Upcoming Research Opportunities

Letter of Intent due April 25, 2023

The ALS Association’s Seed Grants support the generation of preliminary data that will ultimately serve as the basis for larger grants that fund impactful research focused on ALS.

Overview

The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research worldwide. Through our global research program, we are at the forefront of efforts to find new treatments and a cure for ALS in addition to making life better for people currently living with the disease, their caregivers, and their families. Association-funded grants and awards have led to some of the most promising and significant advances in ALS research.

Through its Seed Grants, the Association seeks to fund research with a strong scientific rationale and potential for significant impact in ALS but limited preliminary data. These one-year awards with a maximum budget of $50,000 should be used to gather preliminary data that will support future applications to larger grant award programs.

Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research may apply as a principal investigator. Individuals do not need to have a scientific background in ALS research. Established investigators, early career investigators, and investigators from outside the ALS field are all encouraged to apply. Junior postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as principal investigators.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: April 25, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): June 27, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Anticipated Award Decision: September 2023

• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: October 2023

For more details on the program and how to apply, click here.

Due date for nominations is May 19, 2023

The Gupta Family Endowed Prize for Innovation in ALS Care is an annual global prize to honor ground-breaking new approaches that lead to exceptional care for individuals living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The goal of this prize is to encourage idea sharing, innovation, and forward-thinking on scalable ongoing and ground-breaking projects that have directly improved ALS patient care. This annual prize is awarded to a nominated team who has developed promising new approaches to improving care for people living with ALS.

The Gupta Family Endowed Prize was established in 2021 at the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General under the direction of Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, Chief of Neurology at Mass General. Learn more about the previous prize winners from 2021 and 2022.

Prize Criteria

There are no limits on the types of solutions to improve care. Examples of ALS care innovation include but are not limited to assistive technology, multidisciplinary care, communication and education, trials, nutrition.

• The project nominated should be realized and ongoing as well as scalable to reach a larger group of people living with ALS within 1 year.
• Nominees should have a touchpoint with patients and/or caregivers.
• Nominations are accepted from all but preference will be given to projects led by junior investigators/teams/clinicians.
• Nominations do not have to be from an academic institution.
• We strongly discourage multiple nominations for the same team as one will suffice.
• While self-nominations are allowed, nominations by others are preferred.

Selection

The awardees will be selected by members of the Gupta family, Healey Center & AMG Scientific Advisory Council, NEALS PEACe Committee and advisors who are living with ALS.

Timeline for Submission

Nomination Due Date: May 19, 2023
Presentation of Award: 22nd Annual NEALS Meeting October 4 - 6, 2023

Download Nomination form here
Submit completed nomination form and supporting documents as a single PDF to email hidden; JavaScript is required

Award: $20,000 USD and travel reimbursement up to $2,500 USD to attend Annual NEALS Meeting

To learn more about the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS click here

Letter of Intent due March 30, 2023

The ALS Association’s Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program supports the preclinical development of new or repurposed treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Overview

The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research worldwide. Through our global research program, we are at the forefront of efforts to find new treatments and a cure for ALS in addition to making life better for people currently living with the disease, their caregivers and their families. Association-funded grants and awards have led to some of the most promising and significant advances in ALS research.

The Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Drug Development Program, named in honor of the prominent entertainment executive and television and theater actress, provides industry and academic investigators with up to $500,000 over two years to support the preclinical assessment of novel therapies or repositioned treatment approaches for ALS. This program prioritizes projects that have a high probability of reaching the clinic within three years.

To view the full funding announcement, click here.

Topics of Interest (Scope)

Both novel programs and repurposing of approved or clinically safe therapies from other disease indications are appropriate for this RFA. Studies can be performed by a contract research organization in collaboration with the principal investigator. We are especially interested in drug development projects supporting the following:

-In vivo efficacy testing of therapeutic candidates (pharmacological treatments, biological therapies or gene therapy) in models of ALS
-Studies on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, preclinical toxicology/safety (ADME/Tox), dose-range finding and target engagement
-Other IND-enabling studies

Please note: Clinical trials will not be supported through this funding opportunity. Neither will early drug discovery studies proposing high-throughput screening, hit-to-lead and lead optimization.
Funding and Eligibility

Budgets for total costs up to $500,000 (inclusive of both direct and indirect costs) may be requested (up to $250,000 per year across two years). Indirect costs are limited to 10% of total direct costs.

Individuals with the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research may apply as a principal investigator. Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as principal investigators.

Since the preclinical drug development process often requires resources beyond those available at a single organization, applications are open to investigators participating in synergistic collaborations. The applicant organization must be the entity that controls the relevant intellectual property under development.
Key Dates and Deadlines

Letter of Intent Due Date: March 30, 2023, 5 p.m. US EDT
Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): June 1, 2023, 5 p.m. US EDT
Anticipated Award Decision: July 2023
Anticipated Earliest Start Date: August 2023

Submissions

All application materials must be submitted electronically. To register for a Proposal Central account, create a new Letter of Intent or access an existing saved Letter of Intent, please visit proposalcentral.com

For more information, visit The ALS Association website.

Application deadline: June 22, 2023

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to promote the development of fit-for-purpose candidate biomarkers and biomarker signatures that enable more efficient clinical trials to advance therapeutic development or be used in clinical practice to help guide clinical care decisions. Specifically, the goal of this phased funding mechanism is to first identify or confirm candidate biomarkers or biomarker signatures using human samples and/or data, followed by an independent retrospective or prospective clinical study to conduct initial clinical validation of the biomarker/signature’s clinical utility for a defined Context of Use(s). In the first phase, applicants are expected to demonstrate that the biomarker acceptably identifies or predicts the concept of interest and may include optimization of the detection method using carefully standardized human samples or datasets. The overarching purpose of this initiative is to deliver candidate biomarkers or biomarker signatures that are ready for definitive analytical and clinical validation studies.

For more information, visit the NIH website: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-22-089.html

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage grant applications for the conduct of scientific research utilizing data from expanded access (EA) for investigational drugs or biological products. These applications will target EA for intermediate size populations of patients living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who are not eligible for ongoing clinical trials for the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or cure of ALS.

Key Dates

Posted Date: January 09, 2023

Letter of Intent Due Date: February 23, 2023

Application Due Date: May 1, 2023

For more information and to apply, visit the NIH website: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-NS-23-012.html

Letter of Intent due May 17, 2023

The ALS Association’s Prevention Grants support efforts to prevent or delay the harms of ALS, emphasizing validation and translation over discovery.

Overview

The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research worldwide. Our goal is to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere, until we can cure it. To truly make ALS a livable disease, advancing the science of prevention is critical. Specifically, by 2030, when someone is diagnosed with ALS, we would like to be able to offer advice to their families about how to reduce their risk of developing the disease.

Achieving this ambitious goal requires a large body of knowledge, including an understanding of the causes and risk factors for ALS, methods for predicting when the clinical manifestations of ALS will emerge, and viable strategies to intervene, either by mitigating risk or by treating the underlying biology of disease before ALS symptoms emerge. The 2030 timeframe guides us to emphasize validation and translation over exploratory studies.

Prevention Grants provide up to $400,000 over 2 years to help advance translational science, interventions, and tools that could eventually prevent or delay the onset of ALS. Projects that will likely lead to human impact within the next 5–7 years will be given preference over longer term research.

Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research may apply as a principal investigator. Individuals do not need to have a scientific background in ALS research. Established investigators, early career investigators, and investigators from outside the ALS field are all encouraged to apply. Junior postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as principal investigators.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: May 17, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): July 19, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Anticipated Award Decision: September 2023

• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: October 2023

For more details on the program and how to apply, click here.

The last decade has seen unprecedented advances in our understanding of the biology of the disease, an exponential increase in novel targets and innovative approaches to developing therapies. The 5^th annual Healey & AMG Center International Prize for Innovation in ALS is a global prize celebrating excellence in research for a team of investigators who catalyse exceptional discoveries leading to a transformative advance in therapy development in ALS.

Sean M. Healey, executive chairman of Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. (AMG) joined AMG when it was a start-up in 1995 and together with his founding colleagues built the firm into one of the largest global asset management companies with over $830 billion under management – AMG is NYSE-listed and a component of the S&P 500. Prior to AMG, Sean began his career as an investment banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions Department at Goldman Sachs.

Mr. Healey was diagnosed with ALS in May 2018. Following his diagnosis, he took a step back from his long-time role of Chairman and CEO at AMG to aggressively pursue treatment at the guidance of his doctor, Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, Chief of Neurology at Mass General. Together, with his company and friends, he established the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Mass General.

Letter of Intent Due June 8, 2023

The ALS Association’s Trial Capacity Awards support efforts to increase participation in ALS clinical trials and efforts to improve the speed and efficiency of clinical trial conduct at both established and emerging ALS clinical trial sites.

Overview

Clinical trials are the most reliable – and ultimately the fastest – way to translate promising laboratory science into new and better ways to treat and care for people living with ALS. Therefore, the Association is working to significantly increase the number of high-quality ALS clinical trials as part of its strategic priority of finding new treatments and cures.

As the number of ALS trials increases, the number of people with ALS participating in research will need to increase as well. Many people living with the disease want to participate in clinical trials but are unaware of opportunities or lack access to local trial sites. In addition, many trial sites do not have the infrastructure or capacity to accommodate significantly more participants and/or additional trial protocols.

The ALS Association’s Trial Capacity Awards support efforts to improve the speed and efficiency of clinical trial conduct at both established and emerging clinical trial sites across the U.S., as well as initiatives to help improve trial accessibility for people with ALS. These awards help eliminate barriers to trial participation, especially those impacting currently underserved populations, to increase the number and diversity of people living with ALS who have the opportunity to participate. Applications that focus primarily on specific barriers or bottlenecks rather than spreading funding across all trial-related expenses are preferred.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: June 8, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): August 10, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Anticipated Award Decision: October 2023
• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: November 2023

For more details on the program and how to apply, click here.

Letter of Intent due May 17, 2023

The ALS Association’s Clinical Trial Awards Program supports early to mid-stage interventional clinical trials of novel or repositioned therapeutics for ALS.

Overview

The ALS Association is the largest philanthropic funder of ALS research worldwide. Our goal is to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere, until we can cure it. To achieve this goal, there is an urgent need for new and improved therapies. The Clinical Trial Awards (CTA) Program provides up to $1,000,000 in total funding over 2 or 3 years to support the clinical testing of novel or repositioned approaches for ALS. Both disease-modifying and symptomatic treatments are in scope. The CTA Program seeks to de-risk clinical programs by supporting clinical trials with clear go/no-go criteria that, if positive, will attract follow-on funding and enable further development. This program is open to industry and academic investigators.

Scope / Type of Trials Supported

• Clinical stage: Early to mid-phase (phase 1 or phase 2a) interventional trials exploring safety or biomarkers to justify larger phase 2b or phase 3 studies. This includes single ascending dose (and multiple ascending dose) studies to assess safety/tolerability and studies assessing brain penetration or target engagement in healthy subjects and/or people living with ALS.

• Trial population: Can include genetic or sporadic forms of ALS, healthy subjects, and/or asymptomatic carriers of ALS-linked genetic mutations.

• Therapeutic approaches: Novel or repositioned approaches for ALS (either disease-modifying or symptomatic), including small molecules, genetic therapies, stem cell approaches, peptides, antibodies, and antisense oligonucleotides.

Please note: This funding opportunity will not support clinical trials of non-pharmacological or surgical interventions, observational studies, or natural history studies. In addition, the therapeutic should have completed or be in the process of completing Investigational New Drug (IND)-enabling studies by the time the full proposal is due. IND (or similar regulatory authority) approval is also required, with a new IND (or similar) application submitted no later than 3 months after the project start date.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: May 17, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): August 2, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT

• Anticipated Award Decision: October 2023

• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: November 2023

For more details on the program and how to apply, click here.

Today, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of Tambourine’s ALS Breakthrough Research Fund and the release of the Fund’s first Request for Proposals to support innovative basic and discovery-focused research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Tambourine, supported by the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, welcomes research proposals requesting up to $600,000 over two years. We hope that you or others in your network will consider applying to this opportunity.

Tambourine created the ALS Breakthrough Research Fund to support creative, high-risk, high-reward ideas that might not otherwise fit existing grant programs, but have the potential to change how we understand and treat ALS. The Fund builds on findings from the Milken Institute ALS Giving Smarter Guide, published in 2022 with Tambourine support.

In addition to welcoming applications from principal investigators already focused on ALS, we encourage proposals from researchers across disciplines – data science, environmental science, computational science, physiology, biostatistics, epidemiology, and on – who can bring unique approaches, novel insights, or innovative ideas from other fields to drive breakthroughs in ALS.

Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to address at least one of the following priorities:

• Applying novel methods, cutting-edge technologies, and/or innovative and paradigm-shifting approaches to the discovery-driven interrogation of disease mechanisms in ALS
• Resolving the causes and/or drivers of sporadic ALS, such as by focusing on underlying molecular mechanisms and pathways that may be common to multiple types of ALS Sporadic ALS
• Investigating non-inherited contributors to ALS, including epigenetics, environmental factors, gene x environment interactions, and/or gene x other factor interactions (e.g., profession, lifestyle, trauma).

The Fund’s Request for Proposals is available on the Milken Institute’s website, with a one-pageLetter of Intent due by Wednesday, June 21. Full proposals are due September 1, 2023. On Thursday, June 8 at 12 PM ET, Milken Institute will host an informational webinar for potential applicants. Please register here to attend.

If you or others in your network have additional questions, please visit our website or contact our team at email hidden; JavaScript is required.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word and advancing the science of ALS.

Sincerely,

Sylvie Raver, Ph.D.

Open Opportunity

Letter of Intent Due July 13, 2023

The ALS Association’s Assistive Technology Grants support efforts to develop or adapt technologies that can help maintain or improve the health, independence, and/or quality of life of people living with ALS.

Overview

Our goal is to make ALS livable for everyone, everywhere, until we are able to find a cure. This means not only searching for new ways to treat the disease but also finding ways to empower people with ALS to live their lives to the fullest. The needs of people living with ALS can vary from person to person and throughout the course of the disease. As ALS progresses, diverse assistive technologies play a crucial role in helping manage symptoms and maintain independence. These devices can make it easier for people with ALS to communicate, move, breathe, and perform daily activities, making life better for both the person living with the disease and their caregivers.

Assistive Technology Grants provide a maximum of $400,000 over 2 years to accelerate the development of innovative technologies or the adaptation of existing technologies that can help maintain or improve the health, independence, and/or quality of life of people living with ALS. This funding opportunity is intended to support work after the exploration and discovery phase.

Given that technologies at different stages of development could receive funding through this opportunity, successful project outcomes could include advancement of the technology, adaptation of existing finished products to the particular needs or requirements of the ALS community, or deployment of the technology to a meaningful number of end users. For most recipients, this award will constitute a minority of the funding needed to reach commercial launch, but the Association’s support should catalyze follow-on funding that will enable further development or commercialization activities.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: July 13, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): September 7, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Anticipated Award Decision: October 2023
• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: November 2023

For more details on the program and how to apply, click here.

Open Opportunity

Letter of Intent Due August 9, 2023

The ALS Association’s Quality of Care Research Awards support studies focused on improving the quality of ALS care or increasing the implementation of evidence-based care.

Overview

Specialized multidisciplinary care and symptom management are vital components of ALS care, helping to extend survival and improve quality of life (Hogden et al., 2017; Miller et al., 2009). With two new disease-modifying drugs approved by the FDA in the past year, along with rapid technological changes in the practice of medicine, the landscape of ALS treatment and care is changing at a pace never before seen by the ALS community. However, transforming these advances into meaningful improvements in outcomes for everyone, everywhere, will require greater insight into the best ways to optimize the efficacy, efficiency, and accessibility of ALS care.

These 2-year awards with a maximum budget of $500,000 seek to support the development and/or testing of interventions intended to improve quality of life; make ALS care safer, of higher quality, more accessible, more equitable, and more affordable; reduce complications; and enhance service delivery at the point of care.

To view the full funding announcement, click here[AL1] .

Scope

For this funding opportunity, we will accept applications from all scientific disciplines on topics that have the potential to improve the health and quality of life of people with ALS and/or reduce the burdens or complications of the disease.

Topics supported could include, but are not limited to:

• Improving existing therapies

• • Developing and/or testing interventions to improve quality at the point of care.
  • Optimizing combinations of FDA-approved disease-modifying drug treatments (e.g., Riluzole, Radicava, Relyvrio, Qalsody) or non-pharmacological approaches to improve care.
  • Developing and/or testing protocols to improve the efficiency of intrathecal medication administration and/or reduce side effects.

• Reducing complications
  • Developing and/or testing care interventions intended to reduce complications of the disease, such as falls, pneumonia, emergency room visits, respiratory failure, and sialorrhea, amongst others.
  • Developing and/or testing care interventions intended to address nutritional needs, respiratory management, coping, isolation, medication alignment, or palliative care.
  • Developing and/or testing strategies to reduce caregiver burden.
  • Developing and/or testing protocols for symptom management and end-of-life care.

• Improving systems and services
  • Developing and/or testing interventions intended to reduce racial, ethnic, geographic, gender, or other disparities in diagnosis, access to care, and treatment outcomes.
  • Developing and/or testing strategies to reduce time to diagnosis.
  • Developing and/or testing interventions to increase utilization of evidence-based practices, such as multidisciplinary ALS clinics, high-quality respiratory care, and genetic counseling and testing.
  • Developing and/or testing telehealth or telemedicine approaches to reduce burden on ALS specialty clinics and improve quality of care for people with ALS.
  • Developing and/or testing strategies to improve quality of care for people with ALS being managed in their community, such as improving links between primary care services, general neurology, and specialized ALS clinics or connecting clinical services at multidisciplinary clinics and non-multidisciplinary clinics.
  • Developing and/or testing support systems, education, or programs for health care professionals to manage fatigue and the emotional distress they encounter in ALS practice.

The following are considered out of scope for this funding opportunity and will be administratively withdrawn:

• Development and testing of assistive technologies (please consider applying for our Assistive Technology Grants instead)
• Development and testing of new pharmacological interventions
• Studies conducted outside the United States (due to the unique context of the American health care system)

Funding and Eligibility

Budgets for total costs up to $500,000 (inclusive of both direct and indirect costs) may be requested for a period of 2 years. Indirect costs are limited to 10% of total direct costs. All funds must be expended within the approved period of performance.

Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research may apply as the principal investigator. Applicants do not need to have a scientific background in ALS research, so we encourage collaboration between implementation science, quality improvement, and health services researchers and ALS clinician-scientists. Established investigators, early career investigators, and investigators from outside the ALS field are all encouraged to apply. Junior postdoctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as principal investigators.

Key Dates and Deadlines

• Letter of Intent Due Date: August 9, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): October 11, 2023, 5 p.m. U.S. EDT
• Anticipated Award Decision: December 2023
• Anticipated Earliest Start Date: January 2024

Our expectation is that contracting will be completed within 60 days of the award offer. If not, we reserve the right to rescind the award offer and redirect the funds to other projects.

Submissions

All application materials must be submitted electronically. To register for a Proposal Central account, create a new Letter of Intent or access an existing saved Letter of Intent, please visit proposalcentral.com. 

Instructions for Proposal Central:  

• Registering as a Proposal Central user  
• Creating an application in Proposal Central

Questions

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity. Please submit your questions and other related correspondence to email hidden; JavaScript is required.

[AL1]Link to full RFA PDF

The Centers for Disease Control/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) is seeking investigator-initiated research that will further the understanding of potential risk factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), while supporting the National ALS Registry's mission. The National ALS Registry's goals are to estimate the number of new ALS cases each year, estimate the number of people who have ALS at a specific point in time, better understand who gets ALS, and identify what contributing factors, including environmental, may affect ALS. CDC/ATSDR is seeking investigator-initiated research that will identify and evaluate risk factors contributing to ALS, with preferred focus in this Notice of Funding Opportunity on factors related to military service, contact sports, traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammation, environmental exposures, and infectious agents. Research proposals on preferred topics can be funded under one of two funding options, Funding Option A or Funding Option B.Funding Option A is intended to support ALS risk factor research investigations that have an existing, well substantiated evidence base and would benefit from strengthened rigorous evaluation. Funding Option B is intended to support novel ALS risk factor research investigations that may or may not have an existing evidence base foundation base, may be supported by limited and insufficient preliminary research, and are exploratory and developmental in nature.For Option A and B applicants may elect to use data from the National ALS Registry. Note, this is not compulsory and will not preclude the applicant from consideration.

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

Closing Date: Dec 19, 2023

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.