Boston, MA - Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Project A.L.S., a non-profit organization that funds research seeking effective treatments and a cure for ALS, have agreed to join forces to advance ALS research. Across Harvard, they will identify and pursue unique research opportunities for understanding and treating ALS, and will fundraise toward a projected two-year, multi-million dollar goal in support of that research.

Through their new collaboration, HMS and Project A.L.S. are teaming up together to accelerate progress toward mutual goals.

"We founded Project A.L.S. in 1998, aiming to put the first strong medicine into place," said Meredith Estess, president of Project A.L.S., a nimble, young organization that actively recruits new ideas and renowned scientists to ALS. "We learned that the fastest way to our goal was recruiting the best and brightest researchers throughout science and technology, and uniting them in true collaboration. For that reason we're thrilled about our new relationship with Harvard Medical School. This initiative promises to help us realize our translational goals faster."

"The mission of HMS is to create and nurture a community of the best people committed to leadership in alleviating human suffering caused by disease," said HMS dean, Dr. Joseph B. Martin. "This new collaboration with Project A.L.S. is one way to help advance the Medical School's mission," he said.

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease and motor neuron disease, is a progressive, fatal disorder related to Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Huntington's diseases. There are no effective treatments for ALS.

The new initiative will focus on four areas of research:

the genetics of ALS susceptibility;

stem cell therapy;

drug discovery; and * new approaches for treatment delivery to the central nervous system.

Guiding the new initiative is longtime ALS researcher Dr. Robert Brow
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25-May-2005


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