinical development.
The Core is not a single building, but a
collaborative model that connects
scientific expertise, resources, and
ideas to accelerate progress.
Our goal is simple: new, safe, and effective ALS diagnostics and therapies.
Our specialty is preclinical research.
We use patient-specific ALS models and advanced research tools to evaluate and optimize promising treatments before they enter clinical trials. By investigating disease biology, safety, and potential effectiveness earlier, we aim to bring stronger drug candidates into trials for people living with ALS.
How We Work
ALS needs the best minds.
From every discipline.
01 / Collaboration
Break down silos.
We connect researchers across institutions and disciplines to share knowledge, data, technologies, and ideas.
02 / New Perspectives
Bring new thinking to ALS.
We recruit exceptional scientists from beyond traditional ALS research to draw on their diverse expertise and fresh perspectives.
03 / Real-World Impact
Keep people at the center.
Our work is guided by the urgent need to develop better treatments and tools for people living with ALS, and ultimately, a cure.
Current Research Grants
The Core brings together leading researchers from across disciplines and institutions to advance promising ALS tools and therapies. Explore the collaborative research currently supported by the Core.
Evaluating FUS-like sporadic ALS patients and treatment strategies using machine learning
Steven Altschuler, PhD & Lani Wu, PhD
UC San Francisco
Detecting prodromal behavioral biomarkers of ALS using deep learning
Eiman Azim, PhD & Talmo Pereira, PhD
Salk Institute
Examining the role of innate immune response and double stranded RNAs in ALS
Hachung Chung, PhD
Columbia University
Prodromal alterations in physiology and gene expression in the motor neuron subpopulations most vulnerable to ALS
George Mentis, PhD
Columbia University
Custom antibodies for ALS research
Susan Brenner Morton
Columbia University
Motor Neuron Rejuvenation: Evaluating neuromuscular junction integrity in rejuvenated SOD1 motor neurons in vivo
Hynek Wichterle, PhD; Emily Lowry, PhD; George Mentis, PhD
Columbia University
Advancing paullone therapeutics for ALS
Brent Stockwell, PhD
Columbia University
Laboratory-designed molecular scissors to target disease-causing proteins in ALS
Alejandro Chavez, PhD
UC San Diego
Motor Neuron Rejuvenation: Dissecting the specification of adult motor neuron subtypes
Tulsi Patel, PhD
Rutgers University
28 Years of Research Progress
Want to learn more about Project ALS research? Catch up on episodes of Project ALS Research Live, where we talk to special guests about ALS research and the history of Project ALS.
The Beginning Years
Leading neurologist and neuroscientist, Dr. Jeffrey Rothstein, diagnosed Project ALS founder Jenifer Estess at the age of 35. He then became a founding crusader for collaborative Project ALS research.
The Learning Curve
Alexandra Cavaliere and Gwen Petersen of Her ALS Story discuss difficult, but necessary, topics, including the road to an ALS diagnosis, participating in clinical trials, and the future of ALS research.
Sea of Plenty
Pre-eminent ALS geneticist and founding Project ALS Research Advisory Board member, Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, shares about meeting Project ALS, and his wise words that encouraged Project ALS to relentlessly work towards better treatments.
Our First Family
Mickey McGrath was a beloved husband, father, and doctor. Mickey’s daughters, Nicole and Melissa, reflect on their father’s life with ALS, and how their community has continued to champion Project ALS in honor of their dad for more than 20 years.
The Work Continues