Chen Eitan, PhD

2026 Richard Olney Next Generation Research Grant in ALS

Can improving overall protein dysfunction correct multiple issues in ALS?

Institution: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Project Summary:

ALS is a disease in which nerve cells slowly stop working, leading to serious problems with movement and muscle control. In nearly all cases, a key protein called TDP43 stops functioning where it’s needed inside the cell, which leads to widespread errors, such as faulty RNA processing, weaker connections between nerve cells, and reduced ability for nerves to regrow after injury. Instead of focusing on just one of these errors, Dr. Eitan’s project aims to find gene targets that can help restore TDP43’s overall function, addressing the deeper cause of many ALS-related problems.

Dr. Eitan will use CRISPR gene editing and lab-grown neurons to identify the most promising targets for correcting TDP-43 dysfunction and assess how effective those targets are by increasing or decreasing their activity. They will then test these targets in a mouse model.

This research has the potential to accelerate the discovery of a new class of ALS treatments that address the condition at its root.

This research is funded by The ALS Association and American Brain Foundation.