Welcome to the ALS Canada blog where you’ll find a collection of articles and updates on ALS-related topics. We strive to develop content that our community will find valuable and deliver up-to-date information about ALS research, community-based support, and advocacy initiatives. We also provide Ontario fundraising event updates and share personal stories about people and families living with ALS in Ontario to keep our community connected. For content in French, please refer to the “Français” category in the main menu.
Can new understandings about nuclear speckles lead to new treatment options for ALS?
February 12, 2020
In 2018, Dr. Ulises Rodriguez Corona was looking for a new research field where he could apply his knowledge and expertise in the biology of protein production in cells and the genetic instructions that control their behaviour. When he learned... Read More
Posted in: Research
Could newly discovered tags on TDP-43 protein explain its abnormal behaviour in ALS?
February 5, 2020
Overhearing one conversation was all it took to spark a new idea that became a funded ALS research project. Terry Suk, a PhD student working in the lab of Dr. Maxime Rousseaux at the University of Ottawa, heard Dr. Rousseaux... Read More
Posted in: Research
Radicava (edaravone): Take Action for Access
January 30, 2020
In October 2018, a new ALS treatment called Radicava was approved by Health Canada. It’s one of only two treatment options available to people living with this terminal disease. Today, over a year later, Radicava is still not available to... Read More
Posted in: Advocacy
Is the loss of normal function of C9ORF72 protein in a particular cell type a key driver of ALS disease processes?
January 29, 2020
Rahul Kumar has a burning curiosity to uncover the biological mechanisms driving neurodegenerative diseases. After finishing his combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science degrees at a prestigious research institute in India, he moved to Canada so he could work on... Read More
Posted in: Research
Top 10 Research Stories of 2019
January 27, 2020
2020 is shaping up to be another exciting year in ALS research discovery. Last year, major scientific advances in Canada and internationally led to significant and exciting progress in ALS research. As identified by the ALS Canada Research team, here... Read More
Posted in: Research
What is the role of a newly discovered protein in ALS?
January 23, 2020
Myriam Gagné was not expecting to work on ALS research. But the first time she saw Dr. Christine Vande Velde’s lab at l’Université de Montréal, it was “love at first sight.” Studying ALS would allow her to combine basic cell... Read More
Posted in: Research