Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital participating in largest ALS research project
Just a few weeks after people were dumping buckets of ice water on their heads for ALS, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins University, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announced they are joining together for the largest coordinated research project dedicated to ending ALS.
The project, announced on Wednesday, was launched as part of Answer ALS, an initiative led by a council of ALS stakeholders pushing to find a cure.
The Answer ALS research project has already received $20 million in funding from the National Football League, the PGA TOUR, Travelers, ALS Finding a Cure, and others, according to a news release about the initiative. With the mission of discovering what causes ALS and ultimately curing the fatal neurodegenerative disease, the project will create the largest comprehensive foundation of ALS data, taking genetic, clinical, chemical, protein, historical, and biological data from patients across the states.
According to Answer ALS, the idea for the project began in 2013 when former NFL player Steve Gleason, who is an ALS patient, asked researchers to meet with ALS patients and their caregivers to coordinate a plan to find a cure.
Research from the project could also could also provide better understanding of other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to the project’s announcement.
Related gallery: Mass. General Hospital through the years
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