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An All Encompassing Research Lab
Our lab encompasses all areas of ALS research and drug discovery, including preclinical, clinical, and translational research. Because our scientists work in their unique areas of research under one roof, we can more efficiently and effectively collaborate to find treatments faster.
The floor plan of the ALS TDI lab shown below contains images of areas in the ALS TDI lab. Click on the different areas to learn more about our research to end ALS.
Video Gallery: More Than 30 Researchers Under One Roof
Click on the videos below to learn more about our researchers and their roles in ending ALS.
Fernando Vieira
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer: Fernando Vieira, M.D.
Fernando Vieira, M.D., started working at ALS TDI in 2001 after studying biological engineering and medicine. As Chief Scientific Officer, Fernando is responsible for leading ALS TDI’s science strategy and overseeing all lab operations and research.
Ken Thompson
Director of Lab Operations: Ken Thompson
Ken has been with ALS TDI since 2000. As Director of Lab Operations Ken supports the In Vivo Team, manages daily lab operations, and serves as the clerk on the Board of Directors.
Theo Hatzipetros, Ph.D.
In Vivo Team: Theo Hatzipetros, Ph.D.
Theo Hatzipetros, Ph.D., is an in vivo pharmacologist who joined ALS TDI in 2011 after working on treatments in another neurodegenerative disease, Parkinson's. As Director of Pharmacology, Theo oversees the execution of multiple studies of experimental drugs in ALS. He focuses on the development of novel animal models of ALS and evaluating therapeutic strategies for the treatment of ALS.
Kyle Denton, Ph.D.
Translational Research Team: Kyle Denton, Ph.D.
Kyle joined ALS TDI in 2016 after receiving a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Connecticut. In the lab, Kyle focuses on developing human cell-based models of ALS to learn more about disease mechanisms and screen therapeutic compounds.
Kyle's video coming soon
Josh Kidd
In Vivo Team: Josh Kidd
Josh has been working to end ALS with ALS TDI since 2004, testing potential treatments in models of ALS. He studies the behavioral effects of different treatments in the SOD1-G93A mouse model.
Beth Levine
Clinical Team: Beth Levine
Beth joined ALS TDI in 2007 and has more than 20 years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology experience. As a senior member of the science team, Beth ensures projects are running at maximum efficiency. Beth also studies the C9orf72 mutation, a cause of many previously unexplainable cases of hereditary ALS.
Val Tassinari
In Vivo Team: Val Tassinari
Val joined ALS TDI in 2010 where she works on the In Vivo Preclinical Research Team. Her responsibilities include managing the zebrafish facility, validating gene expression endpoints in mouse drug studies, and performing gene copy number analysis to facilitate high-quality and interpretable target discovery and pharmacology data.
Val's video coming soon
Alan Prem
Clinical and Discovery Biology Team: Alan Premasiri
Alan started working at ALS TDI in 2013. He splits his time conducting C9orf72 experiments, analyzing accelerometer data, and enhancing our Precision Medicine Program.
Anna Gill
In Vivo Team: Anna Gill
Anna joined ALS TDI in 2015 as a part-time research intern while completing her Bachelor’s degree in Biology, and transitioned to a full-time scientist on the In Vivo Preclincial Research Team in 2018. Her current focus is on the biological mechanisms of C9ORF72 pathology using newly developed cell-based models and assays.
Anna's video coming soon
Alex Calo
Translational Research Team, Automated Drug Screening: Alex Calo
Alex has been with ALS TDI since 2015. With a background in biology, Alex is a member of the Translational Research Team and works on genetic analysis as part of the Precision Medicine Program (PMP). Alex is responsible for the development and implementation of automated testing using ALS TDI's custom-built Integrated Robotic System.
Kaly Mueller
In Vivo Team: Kaly Mueller
Kaly joined ALS TDI in 2018 as a member of the In Vivo Preclinical Research Team. Her current focus is providing detailed and accurate phenotypes for novel mouse models in hopes of incorporating them into future pre-clinical studies.
Kaly's video coming soon