Role of enterovirus infection in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Dr. Chantelle Sephton will receive another one year of support to continue work on unique roles of FUS (an ALS gene/protein) at the junction where neurons connect, called the synapse. Most of the work done on FUS focuses on its functions in the central region of the neuron called the cell body and in this project, she will examine several critical functions at the synapse that appear to be disrupted by abnormal FUS. When there is a mutation in the FUS gene, it causes ALS and it is important to consider all ways and locations in which this altered FUS can affect motor neuron degeneration. Dr. Sephton will was also a recipient of both an ALS Canada Bridge Grant and an ALS Canada-Brain Canada Career Transition Award in 2015 to work towards these goals and this additional year of funding will provide and opportunity to further advance her work early in her career and provide a bigger foundation of data for future applications.