Overview

ALS Finding a Cure^® (ALSFAC) invites proposals for research aimed at defining the biological mechanisms that determine why ALS develops in some individuals but not others. This initiative will support mechanistic studies that investigate determinants of motor neuron vulnerability, pathways that confer resistance to neurodegeneration, and biological events that initiate ALS prior to clinical symptom onset. Projects may include laboratory-based, computational, and human-focused research using model systems, biospecimens, datasets, or clinical populations.

Background and Rationale

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure and limited therapeutic options. Despite advances in genetics, molecular biology, and therapeutic development, the earliest biological events that determine disease onset remain poorly understood. Why do some individuals develop ALS while others—despite similar genetic or environmental exposures—do not? Understanding the biological mechanisms that sustain resilience—and those that drive vulnerability—represents a critical frontier in ALS research and may reveal new therapeutic targets and earlier intervention opportunities.

Scope of the RFP

ALSFAC invites proposals addressing motor neuron vulnerability, biological resilience, and early disease initiation.

Eligibility

Open to investigators at academic, clinical, and research institutions worldwide. Applicants at all career stages are eligible. Cross-institutional and multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.

Funding and Award Information

Number of Awards: Up to 3
Funding Amount: Up to $400,000 USD total per award
Grant Duration: Up to 2 years
Indirect Costs: Maximum of 15%
Milestone-driven progress will be expected.

Application Process and Timeline

This funding opportunity will use a two-stage application process consisting of a Letter of Intent (LOI) followed by invited full proposals.

Stage 1 — Letter of Intent (LOI)

LOI Requirements:

• 1–2 page concept description (Title, brief overview, expected outcomes)
• Investigative team and institutional affiliations
• Biosketches for key personnel

Stage 2 — Invited Full Proposal

Selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals approximately five weeks after notification of results of LOI review.

Full Application Requirements:

• Cover letter
• Project Plan
• Background
• Timeline
• Investigator CVs
• Financial Disclosure Form

Anticipated Award Timeline

Timeline:

• Initial Letter of Interest (LOI) Submission Due: Monday, March 30, 2026
• Notification of LOI Submission: May 2026
• Full Proposal Deadline: June 2026 (5 weeks after invitation)
• Award Decisions: Summer 2026
• Project Start Date: October 1, 2026

Review Criteria

• Scientific innovation and originality
• Relevance to ALS susceptibility, resilience, and disease initiation
• Potential to advance understanding of ALS onset biology
• Translational potential • Strength and complementarity of investigative team
• Feasibility and rigor of approach
• Milestones and execution plan

ALSFAC is particularly interested in high-risk, high-reward ideas capable of shifting current paradigms.

Submitting an LOI

Please submit a completed LOI with contact information to: https://app.box.com/f/0f7d5b108a5d4921a4f789ae37378e8c

Contact

Questions may be directed to: info@alsfac.org

Overview:

ALS Finding a Cure^® is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support innovative research projects leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to advance ALS discovery. This funding opportunity seeks to catalyze transformative research that integrates AI-driven methodologies to improve diagnosis, biomarker identification, disease progression modeling, and therapeutic target discovery in ALS.

Background:

ALS is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no cure and limited therapeutic options. AI and NLP offer the potential to revolutionize ALS research by enabling the extraction of meaningful insights from complex datasets, including electronic health records (EHRs), published medical literature, clinical trial data, omics datasets, and real-world patient-reported data. Through this RFP, we aim to support high-impact projects that will enhance our understanding of ALS and accelerate novel therapeutic strategies.

Examples of large data sources include but are not limited to:
Answer ALS, ALS Compute, UK Bio Bank. ProACT, NeuroBank, Project MINE

Scope of the RFP:

We invite applications proposing AI and/or NLP-based approaches to address critical challenges in ALS research. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Drug Discovery and Repurposing: Machine learning-based identification of potential ALS drug targets or repurposed therapies using AI-driven drug screening techniques.
• Biomarker Discovery and Validation: Integration of AI/NLP with multi-omics, imaging, and patient-reported outcomes to identify and validate ALS biomarkers.
• AI-Driven Early Diagnosis: Use of AI and NLP for automated extraction of early clinical features from EHRs, speech and language analysis, or fluid biomarker or imaging data to improve early detection of ALS.
• Pathomechanistic Knowledge Graphs: Integration of NLP tools with the published medical literature for discovery of previously underappreciated mechanistic targets.
• Disease Progression Modeling: AI-based analysis of longitudinal clinical and /or biomarker data to enhance prediction models for disease progression and stratification of patients.
• Optimizing Clinical Trials: AI-powered patient stratification, automated NLP-based extraction of clinical endpoints from records, virtual comparison groups and trial recruitment optimization.

Data Subtypes: Use of AI technology to separate ALS from Controls and to find ALS subtypes in the Answer ALS data set by combining clinical, biomarker, genetic and motor neuron omics data.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Open to researchers at academic, medical, and research institutions worldwide.
• Multidisciplinary and collaborative proposals integrating AI/NLP expertise with ALS clinical or biological research are encouraged.
• Prior AI/NLP experience is not required, but partnerships with computational experts are recommended.

Pharmaceutical & Clinical Collaboration: Synergistic collaboration between industry and institutions with data-driven models encouraged

Funding and Award Information:

• Grant Duration: Up to 2 years
• Funding Amount: Up to $400,000 USD total (inclusive of both direct and indirect costs)
• Number of Awards: 3 awarded teams
• Indirect Costs: Maximum of 15%

Application Timeline:

• Initial Letter of Interest (LOI) Submission Deadline: Friday May 23, 2025
• Notification of LOI Submission: July 2025
• Full Proposals Due: Wednesday August 6, 2025
• Project Start Date: Wednesday October 1, 2025

Review Criteria:

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

1. Scientific Merit and Innovation: Potential of AI/NLP methodologies to transform ALS research.
2. Feasibility and Approach: Strength of study design, methodology, and data integration strategy.
3. Investigative Team: Expertise and collaborative potential of the research team.
4. Translational Potential: Likelihood of findings contributing to improved ALS diagnostics, treatments, or patient outcomes.

How to Apply:

Application Process

This will be a two-step process. Applicants will first submit a formal Letter of Interest. Selected applicants will then be asked to submit a full proposal if chosen.

1. First Step – Letter of Intent:

Letter of Intent should be max 2 pages in length and include the following:

• • Proposal Title
  • Team’s highlighted experience
  • Brief overview of project
  • Expected Outcomes

2. Second Step – Expanded Application

• If Letter of Interest is accepted, you will be asked to provide a cover letter addressed to ALS Finding a Cure and the Leandro P. Rizzuto Foundation including:
  • Proposal Title
  • Total costs (15% overhead cap)
  • Number of milestones and related costs (to equal amount above)
  • List of all investigators and institutions
  • Name and contact information for person(s) responsible for contracts
  • Address for mailing of payments
• Provide a study plan including:
  • A brief abstract suitable for media release to the lay public if the application is successful
  • Project Plan, Background, and Timeline (max. 5 pages) including:
  • Study background and rationale/significance
  • Study objectives/specific aims
  • Supporting/preliminary data;
  • Experimental design/research plan;
  • Source of data and confirmation of access;
  • Detailed itemized budget and budget justification
  • Description of study milestones, including the costs associated and timeline of specific deliverables
  • Any research funding from other funding sources that relates to the proposed work
• Signed and dated investigator CVs
• Financial Disclosure Form: use either NIH form https://ethics.od.nih.gov/forms450 ), or institutional form.

Submit LOI to: https://app.box.com/f/33b7d67838bb4bc987eb5e65686411ea

Please submit questions to info@alsfac.org

ALS Finding a Cure^® is committed to supporting cutting-edge research that will drive meaningful advancements in ALS discovery through AI and NLP.

Our Pals for pALS Community Connect Program

One of the greatest wishes of our founder, Kevin Gosnell, after launching ALS ONE and united research and care—and before losing his battle to ALS just 14 months after his diagnosis—was to build a compassionate, connected community for those impacted by the disease. He envisioned a network where individuals living with ALS, those who had lost loved ones, and supporters could come together to uplift one another, easing the journey with shared understanding, support, and even moments of joy.

Our Pals for pALS program brings this vision to life by creating a structured way for our incredible community to connect. While many of these relationships have formed organically, this initiative provides an accessible platform to foster even deeper connections.

Pals for pALS is unique in its kind, uniting families currently navigating ALS with a vast network of resilient, kindhearted individuals who have faced the challenges of the disease firsthand. Whether through offering guidance, emotional support, help with chores, or simply being a companion along the journey, participants share their experiences to ensure that no one faces ALS alone.

Additionally, this program strengthens bonds among those affected—whether individuals with ALS, caregivers, children, or extended family members—helping them find solace in shared experiences. By alleviating isolation and providing meaningful support, Pals for pALS creates a true community of care, compassion, and connection.

We are so grateful to have been named a recipient of the ALSFAC We-Care grant to help expand this program to help all and ensure that no one travels the ALS journey alone.

www.alsone.org

Hope Loves Company (HLC) is a nationally recognized nonprofit that provides support, resources and community to children who have or had a loved one with ALS. We give children and young adult caregivers the tools they need to navigate grief, find joy, and remain hopeful.

Recognizing a gap in support services for young caregivers, Jodi O’Donnell Ames founded HLC to provide critical emotional and educational resources for children and young adults. HLC’s focus is to offer mental health and educational support and caregiving resources through free, year-round, nationwide programs, including Camp HLC, Hugs of Hope, Beyond the Bunk hangouts and more.

ALS Finding a Cure and Hop On A Cure announce their partnership to award $1.5M in grant funding for 2-year awards designed to advance the application of organoid technology for use in ALS translational research and development.

Organoids are a powerful new and compelling technology for studying disease biology. Several different and complementary organoid models currently exist with relevance to ALS, but none of these models has been tested across multiple ALS iPSC lines, and all have been created using different lines/genetic backgrounds making comparisons between/among them challenging. The reagents and assays used to assess ALS phenotypes have likewise varied. This variability and limited scale make it challenging to interpret results and to establish methodologic robustness.

ALS Finding a Cure recently issued a grant call for proposals with the following goals:

1. To enable direct comparison of results of multiple organoid methods by providing the same starting materials (iPSC lines) and reagents (antibodies) at scale
2. To identify methods that generate organoids showing key ALS phenotypes
3. To develop robust and reproducible methods that could be used for drug screening
4. To foster collaboration and sharing across organoid model developers to identify best practices, commonalities, and differences across methods

Proposals were reviewed by an international review committee compromised of members from academia, industry, and the non-profit sector, and 5 proposals will receive funding. The teams will work together to share methodology and results.

The projects include:

1) Longitudinal characterization of reproducible ALS phenotypes in iPSC-derive sensorimotor organoids (Joao Pereira Ph.D. – University of Alabama at Birmingham)
2) Benchmarking region-specific organoids and cortico-motor assembloids to study ALS (Jimena Andersen, Ph.D. and Jie Jiang, Ph.D. -University Emory University)
3) Probing consistent and reproducible pathophysiological phenotypes in the novel forebrainspinal circuitoid models derived from ALS patients (Liang Oscar Qiang, M.D./Ph.D. and Daryl A. Bosco, Ph.D. -University Drexel University and UMass)
4) Characterization of the human ALS motor neuraxis organoid system for disease-modeling (András Lakatos, Ph.D. – University of Cambridge, UK)
5) A novel human cortico-spinal assembloid model of ALS/FTD (Kornelia Szebenyi, Ph.D. -University HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungary)

Deepti Lall, PhD and Clive Svendsen, PhD at Cedars Sinai will coordinate the distribution of cell lines and reagents.

For further information please contact: info@alsfac.org

About ALS Finding a Cure®

ALS Finding a Cure® (ALSFAC), is focused on identifying gaps in the scientific understanding of ALS that are preventing the development of a cure. The organization, a program of The Leandro P. Rizzuto Foundation, collaborates with numerous companies, ALS organizations, and pALS (people with ALS) and their families to ensure research efforts are non-duplicative, synergistic, and focused on the ultimate goal: finding a cure.

About Hop On A Cure

Hop On A Cure started in 2022 after John Driskell Hopkins of Zac Brown Band was diagnosed with ALS. ALS is consistently one of the most underfunded diseases for research. Because of that, not much significant progress has been made since Lou Gehrig passed away from the disease in 1941. The mission of the foundation is to support research to prevent, reverse, and cure ALS while raising awareness, building a compassionate community, and unleashing the healing power of hope. For more information about Hop On A Cure visit www.hoponacure.org.