With support from Fondation Vincent Bourque, investments help seven early-career researchers and clinicians to improve ALS patient care and deepen our understanding of the disease
TORONTO, December 18, 2024 – The ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada) and Brain Canada are pleased to announce the seven recipients of the 2024 ALS Canada-Brain Canada Clinical Research Fellowship and Trainee Awards. These grants are designed to foster the development of clinical expertise and research innovation, enabling early-career clinicians and researchers to enhance their skills and increase the understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects nearly 4,000 Canadians.
“ALS is a complex disease that affects people differently, and there is still so much to learn. By investing in these early-career awards, we’re ensuring that a new generation will continue the work and build off the discoveries of those who came before them, which we hope will lead to better available treatments,” said Dr. David Taylor, Vice-President of Research and Strategic Partnerships, ALS Canada. “These awards not only support future discoveries but also aim to elevate clinical care standards, essential to the quality of life for people living with ALS.”
This year marks a decade since ALS Canada and Brain Canada united to support promising ALS researchers, fueled by the generous contributions of Canadians during the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This collaborative partnership has amplified the impact of research funding, strengthened ALS research in Canada, and made progress toward a world free of ALS.
“Brain Canada’s decade-long partnership with ALS Canada is making a meaningful impact in the ecosystem, contributing more than $25 million to ALS research to date,” notes Dr. Viviane Poupon, Brain Canada President & CEO. “Our joint investment supports projects that will drive new discoveries in the development of effective treatments for this devastating disease, while also empowering the next generation of ALS researchers to advance their promising work. The learnings we gain through this powerful partnership will help us address other brain conditions, including MS, Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease.”
The Clinical Research Fellowship is designed to support a clinician’s training in clinical care and research skills related to ALS over two years. This training is crucial to strengthening Canada’s clinical infrastructure for ALS care.
The Clinical Research Fellowship will provide $174,000 in funding.
Summary of 2024 Clinical Research Fellowship
- Mind the gap: Unlocking structural and molecular insights in the neuromuscular junction
Dr. Matti Allen, a clinical fellow supervised by Dr. Angela Genge and Dr. Richard Robitaille, working at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Université de Montréal, awarded $174,000
The Trainee Awards include two streams of funding: Doctoral students pursuing their PhD and postdoctoral fellows, who receive financial support to cover their salaries for up to three years, providing Canadian labs with the necessary funds to have top researchers working on the best projects to understand the disease better and drive toward new treatments for individuals living with ALS.
A total of $520,000 was awarded through the 2024 Trainee Awards.
Summary of 2024 Doctoral Awards
- Granule Up! Stabilizing stress granule formation to promote cell survival in ALS
Mariam Choughari, a PhD student supervised by Dr. Christine Vande Velde, working at CRCHUM, Université de Montréal, awarded $75,000 over three years
- Chasing down the PPIA pathway: Protecting where the brain and muscles connect in ALS
Marion Boyer, a PhD student supervised by Dr. Silvia Pozzi, working at Université Laval, awarded $75,000 over three years - Signaling a new therapeutic target for ALS: Unraveling the role of C9orf72 in synaptic function
Bryan Kartono, a PhD student supervised by Dr. Janice Robertson, working at the University of Toronto, awarded $75,000 over three years - It’s not AI’mpossible: Exploring a new avenue for personalized ALS treatments
Aakanksha Singh, a PhD student supervised by Dr. Sanjay Kalra, working at the University of Alberta, awarded $75,000 over three years
Summary of 2024 Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Junctioning to conclusions: Exploring neuromuscular junction vulnerability to uncover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers for ALS
Agathe Lafont, a postdoctoral fellow supervised by Dr. Richard Robitaille, working at Université de Montréal, awarded $165,000 over three years - One break at a time: Uncovering the role of TDP-43 in DNA repair
Tzu-Yu Lin, a postdoctoral fellow supervised by Dr. Rodrigo Reyes Lamothe, working at McGill University, awarded $55,000 over one year
Funding for Dr. Agathe Lafont’s Postdoctoral Fellowship was made possible through a partnership with Fondation Vincent Bourque, who generously contributed $82,500 to ALS Canada, which Brain Canada matched through the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF).
The CBRF is an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) and Brain Canada Foundation, which increases Canadians’ support for brain research and expands the philanthropic space for funding brain research to achieve maximum impact.
About Fondation Vincent Bourque
Vincent was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. He knew that ALS was not an incurable disease, but an underfunded one. With his wife, Isabelle Lessard, and many friends, he created a Fondation to help families living with ALS and to support research in order to eradicate ALS. He passed away in 2018, but his legacy to the ALS community is immeasurable. The Fondation Vincent Bourque has raised more than $1,200,000 since 2018, given seven research grants to star researchers dedicated to ALS, and distributed more than $250,000 to help families. The Fondation Vincent Bourque is proud to be working with ALS Canada and Brain Canada toward a future without ALS.
About ALS Canada and the ALS Canada Research Program
The ALS Society of Canada (ALS Canada) is working to change what it means to live with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an unrelenting and currently terminal disease.
Grounded in and informed by the Canadian ALS community, we respond to the urgent unmet need for life-changing treatments by investing in high-quality research that will fuel scientific discovery and by engaging industry, supporting increased clinical capacity and advocating for equitable, affordable, and timely access to proven therapies.
Responding to the tremendous need for current and credible ALS knowledge, awareness, and education, we empower Canadians affected by ALS to navigate the current realities of ALS, be informed consumers of ALS information, and advocate effectively for change.
Through the ALS Canada Research Program, we fund peer-reviewed research grants, foster collaboration and build capacity within Canada’s ALS research and clinical community, and invest in new areas of research positioned to have high impact. As the only national dedicated source of funding for ALS research across Canada, the ALS Canada Research Program aims to accelerate research impact by providing funding for the most promising ALS projects focused on translating scientific discoveries into treatments for ALS. We are grateful for the support of our donors and the contributions from participating provincial ALS Societies through the Walk to End ALS.
About Brain Canada
Brain Canada plays a unique and invaluable role as a national convenor of those who support and advance brain research. A greater understanding of how the brain works contributes to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disorders of the brain, ultimately improving the health outcomes of people in Canada and around the world. Visit Braincanada.ca and @BrainCanada
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Join the conversation and connect with the ALS community online. Find ALS Canada on X, Instagram, or like our page on Facebook. Visit als.ca to find out more.
For more information:
ALS Society of Canada
media@als.ca
437-703-5402
Brain Canada
Jillian Donnelly
jillian.donnelly@braincanada.ca