Research We Fund
Your generous support enables ALS United Mid-Atlantic to fund millions of dollars in research. We fund projects across the research pipeline, from basic research through clinical trials, and our support has led to several potential treatments currently in clinical trials.
Your generous support enables ALS United Mid-Atlantic to fund promising research with respected local leaders and national partners. We fund projects across the research pipeline, and our support and advocacy have led to several potential treatments currently in clinical trials. These advances were highlighted during the 2025 Help and Hope Symposium. Videos from this event are available at www.youtube.com/alsmidatlantic.
In July 2025, the board of ALS United Mid-Atlantic approved funding for these promising research projects:
- Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center: Novel Microglia-Targeted CAR-T Therapy for ALS: Preclinical Evaluation in Mice and Patient Organoids
- Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center: Metabolic Biomarkers in ALS
- ALS TDI: Acquisition of an ELISA platform, with 384-well plate capacity
- Temple University: Cellular-level transcriptional pathway alterations for selection of blood biomarkers of C9orf72 ALS
In the summer of 2024, ALS United Mid-Atlantic Board approved funding for these projects:
- ALS-TDI
o Purchase a Biotek Biospa Automated Incubator to run significantly more cell-based assays in iPS cell motor neurons. - Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center
o Evaluate the effects of environmental toxins linked to ALS on neuronal homeostasis - Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center
o Routine Evaluation of Neurofilament L Levels in Clinical Care of ALS Patients
o Development of Novel Cell-Based Therapy for ALS/FTD - Temple University
o Enlarge the number of studies to include transcriptome and expression of inflammatory proteins, as well as epigenetic changes to DNA. - Pennsylvania Hospital
o Collect biosamples for use in longitudinal studies
Your donations and advocacy make these programs possible. Learn more about ongoing investments in ALS research at www.alsmidatlantic.org.
Research Initiatives
| Project Title | Applicant | Award Start Date | Award End Date | Award Amount | Primary Organization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory Health Management in Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis through Telemonitoring and Nurse Health Coaching | Simmons, Zachary | 01/31/2020 | 07/31/2023 | $197,302.00 | The Pennsylvania State University |
| Improving and expanding access to clinical trials in the Tri-State region | Ilieva, Hristelina | 01/31/2023 | 01/30/2027 | $400,000.00 | Thomas Jefferson University |
| Enhancement of Trial Capacity at Temple University ALS Center of Hope | Heiman-Patterson, Terry | 11/01/2022 | 10/31/2026 | $400,000.00 | Temple University – Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education |
| Preclinical evaluation of bemcentinib as a novel therapeutic for ALS | Lee, Virginia | 01/15/2022 | 01/14/2024 | $500,000.00 | The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Digital assessment tools for ALS & FTD | Dacks, Penny | 01/01/2023 | 12/31/2025 | $500,000.00 | The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration |
| Axonal TDP-43 dysfunction as a pathogenic event in ALS | Donnelly, Christopher | 01/01/2023 | 12/31/2023 | $50,000.00 | University of Pittsburgh |
| Potentiation of a nuclear-import receptor to counteract aberrant TDP-43 assembly | Linsenmeier, Miriam | 11/01/2022 | 10/31/2024 | $133,490.00 | University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine |
| Identifying genetic and small molecular modifiers of FUS-mediated ALS | Pandey, Udai | 09/01/2018 | 12/31/2021 | $300,000.00 | University of Pittsburgh Medical Center |
| 2023 Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research | Lee, Virginia | 06/01/2023 | 05/31/2024 | $50,000.00 | University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine |