The 2024 Les Turner Symposium on ALS is set to take place on Monday, November 4, in Chicago, bringing together a global cohort of ALS researchers, clinicians, advocates, and individuals living with ALS. Hosted by the Les Turner ALS Foundation and the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine, the symposium will serve as a platform for discussing the latest research findings and diverse perspectives on the disease.
Keynote Address
Dr. Angela Genge, MD, FRCP(C), a distinguished figure in clinical trial design and development for rare neurological conditions, will deliver the keynote address, focusing on advances in ALS clinical trial outcome measures. As the director of the ALS Global Center of Excellence and ALS Clinic at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital since 1998, Dr. Genge has overseen over 100 clinical trials, establishing the Institute's clinical research unit as a leading center in Canada.
Dr. Genge has been a pioneer in bringing ALS clinical trials to Canada. Over her long career, she has played an important role in clinical trial design, with a recent focus on the role of biomarkers in ALS therapeutic development. Beyond that, she is an amazing clinician dedicated to her patients and an outstanding mentor to junior faculty interested in ALS clinical research.Senda Ajroud-Driss, MD, Director, Lois Insolia ALS Clinic at the Les Turner ALS Center, Northwestern Medicine
Featured Research Presentations
The symposium will feature presentations from researchers affiliated with institutions such as London's UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, the Francis Crick Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Brain Science Institute, and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The presentations will cover a range of critical topics in ALS research:
- Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Neurodegenerative Diseases by Robert Kalb, MD
- Immune System Alteration in ALS by David Gate, PhD
- Cell Type-Specific Alterations of Cortical Excitability in a Model of Familial ALS by Marco Martina, MD, MSc, PhD
- TDP-43 Pathology in the ALS Motor Cortex by Hande Ozdinler, PhD
- RNA-Based Regulation of TDP-43 Nuclear Localization by Lindsey Hayes, MD, PhD
- Cryptic Splicing: From Foe to Friend in Tackling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by Pietro Fratta, MD, PhD
Clinical Conversations Panel
The afternoon session will include a Clinical Conversations Panel, bringing together clinicians, social work specialists, and individuals with lived experiences of ALS. This panel will provide a platform for sharing diverse perspectives on care strategies, research advancements, and community support systems.
Symposium Details
Attendance to the symposium is free, and presentations will be available online. The event includes networking opportunities over breakfast and lunch, as well as a mid-day poster session. Registration and further details can be found at lesturnerals.org/symposium.
