From Lab to Life

Inspired by the extraordinary courage of Alex and Jaci Hermstad, who faced ALS during their teens and twenties, the Project ALS Trailblazer Awards celebrate individuals whose work has made a profound and lasting impact on the ALS community and beyond. The Trailblazer Award honors leaders whose relentless pursuit of a cure or improved quality of life for people living with ALS or other neurodegenerative or rare diseases has advanced research, advocacy, and care. Through innovative science, powerful storytelling, and unwavering dedication, these trailblazers serve as beacons of hope for patients, families, and the broader research community.

Why do some motor neurons break down while others resist the disease? ALS advocate Gwen Petersen and neuroscientist Dr. Tulsi Patel come together to examine how motor neurons develop, mature, and diverge over time, and how these differences may explain why certain cells are more vulnerable in ALS. Dr. Patel shares how her lab studies motor neuron subtypes and gene expression to better understand resilience at the cellular level, while Gwen reflects on why foundational research is essential to meaningful progress. Their conversation underscores the importance of preclinical science, the role of lived experience in shaping research priorities, and why understanding ALS at its roots is necessary before effective treatments can move forward. Link for Episode Citations here

From Project ALS, Valerie Estess and Erin Fleming host From Lab to Life, a podcast where ALS research leaves the laboratory and connects with real lives. In this episode, we meet Melissa Diaz Viera, a social worker, wife, and young mother living with ALS; and Drs. Steven Altschuler and Lani Wu, two mathematicians turned researchers whose work at UCSF is helping uncover new ALS subtypes. Together, they explore why ALS is so heterogeneous, why no two cases are alike, and how finding "islands" within this complex disease could lead to more precise diagnosis and treatment. This conversation highlights how bridging patients and researchers can push ALS science forward and bring real hope to people living with the disease.