The Sean. M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at Massachusetts General Hospital is accepting nominations for the 2023 Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family ALS Endowed Award for Innovative Healing in acknowledgement of the important scientific work being done in ALS. This award is to honor Dr. Ayeez Lalji, a devoted father and husband, who has been valiantly and courageously living with ALS since 2017. The mission of the Lalji ALS Foundation is to bring awareness and innovation to help find a cure for ALS. The foundation is focused on repair, regeneration and technology to restore function and improve quality of life for people affected by ALS. This award will recognize an individual or team of investigators for excellence in their transformative scientific discoveries focused on repair and regeneration of neurological function in ALS. 

We encourage nominations for Individual or team of investigators who have made significant progress in the ALS field impacting repair and regeneration in ALS, including, but not limited to the following:

  • Identification of key modulators of axonal health and degeneration
  • Discoveries to explore changes in axonal transport
  • Novel methods to increase and improve endogenous neurogenesis
  • Cell therapies to target and improve neuronal and/or glial regeneration
  • Restoring nerve muscle communication
  • Immune system inhibition to decrease inflammation and improve neuronal regeneration 
  • Discovery of intra-cellular mechanisms to enhance repair and regeneration

Award: $40,000 USD

Prize Criteria

  1. Applicant must have an MD, PhD or equivalent degree and be a leader in the field of ALS or regenerative medicine/biology with a strong publication record.
  2. The proposal must have a strong scientific rationale with a focus on repair of neurological function.
  3. Inclusion of preliminary findings demonstrating approach and feasibility in preclinical models is recommended.
  4. International applicants are encouraged to apply.

Selection

The awardees will be selected by members of the Lalji family, Healey Center Scientific Advisory Council, NEALS PEACe Committee and advisors who are living with ALS.

Timeline for Submission

Release Date: June 10, 2023

Nomination Due Date: August 11, 2023

Download nomination form

Type

Centers and Departments

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