Research Grant Review Process

How Research Projects Get Funded

We seek out and fund a diverse research portfolio including clinical trials, preclinical drug development, target identification and validation, gene discoveries, environmental and occupational risks, assistive technologies, patient/caregiver burden measurements, telehealth research, natural history studies, fellowships, databases, capacity building and research infrastructure. We encourage researchers to apply for funding through our Requests for Applications (RFA’s).

ALS Association research projects get selected through a rigorous, transparent, and deliberative process. Grant applicants submit a letter of intent (short proposal). Selected applicants are asked to submit a full proposal. Full proposals are peer-reviewed, critiqued, and scored by a review committee of independent external experts. Review committees are selected ad hoc based on the expertise needed to review that grant program, and these committees determine the top list of grants and provide recommendations for funding. These recommendations are presented to the research committee of the Association’s Board of Trustees. The research committee is comprised of volunteers including people living with ALS, current and former caregivers, scientists, clinicians, and business professionals and it provides the final approval for funding and budget.

ALS Association Scientific Review Committee

We have set up a rigorous review process to select the best science, no matter where the idea comes from. A panel of independent external experts reviews the applications received through the RFA’s, scores and critiques the applications, provides feedback to applicants to further optimize the projects, and provides recommendations to the Association on which projects to fund.

We would like to thank our global network of experts that dedicate their time and insight to review grant proposals and provide input on funding programs.

ALS Association Reviewers (2022)

Nadine Bakkar, Ph.D.
Sami Barmada, M.D., Ph.D.
Michael Benatar, M.D., Ph.D.
James Berry, M.D.
Chad Beyer, Ph.D.
David Borchelt, Ph.D.
Jane Bordeau, R.N.
Eugene Brandon, Ph.D.
Nick Brandon, Ph.D.
Adam Bristol, Ph.D.
Lora Clawson, M.S.N.
Thos Cochrane, M.D.
Michael Coleman, Ph.D.
Merit Cudkowicz, M.D.
Valerie Cullen, Ph.D.
Graham Dempsey, Ph.D.
Shyamal Desai, Ph.D.
Shana Dodge, Ph.D.
Fang Fang, Ph.D.
Dominic Fee, M.D.
Steve Finkbeiner, M.D., Ph.D.

Stephanie Fradette, PharmD
Fen-Biao Gao, Ph.D.
Angela Genge, M.D.
Amanda Gleixner, Ph.D.
Namita Goyal, M.D.
Moon Han, Ph.D.
Steve Han, M.D., Ph.D.
Lee Jablow, M.D.
Donald Johns, M.D.
Melinda Kavanaugh, Ph.D., LCSW
Pamela Kittrell, M.S.N.
Christi Kolarcik, Ph.D.
Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne, M.D., Ph.D.
John Landers, Ph.D.
Melanie Leitner, Ph.D.
Sarah Luppino, Ph.D.
Terina Martinez, Ph.D.
Adele McCormick, Ph.D.
Ken Menkhaus, Ph.D.
Lauren Mifflin, Ph.D.
Bruce Morimoto, Ph.D.

Debra Niehoff, Ph.D.
Katrina Paumier, Ph.D.
Hemali Phatnani, Ph.D.
Colin Quinn, M.D.
Ian Reynolds, Ph.D.
Charlotte Rhodes, M.H.A.
Stacy Rudnicki, M.D.
Dhruv Sareen, Ph.D.
Rita Sattler, Ph.D.
Joel Shamaskin, M.D.
Jeremy Shefner, M.D., Ph.D.
Neil Shneider, M.D., Ph.D.
Kim Staats, Ph.D.
Elijah Stommel, M.D., Ph.D.
Margaret Sutherland, Ph.D.
Evelyn Talbott, DrPH
David Taylor, Ph.D.
Gethin Thomas, Ph.D.
Bryan Traynor, M.D., Ph.D.
Ruben van Eijk, M.D., Ph.D.
Michael Ward, M.D., Ph.D.