Barrow Neurological Institute Receives $25M ALS Grant
The National Institutes of Health funding supports two additional years of research for the national ALL ALS Consortium.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Stroke
The National Institutes of Health has awarded the Phoenix-based Barrow Neurological Institute $25.3 million to continue its work with the ALL ALS Consortium. This grant marks the largest externally funded research award in the institution's 64-year history.
Why it matters
The funding allows the consortium to maintain its research resource for drug development, which is critical for understanding ALS. The project's open-science model continues to provide longitudinal data to researchers studying the disease.
The NIH grant brings the total investment in the ALL ALS Consortium to $76.5 million, supporting clinical research across 37 sites. The program has enrolled 2,000 participants since its 2023 inception to study longitudinal data.
The players
Barrow Neurological Institute
Located in Phoenix, this world-renowned institution specializes in the treatment and research of neurological disorders.
National Institutes of Health
This is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research.
ALL ALS Consortium
This research network facilitates collaboration across 37 clinical sites to collect data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The details
Barrow Neurological Institute manages 19 of the consortium's 37 clinical research sites, which include a remote participation model designed for rural communities. The consortium shares clinical data and biological samples through an open-science platform to facilitate collaboration.
Timeline
The ALL ALS Consortium was established in 2023.
The first participant was enrolled in the consortium during summer 2024.
The NIH awarded the $25.3 million in additional funding in October 2026.
Recruitment for the ASSESS Study is scheduled to conclude in February 2027.
The Big Picture
The funding extension for the ALL ALS Consortium follows a pattern of long-term investment in collaborative medical data platforms. This grant enables the ongoing collection of longitudinal data, which acts as a foundational resource for future drug development.
This research expansion benefits patients by accelerating the collection of clinical data necessary for identifying new therapeutic targets. The remote participation model also increases accessibility for patients in rural areas who were previously unable to join clinical studies.
The takeaway
Collaborative research models are increasingly vital for accelerating drug development in complex neurodegenerative diseases. By sharing biological samples and data openly, institutions can more effectively bridge the gap between initial research and clinical application.
What happens next
Recruitment for the ASSESS Study is scheduled to remain open through February 2027, providing a defined window for continued participant enrollment and data gathering.
Further reading
For more information on current medical research and disease management, visit the Phoenix Stroke section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTAR.
