Identify and Evaluate Potential Risk Factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Forecasted opportunity (not yet open for applications; expected to be posted around 2026-10-01; estimated application due date 2026-12-01). CDC/ATSDR is inviting research proposals to study risk factors for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Studies on military service, contact sports, traumatic brain injury, neuroinflammation, and infections agents and exposures are encouraged. Funding will be for four funding options: Option A - Support research with strong existing evidence such as studies on known environmental or genetic risk factors, research that improves past studies with better data, or investigations linking risk factors to ALS diagnosis and treatment; Option B - Support new and exploratory research on ALS risk factors such as studies on risk factors with little existing evidence or research using innovative methods; Option C - Understand ALS risk in affected populations, such as studies involving military veterans or investigations of ALS risk factors impacting this population; Option D - Analyze biological samples from the Guamanian ALS cluster such as investigation of disease mechanisms and environmental factors, exposure routes, genetic studies and biomarkers and how this could lead to mitigation therapeutics, diagnostics or prevention.