ALS Society of Canada
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Welcome,

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. People living with the disease become progressively paralyzed due to degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Eighty per cent of people with ALS die within two to five years of diagnosis– unable to breathe or swallow. Ten per cent of those affected may live for 10 years or longer.

Other neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. According to the World Health Organization, neurodegenerative diseases are predicted to surpass cancer as the second leading cause of death in Canada by 2040.
 
ALS has no known cure or effective treatment yet. For every person diagnosed with ALS, a person living with ALS dies. Approximately 2,500 - 3,000 Canadians currently live with this fatal disease.

The ALS Society is committed to:

  • Support research towards a cure for ALS.
  • Support provincial ALS societies in their provision of quality care for persons living with ALS.
  • Build public awareness of ALS and its impact.


Profile of ALS Researchers

Please take a moment to watch clips of ALS researchers talk about nature of their work, what inspires them, what drives them to overcome obstacles, and what their hopes are for the future of ALS research.

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Michael Strong

MD, FRCPC

Chief of Neurology

Dean of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry (As of July 1, 2010)

Co-chair of the Department of Clinical Neurological
Sciences at the University of Western Ontario (UWO)

Director of the London Motor Neuron Diseases Clinic
at the London Health Sciences Centre and the
Arthur J. Hudson Chair in ALS Research


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Colleen Ives

PhD candidate

University of Western Ontario

 

 

 


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Vikram Mulligan

PhD Candidate

University of Toronto

 

 

 


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Heather Durham

PhD

Associate Dean Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies, McGill University

Director of the Neurotoxicology Research Laboratory at the Montreal Neurological Institute

Professor of Neurology/Neurosurgery at McGill University


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Mathieu Gravel

Candidat au doctorat

Université Laval

Titulaire 2008 de la bourse de recherche doctorale sur la SLA – Société canadienne de la SLA, en partenariat avec l'Institut des neurosciences, de la santé mentale et des toxicomanies

 


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Francois Gros-Louis

PhD

Boursier postdoctoral

Université Laval

Titulaire 2006 de la bourse de recherche Tim E. Noël sur la SLA – Société canadienne de la SLA, en partenariat avec l'Institut des neurosciences, de la santé mentale et des toxicomanies


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Alexandra Lissouba

Candidate à la maîtrise

Université de Montréal

 

 

 


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Véronique Belzil

Candidate au doctorat

Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal

 

 

 


Recent ALS Information, Research Updates, and Related Articles:
1.  *UPDATE* A clinical study of Ceftriaxone in ALS

A clinical study of Ceftriaxone in ALS is currently recruiting participants at fifty-five locations across the United States and Canada. ◊

"*UPDATE* A clinical study of Ceftriaxone in ALS"
2.  Study Links Neurodegeneration in Head Trauma and ALS

Nearly four years since researchers identified the mystery component of toxic protein aggregates in ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)-affected motor neurons as TAR DNA-binding protein ( ◊

"Study Links Neurodegeneration in Head Trauma and ALS"
3.  New Genes, Proteins and Biomarkers

Buried deep within thick skulls and boney spines, the neurons of the central nervous system are, perhaps, the most protected cells of the body. This is good news for healthy neurons, but bad news for ◊

"New Genes, Proteins and Biomarkers"
4.  The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the C.I.B.P.A. Hosts Fundraising Fashion Show

Just in time for fall, the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Canadian Italian Business & Professional Association (C.I.B.P.A.) will be hosting “Moda in Motion 2010 Fashion Show.” ◊

"The Ladies’ Auxiliary of the C.I.B.P.A. Hosts Fundraising Fashion Show"
5.  ALS Vaccine To Target Misfolded SOD1

Mutations in the gene encoding superoxide dismutase cause approximately 20 per cent of familial ALS cases, according to a paper recently published in Human Molecular Genetics. ◊

"ALS Vaccine To Target Misfolded SOD1"
6.  Cast Your Vote to Support the ALS Community in the Greater Toronto Area

Two Torontonians, Shana Valo, 26, and Alix Duck, 27, are on a mission to support families living with ALS and have entered the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project to make this possible. ◊

"Cast Your Vote to Support the ALS Community in the Greater Toronto Area"
7.  Is BMAA a neurotoxin relevant to ALS?

Cyanobacteria, also known as the blue-green algae that smother ponds, lakes and seas around the world, produce several toxins. Among them is beta-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), an amino acid that some ◊

"Is BMAA a neurotoxin relevant to ALS?"
8.  Neurodegenerative Disease Research Accelerates

While scientists worldwide strive to understand neurodegeneration and find ways to slow or stop it, variations in how they perform experiments and interpret their findings can slow the global effort t ◊

"Neurodegenerative Disease Research Accelerates"
9.  Optineurin Mutations in ALS

Although most ALS cases are sporadic, 10 per cent are familial, meaning they result from a hereditary gene defect. ◊

"Optineurin Mutations in ALS"
10.  ALS BC Advocacy Committee Receives Exceptional Advocacy Award

The ALS Society of British Columbia & Yukon’s advocacy committee under the leadership of Chairperson John Pendray, received the ALS Society of Canada’s Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award (group) i ◊

"ALS BC Advocacy Committee Receives Exceptional Advocacy Award"
11.  Krieger Receives Honourary Life Member Award

Vancouver, BC resident Dr. Charles Krieger received the ALS Society of Canada’s Honourary Life Member Award in recognition of his long time involvement and contribution to Canada’s ALS community durin ◊

"Krieger Receives Honourary Life Member Award"
12.  Williams Receives Exceptional Advocacy Award

Edmonton, AB resident David Williams received the ALS Society of Canada’s Brett Yerex Exceptional Advocacy Award (Individual) in recognition of his volunteer contribution to the ALS community of Canad ◊

"Williams Receives Exceptional Advocacy Award"
13.  Mahoney Receives Myra Rosenfeld Volunteer Award

Ellen Mahoney of Victoria, BC, received the ALS Society of Canada Myra Rosenfeld Volunteer Award in recognition of her volunteer contribution to the ALS community of Canada during an awards ceremony o ◊

"Mahoney Receives Myra Rosenfeld Volunteer Award"
14.  Georgetown WALK For ALS Receives Exceptional Fundraising Award

The organizing committee of the Georgetown, Ontario WALK for ALS has received the 2009 Exceptional Fundraising Award from the ALS Society of Canada during an awards ceremony on May 1, 2010 in Toronto ◊

"Georgetown WALK For ALS Receives Exceptional Fundraising Award"
15.  Dr. Jim McEwen Receives William Fraser Leadership Award

Vancouver, BC resident Jim McEwen, PhD, received the ALS Society of Canada’s William Fraser Leadership Development Award recognizing his outstanding leadership skills in the ALS community on May 1, 20 ◊

"Dr. Jim McEwen Receives William Fraser Leadership Award"