Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron disease that rapidly atrophies the muscles, leading to complete paralysis. Despite its high profile—established when it afflicted the New York Yankees' Lou Gehrig—ALS remains a disease that scientists are unable to predict, prevent, or cure. Although several genetic ALS mutations have been identified, they only apply to a small number of cases. The ongoing challenge is to identify the mechanisms behind the non-genetic form of the disease and draw useful comparisons with the genetic forms.Now, using samples of stem cells derived from the bone marrow of non-genetic ALS patients, Prof. Miguel...