In the latest ALS Association magazine John Landers, Ph.D., Co-Director of Project MinE USA, explains about the goal and status of Project MinE.

John Landers PhD., Associate Professor of Neurology University of Massachusetts Medical School

John Landers: “The Project MinE USA effort was kicked off at the end of 2014 through a $1 million donation from The ALS Association. I am working with Dr. Jonathan Glass at Emory University as Co-Directors of Project MinE USA. This has allowed us to sequence nearly 400 genomes so far, and we anticipate another 400 by the end of the year. We have also received help raising funds for Project MinE from volunteers. Most recently, these volunteers organized a charity event, the New Amsterdam City Swim, in which more than 350 people swam a mile in New York City’s Hudson River, raising more than $450,000 for Project MinE USA. Despite this success in fundraising, Project MinE USA needs more money to be completed.”

The DNA is ready. We just need the funds!

“Discovery of new genes for ALS is the foundation of the search for new treatments. Knowing which genes are risk factors for ALS may reveal new therapeutic targets for drug development, identify new mechanisms leading to disease or possibly help us identify environmental factors that contribute to ALS. The identification of such genetic risk factors is quite challenging.  In order to differentiate the risk variants from benign variants, thousands of genomes need to be sequenced (whole genome sequencing).”

“Our efforts are primarily limited by funding. As we receive donations, we immediately turn around and sequence additional genomes. The DNA is ready. We just need the funds.”

Will you help us by donating? Please find the USA Project MinE page to donate.

Thank you for being involved!

Read the full article in the ALS Association fall newsletter ‘Research ALS Today‘.