Veterans for ALS Research supports research and drug discovery at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). ALS TDI is the world's first and largest nonprofit biotech and the most comprehensive drug discovery lab in the world that is solely focused on ending ALS.

Based in Greater Boston, ALS TDI's state-of-the-art lab employs a team of scientists and researchers who are working urgently to invent and discover drugs for ALS. Learn more about research at ALS TDI here.

In addition to advancing cutting-edge ALS research, ALS TDI has a history of advocating for Veterans with ALS, and they were instrumental in forming the ALS Research Program (ALSRP) at the Department of Defense (DOD). Read below to learn how ALS TDI worked with doctors and Veterans to enact change.

On April 23, 2009, Dr. Stanley Appel testified before the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee on behalf of ALS patients, and in support of the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). Dr. Appel, the co-director of the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute and a member of the ALS TDI Board of Directors, urged congress to support a comprehensive approach to ALS therapeutic development, such as the one at ALS TDI.

Dr. Appel spoke about the still unknown reasons for the connection between service in the armed forces and an increased likelihood of developing ALS. He advised subcommittee members to remember that, while there was excellent work being done to determine factors involved in the military correlation, without a comprehensive and well-funded program to develop therapeutics, there would be no opportunity to treat Veterans with ALS.

“I am here before this subcommittee - responsible for supporting our Veterans - because [ALS] continues to take an inordinate toll on our nation's Veterans,” said Dr. Appel in his prepared testimony before the subcommittee.

“While most of those heroes have passed away, the numbers imply that at least one out of fifteen ALS patients has a history of military service. This is quite staggering. These Veterans, and all the patients I treat, are facing a horrifying illness; a battle with no armor,” continued Dr. Appel. “We have the responsibility to arm our service members in the final battle they are currently only to lose. The thousands, who have recently returned from engagement, and those soon to come home, may in fact encounter a final new enemy in ALS.”

It was also during this testimony that he uttered one of the most well-known phrases in the ALS community – “ALS is not an incurable disease. It is an underfunded disease. The science is ready, the technology is ready, we clinicians are ready.” Dr. Stanley Appel's complete testimony before the subcommittee is available here.

Also instrumental in securing the support of the US government for ALS research was retired Brigadier General Tom Mikolajcik. In the years after the first studies of the connection between ALS and military service appeared in the early 2000s, Tom was deeply concerned about the lack of funding for ALS research from the Department of Defense. Tom went to Washington and, working closely with ALS TDI's Carol Hamilton and Jamie Heywood, worked to alert members of congress to the problem.

Eventually, with the strong support of senator Lindsey Graham and congressman Henry Brown, they were able to work with the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to make sure all Veterans with ALS would have full access to service-related disability benefits. They also helped to lobby the DOD to create the ALS Research Program (ALSRP), which provides yearly grants to organizations working to develop ALS treatments like ALS TDI. Since 2007, this program has provided over $100 million in funding for ALS Research.