Upcoming Research Opportunities

Open opportunities (fellowships, awards, training, research, funding, career, etc.) of interest to NEALS members can be found here. Please contact Christina Smith, NEALS Communications Coordinator, at csmith@neals.org to submit an announcement for posting on the website.

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We are hiring a postdoctoral researcher!
An exciting opportunity to join our new project on MRI-based imaging biomarker development in ALS. The appointment will be at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota. The CMRR is one of the world’s premier magnetic resonance imaging facilities, with considerable expertise in imaging physics, engineering, and clinical research. Further details and a formal application link are available at

https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/359206

CVs and/or informal inquiries about the position may be emailed to Pramod Pisharady at email hidden; JavaScript is required before submitting a formal application.


Due date for nominations is January 15, 2025

Please submit your application through our new application portal here.

The Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in partnership with ALS Finding a Cure® (ALSFAC) and FightMND is issuing a request for applications for the ALS Scholars in Therapeutics Program to empower young investigators to learn how to develop new treatments for people living with ALS.

This two-year program is designed to engage clinician-scientists and post-doctoral fellows to gain training and experience in therapy development for ALS at their home institution with an optional industry experience in year two. All ALS Scholars will be part of the broader ALS global community. We believe strongly in identifying, supporting, and mentoring the next generation of researchers and are continuing this tradition through the ALS Scholars in Therapeutics Program.


Award Details

  • 2 years of funding to support a clinician-scientist or post-doctoral fellow working in the ALS field anywhere in the world.
  • $150,000 USD award/funding year (inclusive of maximum 15% indirect costs)
  • Recipient must commit at least 75% effort to the proposed ALS research plan

Eligibility

  • Applications from clinician scientists and postdoctoral fellows focused on translational research.
  • Candidates with Ph.D. or M.D. with a strong publication record. International applicants are encouraged to apply.
  • The ALS-focused proposal must have a strong scientific rationale and should be largely developed by the candidate with guidance from his/her mentor.
  • Eligibility for this award is based on the date the candidate attained their degree/ qualification. For MDs, scholars will be considered if they have completed their specialist qualification (i.e., US Residency; Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, etc.) For PhDs they can be no more than 5 years post- degree.

Available resources: NEALS Biorepository, Target ALS post-mortem Tissue Bank, PRO-ACT, Answer ALS resources e.g. IPSC lines banked at Cedar Sinai, the Answer ALS Data portal, etc.

Budget

The ALS Scholars in Therapeutics will be awarded $150,000 USD per year (inclusive of direct and maximum 15% indirect costs) for a maximum of 2 years. These funds can be used for salary support, personnel, and/or supplies relevant to the outlined project. Year one funds will be provided by the Healey & AMG Center philanthropic fund.

Application

Full application will require the following:

  1. Administrative information: signatures from the applicant and organization acknowledging the terms and conditions of the award
  2. Scientific abstract: (300-word maximum) and lay description (150-word maximum)
  3. Research Proposal: focused on a translational effort in the ALS field (5-page maximum not including references) must include specific aims, significance, innovation, and experimental plan
  4. Timeline & Milestones
  5. Bibliography
  6. Career plan: outline of applicant’s training plans and career goals (one-page maximum)
  7. List of other funding sources for the applicant
  8. Two letters of reference: One letter must be from the applicant’s primary mentor
  9. NIH-style biographical sketch for the applicant and mentor
  10. Budget (in $USD) and budget justification: including key personnel

Review Criteria

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the following five criteria:

  1. Candidate: Strong publication track record, evidence of independent thinking, and a creative approach to problem-solving. For clinicians,applicants should demonstrate capabilities as a clinician scientist based on prior achievements.
  2. Mentor: Ideally a principal investigator committed and actively working within ALS or related field.
  3. Project Feasibility: While preliminary data is not essential for the application, sufficient supporting data for the proposed aims is required to ensure that the project is feasible and can be completed within the two-year time frame.
  4. Scientific Rigor and Reproducibility: the research proposed must be well thought through, include details of experimental design, blinding, power calculations, and approaches to promote reproducibility including validation of key reagents. In addition, the applicant should state how they will share their findings, data, reagents with the scientific community.
  5. Research Environment: Quality and nature of training provided by mentor as well as institutional support.

Reporting

The ALS Scholars will submit semi-annual financial and scientific progress reports to the Healey & AMG Center who will share with funding partners. The ALS Scholars will also attend and present their findings at least one of the semi-annual Healey & AMG Science Advisory Council and ALSFAC meetings during the funding period.

Application Due Dates

Applications Due: January 15, 2025

Notification of Award: May 2025

Initiation of Award*: July 1, 2025 (flexible once contracts signed)

Please submit your application through our new application portal here.

For queries contact: email hidden; JavaScript is required


The ALS Association now accepting applications for The Hoffman ALS Clinical Trial Awards Program. This program provides up to $1,000,000 in total funding over two or three years to support early- to mid-stage (phase 1 or 2a) clinical trials of novel or repositioned therapeutics for ALS (either disease-modifying or symptomatic). Early trials testing imaging tracers in people living with ALS are also in scope.

Please note:

  • For 2025, we are particularly interested in funding programs targeting TDP-43 and/or protein aggregation.
  • Funding will be prioritized for trials with a clear biological rationale and an integrated biomarkers strategy, and where clinical outcomes are aligned with the trial phase.
  • Both industry and academic investigators are invited to apply.

Letters of intent are due November 26, 2024, by 1 p.m. US ET. Click here for application instructions. If you have any questions, please email email hidden; JavaScript is required.

The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is recruiting a board certified or board-eligible Neurologist at the level of Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor to join the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS and will be an integral part of the ALS multidisciplinary care team and a clinical trialist as part of the Neurological Clinical Research Institute based within in the Department.

Qualified applicants should have advanced training in Neuromuscular Medicine and clinical research experience as evidenced by field work, peer-reviewed publications, and grant-supported activities. Applicants should have a completed a neurology residency in a major teaching hospital and should be familiar with working with neurology residents, interns and fellows within an academic neurology department in a general hospital setting. This position will be based at MGH. An appointment at the Harvard Medical School along with a corresponding hospital appointment will be commensurate with experience, training, and achievements. In addition, it is expected that the candidate will engage in teaching in the Harvard community with a minimum of 50 hours required per year. Women and minority applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should submit a c.v. and cover letter to:

James Berry, MD, Division Chief, ALS and Motor Neuron Diseases via email at email hidden; JavaScript is required

The Centers for Disease Control/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) is offering a grant opportunity for investigator-initiated research on potential risk factors contributing to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The focus is on identifying and evaluating risk factors, with an emphasis on areas such as military service, contact sports, traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammation, and infectious agents.

The funding is structured into three options:

  • Funding Option A: Supports ALS risk factor research with a well-established evidence base that would benefit from rigorous evaluation.
  • Funding Option B: Supports novel and exploratory ALS risk factor research, which may not have an existing evidence base and is developmental in nature.
  • Funding Option C: Focuses on understanding ALS risk factors in specific communities, including racial and ethnic minorities and military veterans.

The total program funding is estimated at $7.5 million, with individual awards ranging from $0 to a maximum of $500,000. The closing date for applications is November 4, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET, and the project must be submitted electronically. For more information visit https://www.grants.gov/search-...

Contact: Candis M. Hunter, PhD, MSPH, REHS at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

The Harvard/Partners Neurodegeneration Clinical Research (NCR) Fellowship is designed to produce experts in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and clinical research, with a particular focus on the clinical care and research of neurodegenerative disease, who will shape clinical research in these fields throughout their career.

The Neurodegeneration Clinical Research Fellowship training will occur via two major avenues: 1) Clinical Care training conducted primarily through mentored clinical encounters and supplemented by clinical conferences and individual study; and 2) Clinical Research training conducted through the experience of acting as a sub-investigator on at least one non-interventional research project and at least one treatment trial, as well as the development of one unique clinical research project with the careful support of a research mentor.

Eligibility/Application Process

Candidates must be board-eligible in Neurology, have completed residency in good standing prior to the start of the fellowship, and have a strong interest in clinical research. Candidates may have completed a one year neuromuscular fellowship or equivalent prior to joining this fellowship.

For more information on the Neurodegenerative Clinical Research Fellowship, and how to apply, please view the fellowship website (https://www.mgbneurologyfellowships.org/fellowships/neurodegenerative.htmlcontact) and contact Program Director, email hidden; JavaScript is required.


The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has recently re-issued a funding opportunity: “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Intermediate Patient Population Expanded Access (U01 Clinical Trial Required), ” RFA-NS-24-029.

This funding opportunity is intended to support scientific research utilizing data from expanded access (EA) studies for ALS using investigational drugs or biological products. Eligible applicants must be clinical trial sites that participate in a phase 3/efficacy clinical trial supported by a small business concern that is the FDA-designated sponsor of a drug or biological product which is the subject of an IND under section 505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat, or cure ALS. The definition of a small business concern can be found at https://seed.nih.gov/small-business-funding/small-business-program-basics/eligibility-criteria.

NINDS encourages eligible drug sponsors to review RFA-NS-24-029 and consider working with an eligible Phase 3 clinical trial site to submit an application.

NINDS program staff (contact information below) are available to address any questions you may have about the funding opportunity, and to discuss your application should you choose to submit. For more information about technical assistance webinars for potential applicants, see the Notice Number NOT-NS-24-036 for additional information, including registration guidance:  https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-NS-24-036.html

Amy Tsou, Program Director, Division of Clinical Research, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Emily Caporello, Program Director, Division of Translational Research, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Amelie Gubitz, Program Director, Division of Neuroscience, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Lumy Sawaki-Adams, Program Director, Division of Clinical Research, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has recently re-issued a funding opportunity: “Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Intermediate Patient Population Expanded Access (U01 Clinical Trial Required), ” RFA-NS-25-024.

This funding opportunity is intended to support scientific research utilizing data from expanded access (EA) studies for ALS using investigational drugs or biological products. Eligible applicants must be clinical trial sites that participate in a phase 3/efficacy clinical trial supported by a small business concern that is the FDA-designated sponsor of a drug or biological product which is the subject of an IND under section 505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) to prevent, diagnose, mitigate, treat, or cure ALS. The definition of a small business concern can be found at https://seed.nih.gov/small-business-funding/small-business-program-basics/eligibility-criteria.

NINDS encourages eligible drug sponsors to review RFA-NS-25-024 and consider working with an eligible Phase 3 clinical trial site to submit an application.

NINDS program staff (contact information below) are available to address any questions you may have about the funding opportunity, and to discuss your application should you choose to submit. In addition, technical assistance webinars for potential applicants to RFA-NS-25-024 will be scheduled prior to the submission due date.

Amy Tsou, Program Director, Division of Clinical Research, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Emily Caporello, Program Director, Division of Translational Research, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Amelie Gubitz, Program Director, Division of Neuroscience, NINDS, email hidden; JavaScript is required

Dina Lyon, Clinical Research Project Manager, Division of Clinical Research, email hidden; JavaScript is required

MDA provides support for research throughout the pipeline of drug development from discovery research through clinical trials. Funding opportunities exist for both academic investigators as well as for biotech and pharma seeking to develop therapies for neuromuscular disease.

Learn about all our grant programs and find deadlines and instructions on how to apply.

The 5th annual Sean M. Healey International Prize for Innovation in ALS is a global prize celebrating excellence in research for a team of investigators who catalyze exceptional discoveries leading to a transformative advance in therapy development in ALS. Novel advances could include, but are not limited to, technologies, tools or targets that lead to new insight, drug development, or clinical trial improvement.

Nominations Due: Friday, July 26th at 5pm EST

Presentation of award: International Symposium on ALS/MND December 6-8, 2024

Award: $50,000 USD and travel reimbursement up to $2,500 USD to attend International Symposium on ALS/MND

To learn more about the 6th annual prize and how to nominate a team, click here.

The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), invites submissions for early-stage clinical trials under the Treat FTD Fund.

The Treat FTD Fund seeks to support clinical trials incorporating:

  • biological mechanisms that have a sound scientific rationale for FTD
  • biomarkers that would permit evaluation of target engagement, downstream pharmacologic effect, and biological effect
  • trial designs aligned with constraints associated with a rare disease population
  • clinical outcome measures that could provide a deeper understanding of the drug mechanism and disease progression
  • therapeutics applicable to sporadic or genetic forms of FTD. Trials of treatments applicable in sporadic FTD are especially encouraged.

Award Details:

Up to $2,500,000 based on stage and scope of the trial. For studies requiring additional support, co-funding from other funding agencies or investors is encouraged. Payment structure will be negotiated and based on milestone achievements and patient enrollment.

Who Can Apply?

Researchers and clinicians worldwide at:

  • Academic medical centers, universities or non-profits. Industry partnerships are encouraged.
  • Biotechnology companies. Funding is provided through mission-related investments that require return on investment based upon scientific and/or business milestones. Existing companies and new startups are eligible.

Deadlines:

  • Letter of Intent: September 30, 2024
  • Invited full proposal: December 9, 2024

Applications will be reviewed confidentially by a panel of FTD experts. Applicants may expect to receive recommended revisions to their workplan or clinical trial design as part of the review process. Click here to view the RFP and access the application portal.

For more details, click here.

The Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family ALS Endowed Award for Innovative Healing is a global award celebrating excellence in research for an individual or team of investigators who are making transformative breakthroughs in the science of repair and regeneration of neurological function. Our goal is to identify and recognize therapies and modalities to regain loss of neural function in ALS or that may be applied in ALS patients in the future.

Award Criteria:

The Lalji Family ALS Award is accepting nominations for individual or team of investigators who have made significant progress impacting the repair and regeneration of neuronal degeneration that may be applied in ALS. Examples include but are not limited to:

  • Identification of key modulators of axonal, glial, and neuronal health and degeneration
  • Novel therapies including stem cell therapies to repair and/or regenerate axons, motor neurons or glia
  • Modalities to enhance neuroplasticity that lead to repair and regeneration
  • A root cause-based protocol or system that leads to reduction of inflammation and improvement of neuronal, glial, and/or axonal function
  • Neuro-technologies that restore function or communication and enhance quality of life
  • Novel methods to increase and improve endogenous neurogenesis
  • Restoring nerve muscle communication

Nominations Due: Friday, August 23rd at 5pm EST

Presentation of award: International Symposium on ALS/MND December 6-8, 2024

Award: $40,000 USD and travel reimbursement up to $2,500 USD to attend International Symposium on ALS/MND

To learn more about the annual Lalji Family award and how to nominate an individual or team, click here.