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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

The Ottawa Hospital is conducting cutting-edge research to improve our understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and develop better treatments. This page includes selected news stories about our ALS research, links to researchers working in this area and related resources. Learn more below.

Research News


Melding mind and machine: Ottawa trial could lead to new technologies to help people with paralysis
June 16, 2021 - Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa are launching a world-first clinical trial that could lead to a new kind of brain computer interface, paving the way for advanced technologies to help people with paralysis.
The Ottawa Hospital opens one-of-a-kind neuromuscular research centre
May 1, 2018 - You can help!The Ottawa Hospital needs crucial equipment for neuromuscular research, including:An ultracentrifuge that separates cells into different components by spinning themat very high speed.This crucial piece of equipment can exert a force that
New worm model sheds light on ALS
October 11, 2017 - Dr. Johnny Ngsee’s team has created the first worm model of a genetic form of ALS called ALS8 that can be used to learn more about the disease and test possible therapies. ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is caused by the gradual death of the


Researchers


Name Scientific appointment Diseases, conditions and populations of interest Research and clinical approaches
Chakraborty, Santanu
MBBS, MRCP, DMRD, FRCR, FRCP(C)
Senior Clinician Investigator
(Neuroscience) 		Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Brain cancer, Concussion, Dementia, Head and neck cancer, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Spinal cord injury, Stroke, Traumatic brain injury Bioinformatics, Clinical research, Health economics, Health professional behaviour change, Imaging, Immunization, Patient safety, Quality Improvement, Risk assessment
Kothary, Rashmi
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(Regenerative Medicine) 		Neuromuscular disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dystonia, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Spinal muscular atrophy Basic research, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Genetics, Imaging, Lipidomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Mestre, Tiago
MSc MD
Scientist
(Neuroscience) 		Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's, Parkinson's Clinical trials, Imaging
Ngsee, John
Ph.D.
Affiliate Investigator
(Neuroscience) 		Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dementia, Parkinson's Cell therapy, Drug development, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology
Ramsay, Timothy
PhD
Senior Scientist
(Clinical Epidemiology) 		Addiction, Alzheimer's, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Anxiety, Ataxia, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism, Bipolar, Brain and neuromuscular disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Colorectal cancer, Concussion, Cystic fibrosis, Dementia, Depression, Dystonia, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Health, HIV, Immigrant and refugee health, Influenza, Kidney disease, Lung cancer, Macular degeneration, Men's health, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Myasthenia gravis, Obesity, Ovarian cancer, Parkinson's, Pulmonary hypertension, Septic shock, Spinal cord injury Artificial intelligence and data science, Behaviour, Biomaterials, Biostatistics, Cell therapy, Clinical decision rules, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Cohort studies, Critical care, Drug development, Emergency medicine, Epidemiology, Health professional behaviour change, Health promotion, Health research methods, Health services research, Health technology, Immunization, Immunotherapy, Palliative care, Patient decision aids, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Prevention, Psychology, Psychometrics, Public health, Qualitative methods, Quality Improvement, Regenerative medicine, Rehabilitation, Risk assessment, Shared decision making, Surgery, Surveys, Systematic reviews, Transfusions, Translational research, Transplantation, Viral therapy
Sachs, Adam
MD, MA, FRCSC
Associate Scientist
(Neuroscience) 		Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Spinal cord injury, Parkinson's Artificial intelligence and data science, Clinical trials, Imaging, Neuro-stimulation, Surgery
Warman Chardon, Jodi
MD, MSc, FRCPC (Neurology)
Associate Scientist
(Neuroscience) 		Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Genetic myopathy, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease, Spinal muscular atrophy Artificial intelligence and data science, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Exome sequencing analysis, Genetics, Imaging, MRI muscle imaging, Next generation sequencing, RNA sequencing, Genetics