About Champion Insights
Champion Insights is a focused research initiative–led by Answer ALS, Augie’s Quest to Cure ALS, and the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI)--designed to better understand why certain populations—such as military personnel and high-performing athletes—are diagnosed with ALS at higher rates than the general public.
The study examines genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors using ALS TDI’s remote participation tools, with data openly shared through Answer ALS’s Neuromine Data Portal to accelerate breakthroughs.
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Organizational Leadership
Fast Facts
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What it is: A research initiative investigating ALS risk in high-risk groups to uncover new disease pathways and accelerate treatments.
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Who it focuses on: High-performing athletes, military service members, first responders, and potentially other at-risk groups.
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Why it matters: Certain groups show an approximately 25% higher incidence of ALS, helping researchers study clearer risk patterns.
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How participation works: Blood samples and clinical data can be collected at home or in clinic using remote participation capabilities.
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Study scale: Enrollment plans began in November 2025; the study aims to enroll 500 participants.
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Data approach: The study collects broad genetic, clinical, and molecular (“omics”) data, plus detailed performance/training history relevant to this population.
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Open science: Findings and datasets will integrate with Neuromine to support global ALS research collaboration.
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Partners: Answer ALS, ALS TDI, and Augie’s Quest, with collaborators including OnPoint Scientific.
Story Angles
Need a fast starting point? Here are editorial angles that map to the purpose of the program:
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Why high performers may face elevated ALS risk — what researchers are learning from clearer risk patterns
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Remote participation is changing ALS research — bringing study participation into the home and removing geographic barriers
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What “multi-omics” can unlock in ALS — connecting genetics, metabolism, and clinical signals
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From data to discoveries — why open access through Neuromine matters for accelerating breakthroughs
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The lived experience behind participation — the human motivation to contribute toward answers