As we look back on 2025, we’re proud to highlight the research achievements we accomplished together. 

Advancing ALS research is costly, requiring specialized equipment, data analysis, participant recruitment, and highly skilled teams. Yet investment in Canada still falls short of what’s needed to accelerate discoveries at the pace people living with ALS deserve. 

That’s why donor support is essential. At ALS Canada, we stretch every dollar to maximize impact and give promising ideas the chance to grow. Your generosity helps push research forward and brings hope to the ALS community, even in a landscape where resources remain limited, ensuring this important work continues.  

If you were able to support ALS Canada in 2025, these are some of the ways your contribution made an impact. 

Celebrating follow-on funding

In 2025, we were proud to celebrate a remarkable $5.86 million investment in new ALS research by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), awarded to researchers currently or previously supported by the ALS Canada Research Program. For more than 30 years, the ALS Canada Research Program has supported Canadian researchers by investing in early-stage ideas. These initial investments often lay the groundwork for larger follow-on funding, enabling promising projects to scale and evolve into impactful, long-term research efforts. 

We congratulate the researchers whose work continues to advance understanding and fuel progress toward new ALS treatments! Read more.  

Highlighting a year of discovery

Our momentum continued to grow throughout 2025. By year’s end, the ALS Canada Research Program was actively supporting 36 research projects across the country alongside two international projects. 

This support clearly makes an impact, with more than 16 scientific articles published in 2025 from projects, initiatives, and researchers we supported. Each publication represents more than data: it’s a step forward in the collective effort to unravel the complexities of ALS. 

Highlights from Canadian contributions supported include: 

Advances in biomarker discovery

  • Dr. Yeni Yucel’s team (University of Toronto) found that changes in the eyes of a mouse model of ALS, visible through a simple eye scan, may reflect damage happening in the brain. If this holds true in people, eye tests could have the potential to become a quick, safe, and inexpensive way to help track ALS in the future. 

Progress in technology and imaging

  • Sunnybrook researchers (Toronto) are testing a noninvasive focused ultrasound technique that briefly opens the blood–brain barrier so treatments can enter the brain. In a small trial, they’ve already delivered an IVIG treatment to one participant, and if the approach proves safe and tolerable, it could help future ALS therapies reach their targets more effectively, addressing a complex barrier in therapeutic development. 

 

  • Dr. Isabelle Lajoie (McGill University) explored whether brain scans could help predict how ALS progresses in individuals. She found that changes in certain areas of the brain were linked to faster disease progression and shorter survival. When this imaging data was combined with standard clinical information, predictions became much more accurate. This research suggests that brain imaging could become a valuable tool for guiding care and ensuring people get the right support at the right time. 

Ongoing discoveries in our understanding of the genetics of ALS

  • Researchers in Dr. Janice Robertson’s lab (University of Toronto) looked closely at brain cells from people living with C9orf72-ALS, as well as those with no identified genetic variant, and found major changes in how these cells produce energy and control gene expression. The team also developed a novel computer tool to help predict these changes, giving scientists a new way to study what goes wrong in ALS on a cellular level.  

 

  • Dr. Robertson’s team also discovered new evidence that variants in the C9orf72 gene may drive ALS due to loss of its protein function, something long debated in the field. They found that when the C9orf72 gene is missing in mouse models, motor neurons struggle to clear cellular waste, leading to protein fragment build up and worsening disease progression. This deepens our understanding of C9orf72 normal function and helps pave the way for more targeted genetic therapies in the future. 

 

  • Dr. Stefano Stifani’s team (McGill University) discovered that certain immune cells in the brain, called microglia, become abnormally activated in people with C9orf72-ALS, causing too much inflammation and harm to nearby motor neurons. This adds further evidence that these cells may play an important role in ALS, an important consideration when looking at new treatment targets. 

Developments in understanding TDP-43 targeting

Researchers worldwide are studying a protein called TDP-43, which malfunctions in most ALS cases. Dr. Terry Suk, working in the lab of Dr. Maxime Rousseaux (University of Ottawa), investigated a process called SUMOylation, which helps cells cope with stress by adjusting how proteins work. Their experiments in mice suggest that SUMOylation may act as an early protective response to keep TDP-43 in check, and when this system fails, it could contribute to ALS and aging-related brain changes. The findings also hint at possible differences between males and females in how the disease affects the brain. This research could open the door to new treatment strategies for ALS in the future. 

This is just a snapshot of the research being conducted in Canada, all thanks to your support.  

 The ALS Canada Research Program is just one way we’re making an impact in the world of ALS research. To discover more about international meetings, partnerships, and contributions, read  the latest edition of From the Research Desk: 

Looking ahead to 2026

As we look forward to the future of ALS research, 2026 promises to be a year of continued progress and driving change. 

CAPTURE ALS: A New Chapter

The first cohort of CAPTURE (Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand, Remedy, and Eliminate) ALS, Canada’s largest, most comprehensive observational study, is nearly complete. The release of the database is on the way and eagerly anticipated, as it will give researchers the opportunity to analyze the data and uncover new insights.  

At the same time, CAPTURE ALS 2.0 is on the horizon.  

ALS Canada is proud to support the launch of this expanded cohort, which will allow even more people living with ALS to contribute to research. This next phase will deepen biological insights, strengthen data-sharing, and accelerate discovery.  

Read more about the impact of CAPTURE ALS and stay tuned for more announcements! 

Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS

The Canadian ALS community continues to call on the government to invest $50 million over five years in the Canadian Collaboration to Cure ALS, ensuring that no Canadian living with ALS is left behind in research and care.  

Last year, people affected by ALS, researchers, clinicians, and ALS organizations across the country, together with ALS Canada, laid the groundwork for the ask. This momentum will continue into the year ahead.  

Introducing ALS Advance: National Meetings

In April, ALS Canada will host the inaugural ALS Advance: National Meetings, a coordinated series of meetings focused on improving the lives of Canadians affected by ALS. 

The program will bring together researchers, clinicians, early‑career talent, health care professionals, and ALS community members for collaborative learning, candid dialogue, and shared problem‑solving to advance research, care, and knowledge exchange across Canada and globally.  

One of the meetings brings something completely new to the field – disrupting it. It marks the first time our doors are fully open to international researchers, strengthening global collaboration for ALS.  

Stay connected to find out more.  

Strengthening Canada’s Research Ecosystem

In 2026, we are introducing a redesigned Career Transition Award, created to support the next generation of scientific leaders in Canada. 

The new model will: 

  • Allow talented young investigators to apply at any time of year 
  • Support researchers across various disciplines within basic and clinical sciences in ALS 
  • Provide modest hiring incentives to retain independent investigators in the ALS field 
  • Attract new international talent and encourage Canadian researchers abroad to return, maintaining expertise within the country. 

The ALS Canada Research Program will also continue its efforts to secure partnerships, build national capacity in ALS research, and support new initiatives that accelerate innovation in the field.  

Moving Forward

None of this would be possible without the dedication of researchers, the strength of the ALS community, and the generosity of donors.  

As we enter 2026, we remain driven by the same purpose: to bring hope to people and families impacted by ALS through research and collaboration. 

In our blog series, Driving Discovery, we showcase stories of the ALS Canada Research Program. Thanks to generous donations, our funding has provided foundational support in several areas of ALS research and clinical care. 

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