In addition to the traditional funding models mentioned in this story, we would like to also mention a new funding model available for ALS research. Prize4Life is a nonprofit organization that awards two prizes of $1 million each (the ALS Biomarker Challenge and the ALS Treatment Prize). Instead of recognizing historical accomplishments, Prize4Life designs prizes that we believe are achievable in a two- to three-year timeframe and then recruits teams to compete. Prize competitions have been steadily gaining traction in a variety of domains of innovation because their emphasis on specific outcomes has the capacity to propel a field forward very quickly, and can attract creative thinking from both within a field and “outside the box.” For example, in 2009 Prize4Life awarded two $50,000 Milestone Prizes, one of which went to an established ALS researcher, and one of which went to a trained dermatologist who explored a completely novel approach towards an ALS biomarker. Visit Prize4Life to learn more or to register to compete for a...  Read more

In addition to the traditional funding models mentioned in this story, we would like to also mention a new funding model available for ALS research. Prize4Life is a nonprofit organization that awards two prizes of $1 million each (the ALS Biomarker Challenge and the ALS Treatment Prize). Instead of recognizing historical accomplishments, Prize4Life designs prizes that we believe are achievable in a two- to three-year timeframe and then recruits teams to compete. Prize competitions have been steadily gaining traction in a variety of domains of innovation because their emphasis on specific outcomes has the capacity to propel a field forward very quickly, and can attract creative thinking from both within a field and “outside the box.” For example, in 2009 Prize4Life awarded two $50,000 Milestone Prizes, one of which went to an established ALS researcher, and one of which went to a trained dermatologist who explored a completely novel approach towards an ALS biomarker. Visit Prize4Life to learn more or to register to compete for a prize.

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