WHAT:
Leading scientists and clinicians from nearly all of the major medical centers in California will meet at UCSF Fresno for the fourth annual California ALS Research Summit to discuss advances in research aimed at treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The UCSF Fresno Division of Neurology and the Central California Neuroscience Institute are hosting the summit.
WHEN:
Friday, January 10 8:30 am to 5 pm and Saturday, January 11 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
- “Ask the Experts” Patient Forum
- 1:30 pm to approximately 5:30 pm
At the forum, patients and families from throughout the state will learn about leading clinical advances and speak directly with some of the scientists and clinicians conducting the groundbreaking ALS investigations and treatments.
WHERE:
UCSF Fresno Center for Medical Education and Research 155 N. Fresno Street, Fresno For more information about the summit, please contact Virginia Coningsby at (559) 459-6299, [email protected]
BACKGROUND:
UCSF Fresno offers one of the most comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment facilities in the country for patients with neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS. ALS is a progressive neurological disorder resulting in the degeneration of motor nerve cells that control voluntary movement. Each year, more than 5,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the disease.
Researchers and clinicians from California Pacific Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai, Sansum Clinic, Stanford, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC San Diego and UC San Francisco as well as scientists from Genentech and ISIS Pharmaceuticals are expected to attend the research summit at UCSF Fresno and discuss opportunities for statewide collaboration involving ALS clinical trials.
“One of the most significant aspects of this research summit is the comprehensive attendance we attracted from most every major medical center in the state,” said Jeffrey Rosenfeld, PhD, MD, chief of neurology at UCSF Fresno and organizer of the event. “The selection of the UCSF Fresno campus for this meeting also underscores the significance of our neuromuscular program. This gathering offers a unique opportunity to showcase our multidisciplinary team treatment and facilitate new collaborations and ideas that will further ALS research and ultimately, enhance treatment of patients.”
Funding for the summit is provided by the Golden West chapter of the ALS Association along with a grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.
