Comprehensive Care and Access to Clinical Trials for People Living With ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative neurological disorder affecting the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. ALS was previously known as Lou Gehrig’s disease for the famous baseball player who died of it.

The Lois Insolia ALS Clinic at the Les Turner ALS Center uses a multidisciplinary approach to provide comprehensive care that is convenient for patients and families. This means you will be able to meet with each member of your care team as needed at every visit, minimizing the need for multiple trips to the clinic. Studies show that people with ALS who participate in a multidisciplinary clinic generally report a high level of satisfaction with their care, stay healthier and have improved healthcare outcomes.

We also offer access to some of the leading clinical trials in the country:

• We offer access to the Healey ALS Platform Trial
• We are a member of the NEALS Consortium, a group of academic institutions that specializes in developing and educating about ALS clinical trials
• We are a partner in Answer ALS, a large research study building the most comprehensive clinical, genetic, molecular and biochemical assessment of ALS, and openly sharing the results with the global research community

Clinical research in ALS at the Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine encompasses a broad range of work, including:

• Biomarker studies
• Open label therapeutic studies
• Natural history studies
• Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials conducted by neuromuscular clinicians and clinical trial coordinators at the Lois Insolia ALS Clinic

To learn more or to make an appointment, call 312.695.7950.

• Access to enrollment in clinical trials and dedicated clinical trial coordinators
• Chicagoland’s first and largest multidisciplinary ALS Clinic, with the highest number of neurologists and dedicated pulmonologists
• Access to no-cost, coordinated support and expertise from ALS Support Services coordinators from the Les Turner ALS Foundation
• Multidisciplinary care that brings together an experienced team of neuromuscular specialists in one clinic to provide comprehensive support for you and your family

Les Turner ALS Center at Northwestern Medicine, in partnership with Northwestern University, effectively connects the worlds of research and patient support to ensure the best care is provided and the brightest minds are working to find a cure. By bringing together all ALS disciplines under one umbrella, the center enables enhanced collaboration among scientists and clinicians to provide a full spectrum of treatments to patients with ALS while facilitating the development of new therapies and access to clinical research.

More than 40 dedicated scientists work on a variety of ALS-related basic science, drug development, genetics and stem cell technology under the direction of five laboratory heads. This is one of the largest ALS research teams in the Midwest.

Our center’s laboratories have made several groundbreaking discoveries in the field of ALS:

• We have identified significant genetic causes of ALS
• We have made a more recent, major breakthrough in the discovery of a novel gene for typical Parkinson’s disease
• Our scientists at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and across the globe have identified rare genes that cause ALS to run in families, leading to the creation of disease models that faithfully demonstrate of the human disease in mice and other experimental platforms

Yet, a disease-modifying treatment has remained elusive. To turn ideas into discoveries — and eventually treatments — scientists at the Les Turner ALS Center are working to uncover the genetic causes of ALS and defining the mechanisms of degeneration in a variety of neurons.

Why Choose Northwestern Medicine

Northwestern Medicine is anchored by Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the only Illinois hospital on the national Honor Roll for 13 straight years. When options are limited, our experienced team is often able to offer innovative therapies and novel treatments through a wide variety of clinical trials.