ALS Network and ALS United Announce New Research Grantees

2025 Grantees Advance Breakthroughs in ALS Treatment and Discovery

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The ALS Network, in partnership with 12 ALS United member organizations, announces the selection of its 2025 Research Innovation Grantees—an accomplished group of scientists and clinicians whose work is accelerating new approaches in ALS treatment, prevention, and understanding. Together with ALS United, this collaboration reflects a shared determination to advance scientific discovery and translate innovation into tangible progress for people living with ALS. These grants underscore the ALS Network's commitment to driving global research while strengthening its mission priorities of expert care and bold advocacy.

This year's cohort represents leading investigators across multiple disciplines, including genetics, environmental studies, regenerative medicine, biomarker discovery, and novel clinical interventions. Their work aims to bring real progress and real hope to people living with ALS today. Grantees were selected via an annual, competitive process with applications reviewed by the ALS Network's world-class Scientific Advisory Committee and Community Research Committee.

"Every research partnership moves us closer to breakthroughs the ALS community urgently needs," said Sheri Strahl, MPH, MBA, president and CEO of the ALS Network. "We support revolutionary, transformative science that strengthens our shared path toward effective treatments and, ultimately, cures."

The ALS Network's 2025 Research Innovation Grants have been awarded to the following investigators and institutions:

• Sandra Almeida, PhD, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Department of Neurology for Investigation of TDP-43 Dysfunction in an iPSC-Based Three-Dimensional Multicellular Model of C9ORF72-ALS/FTD.
• Frederick Arnold, PhD, Washington University, St. Louis for Investigating Hyperphosphorylation of tau serine 262 as Novel Biomarker and Therapy Target in ALS.
• Claire Clelland, PhD, MD, University of California San Francisco for Rapid Screening of a Miniaturized Cas and gRNAs for AAV Delivery of C9orf72 Gene Therapy.
• Richard Daneman, PhD; John Ravits, MD, University of California San Diego for Multi-omic Analysis of Cerebrovascular Changes in Patients with ALS.
• Faranak Fattahi, PhD; Sarah Kishinevsky, PhD, University of California San Francisco, and EverTree Bio for Evaluation of Glioprotective Small Molecules for ALS therapy.
• Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne, MD, PhD; Liron Bar-Peled, PhD, Massachusetts General Brigham, Department of Neurology and Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research for Chemical Proteomics Drug Discovery in ALS.
• Timothy Miller, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology for Probing Human Motor Neuron Vulnerability Using Spatial Transcriptomics.
• Patrick Murphy, PhD, University of Connecticut Medical School for Temporal Control of Endothelial TDP-43 Deletion Reveals Divergent Mechanisms in ALS and FTD.
• Stanislav Piletsky, PhD; Daniel Heller, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and The Cancer Nanomedicine Laboratory for A Machine Learning-Enabled Nanosensor Array for ALS Diagnosis and Biomarker Discovery.
• Daniel Rubin, MD, PhD; Hadar Levi-Aharoni, PhD; Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital for Developing Reliable Brain-Computer Interface Systems to Restore Communication for People with ALS.
• Marc Weisskopf, PhD, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health for Military Occupation and Deployment and Risk of ALS in Veterans.
• Noah Zaitlen, PhD; Roel Ophoff, PhD; Martina Wiedau, MD, University of California Los Angeles for Circulating Cell-Free DNA as Biomarker for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Diagnosis and Disease Progression.
• Lyandysha Zholudeva, PhD, Gladstone Institutes for Engineering Human Spinal Circuits to Evaluate Inhibitory Interneuron Therapies for ALS.

The 2025 grants are part of the ALS Network's expanded commitment to research at a time when federal funding cuts threaten momentum in the field. By investing in high-impact scientific discovery, the organization continues to ensure progress does not stall for the ALS community.

Grant funding is supported by participating members of ALS United, a community of independent ALS nonprofits dedicated to providing local care services, advancing research initiatives, and advocating for policies that benefit people living with ALS. Led by significant investments from the ALS Network and ALS Northwest to accelerate progress, participating organizations include: ALS Network, ALS Northwest, ALS United Connecticut, ALS United of Georgia, ALS United Greater Chicago, ALS United Greater New York, ALS United Mid-Atlantic, ALS New Mexico, ALS of Nevada, ALS United North Carolina, ALS United Ohio, ALS United Orange County, and ALS United Rocky Mountain.

"ALS Northwest is proud to invest in research that has the potential to transform the future of ALS," said Cassy Adams, MSW, LCSW, Executive Director of ALS Northwest. "It reflects our belief that strategic, collaborative funding can accelerate progress. We're committed to fueling visionary science that leads to real breakthroughs and to standing with those living with ALS as we work toward a cure."

Focused on maximizing impact through a centralized research program facilitated by the ALS Network, the partnership reduces infrastructure costs, eliminates duplication, and increases direct funding to fuel innovative, promising science. To learn more about this unique and impactful research program, visit alsnetwork.org/research.

About the ALS Network
The ALS Network partners with the ALS community to drive the discovery of prevention strategies, treatments, and cures for ALS; provide access to quality care and connection; and promote initiatives to improve health outcomes. The ALS Network, formerly ALS Golden West, serves people with ALS and their families throughout California, Hawaii, and beyond. For more information about ALS and the ALS Network, visit our website at alsnetwork.org or email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on social media at @yourALSnetwork

About ALS United
ALS United is a collaborative network of independent nonprofit organizations across the United States, dedicated to supporting individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their families. With several members among the original founders of the national ALS movement over forty years ago, ALS United combines deep roots with innovative approaches to serve approximately half of the U.S. ALS population. Together, ALS United member  organizations provide comprehensive local support services, fund critical research initiatives, and advocate for policies that benefit the ALS community, guided by their shared vision, "Together, we end ALS." For more information about ALS United, visit alsunited.org or email [email protected].

ALS Network Media Contact:
Eric Beikmann  |  [email protected]

SOURCE ALS Network