Science on Target: Q3 Research We Conduct
October 7, 2026 Michael DeChellis-Marks
The Target ALS Global Natural History Study (GNHS) is entering a new phase of discovery. As the only international, longitudinal study generating deeply characterized clinical, genomic, and biofluid data to accelerate ALS biomarker discovery and therapeutic development, the GNHS is now beginning to deliver large scale datasets and resources needed to support new insights into disease characterization and biomarker identification. Led by Dr. Bob Bowser of the Barrow Neurological Institute, this study spans 18 sites globally and has enrolled more than 388 participants, including 168 healthy controls. The study has generated over 54,000 longitudinal biofluid samples (blood, urine, and CSF) paired with extensive clinical and digital health metadata. Historically underrepresented populations now comprise 34% of the cohort, making the GNHS the most ancestrally diverse ALS research resources accessible and improving the applicability of future discoveries across diverse populations.
We are excited to announce that this month marks the first patient enrolled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Professor Nortina Shahrizaila is both the site PI for the study and head of the multi-disciplinary clinic at the University of Malaysia Medical Center. She is also currently President of the Pan-Asian Consortium for Treatment and Research in ALS (PACTALS). Malaysia is estimated to have more than 2,000 people with motor neuron disease and 600 newly diagnosed cases every year. Malaysia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in southeast Asia, with a mix of Malay, Chinese, and Indian ancestries.
“We are pleased to represent Malaysia in the Target ALS Global Natural History Study. Representing a unique, multi-ethnic Southeast Asian cohort, our patient population offers crucial insights into diverse genetic backgrounds and clinical phenotypes. Participating in GNHS allows us to better understand how ALS manifests across underrepresented populations and accelerates our global effort toward tailored therapies.”
– Dr. Nortina Shahrizaila
To learn more about emerging insights from our growing clinical, biomarker, and longitudinal datasets, follow presentations by Laura Dugom and other members of the Global Natural History Study consortium at the NEALS conference this October.
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