Two separate grants, aimed at ALS prevention and increasing clinical trial access and efficiency, were recently awarded to Pranger ALS Clinic Director Stephen Goutman, M.D., M.S.
Stephen Goutman, M.D., M.S.
Award to Prevent ALS:
The first was one of only six funded projects with the “ambitious goal” of preventing ALS. The Pranger ALS Clinic director, along with Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., believe they will one day be able to do just that.
“We will never have a world without ALS until we can prevent it,” said ALS Association Chief Mission Officer Dr. Neil Thakur. “And for that, we need the science to show us the best way to reduce people’s risk of developing the disease, whether they carry ALS genes or not. This research will move us forward in reaching this ambitious goal.”
To make this dream a reality Dr. Goutman and the ALS team seek to understand the environmental factors, genetics, and immune system mechanisms that affect ALS risk and survival.
READ MORE ABOUT THE GRANT TO PREVENT ALS HERE
Inaugural Trial Capacity Awards:
The second award is part of $5 million in grants the ALS Association is giving away to boost clinical trial capacity and speed. Named the inaugural Trial Capacity Awards, they will support the efforts of 13 established and emerging ALS Clinical Trial sites, including the Pranger ALS Clinic. Their purpose is to increase both the quantity and diversity of those living with ALS who have the opportunity to participate in a study, as well as improve the efficiency and pace at which these studies are conducted.
“There is an urgent need to increase the number and capacity of sites to complement the increase in ALS clinical trials that we are seeing,” said Dr. Paul Larkin, director of research at The ALS Association. “Expanding clinical trial capacity will allow potential new therapies to be tested faster and will improve trial accessibility for people with ALS in currently underserved areas.”
