Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) generally begins with muscle weakness and progresses over time. While an exact cause in most patients with the disease is unknown, researchers know that nerve cells are under attack.
Rohit Pappu, the Gene K. Beare Distinguished Professor at WashU McKelvey Engineering, and collaborator Tanja Mittag, of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., are investigating stress granules implicated in the beginnings of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Already making progress in their research, they have received an additional $3.4 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to continue their work for an additional five years. Their initial work began in 2021.
