The ALS Society of Canada is proud to announce the funding of a 2025 ALS Canada Discovery Grant in partnership with the ALS Québec – Dr. Jean-Pierre Canuel Fund, to support a research project led by Dr. Janice Robertson at the University of Toronto. The one-year, $125,000 grant will support Dr. Robertson and her team’s project, Mapping Alternative Polyadenylation and Splicing in ALS via Single-Nucleus Long-Read Transcriptomics, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Shreejoy Tripathy.
This research aims to identify disruptions in RNA processing linked to ALS, including changes that make brain cells more vulnerable to disease. RNA processing is crucial because it converts genetic instructions (DNA) into properly formed proteins, and when this system is affected, it can contribute to the cellular stress and degeneration seen in ALS.
By using an advanced sequencing method to uniquely read RNA molecules from individual motor neurons, the study aims to identify new patterns and markers inside affected cells, creating a high‑quality dataset that could support a better, deeper understanding of ALS and inform the development of improved treatments. The study will focus on motor neurons from people living with C9orf72‑ALS, those with no known genetic variants, and healthy controls.
Read more about the lab’s previous work here.
“Advancing ALS research in Canada requires organizations to collaborate and invest strategically,” says Tammy Moore, CEO of ALS Canada. “By partnering to fund research with the ALS Québec – Dr. Jean-Pierre Canuel Fund, we can support promising ALS research underway in Canada and maximize the impact of donor dollars. We look forward to working with Dr. Robertson and her team as this project advances and contributes to the broader understanding of ALS.”
Funding for this project was made possible through the generosity of the ALS Québec – Dr. Jean-Pierre Canuel Fund, which supports ALS research through the ALS Canada Research Program.
“We are proud to partner with donors like Dr. Jean-Pierre Canuel and collaborate with ALS Canada to support Canadian researchers whose work brings hope for deeper understanding and better treatments for people living with ALS,” says Claudine Cook, Executive Director of ALS Quebec.
All projects funded through the ALS Canada Research Program are supported by the generosity of participating provincial ALS Societies, ALS Canada donors, and community-based fundraising efforts, including proceeds from the Walk to End ALS in Quebec. Projects are selected through a competitive, peer-reviewed process that prioritizes scientific rigor and potential to advance ALS research.
For more information about the ALS Canada Research Program, visit als.ca/research/our-research-program.