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Living With ALS

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Living with ALS

The Packard Center is an ALS research organization; we know there are many people living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, for whom our research progress may come too late. We want to help people live with ALS for as long and as well as they can and provide those affected by ALS with ways to get involved in the fight against it.

We are working to provide ALS support through global scientific research. The Packard Center acts as a one-stop collection of ALS resources so scientists can collaborate together and so that people can learn about the latest ALS clinical trials and treatment options. Through ALS education, a dedication to science and an active fundraising program, we are committed to providing the ALS community with a source of – and a resource for – hope.

There are many resources availble for patients living with ALS, please click here to view a collection of organziations that can assist with ALS patient and caregiver support services.

Our Experts

Johns Hopkins University
Neurologist Charlotte Sumner has a long history of studying neuromuscular disorders. In particular, she has focused her attention on caring for patients with inherited motor neuron and peripheral nerve disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Her work on the molecular pathogenesis of spinal muscular atrophy and the development of therapeutics may provide important clues for those with ALS.

Our Experts

University of Michigan
Sami Barmada wants to answer a very basic question about ALS: why motor neurons? Of all the different types of neurons in the body (and scientists estimate there are probably several hundred), it’s only motor neurons that are affected in ALS. Knowing why this is, Barmada believes, could be the key to developing new potential treatments that could prevent the deterioration and death of motor neurons. 
Meet Our Experts