ATSDR Develops New ALS Biorepository

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The National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ASTDR) “Your Health, Your Environment” blog helps to increase public knowledge about environmental health by sharing our concerns, work, and information you can use in your daily life.

Many people know Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) as Lou Gehrig’s disease, named after the famous baseball player who had to retire in 1939 because of it. ALS is a disease that causes nerve cells to stop working and die. This leads to muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually death. No one knows what causes most cases of ALS. Scientists may find that many factors together cause it. Read on to learn more about ATSDR’s new National ALS Biorepository study and how it could help with the battle against ALS.

National ALS Biorepository Pilot Study

ALS RESOURCES

Learn more about ALS resources for yourself or someone you know with ALS.

ATSDR coordinated a study called the National ALS Biorepository Pilot Study (study) to find out how practical it would be to collect and store samples such as blood or tissue from persons living with ALS (PALS) enrolled in the National ALS Registry. Such a national bank of samples is called a biorepository. The study was the first step toward creating a bank of samples.

The study divided participants into two groups. ATSDR recruited one group of 330 PALS to give sample biospecimens of the following:

  • blood,
  • urine,
  • hair, and
  • finger nail clippings.

ATSDR recruited a second group of 30 people to donate their tissue after death.

In March 2015, a meeting of experts heard the initial results of the study and decided it was practical to establish a biorepository as part of the National ALS Registry. Then, ATSDR announced a contract to establish an ongoing biorepository of samples from PALS enrolled in the National ALS Registry. The contract is expected to begin by September 30, 2015. ATSDR is also developing a way for ALS researchers to request samples for study. This is good news for researchers and PALS alike who want to promote studies looking for a cure for ALS! Find out about ALS resources.

Did you enjoy reading this post about ATSDR’s new ALS Biorepository Pilot Study? Learn more about how ATSDR is at work in your environment.

 

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Page last reviewed: September 30, 2015
Page last updated: September 30, 2015