Dr. Chandler Walker, associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Comprehensive Care at Indiana University School of Dentistry, was awarded a three-year, $1.1 million grant package from Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Inc. (NDR) for stem-cell research and to study pathological changes related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The goal of Dr. Walker’s NDR-funded research is to move stem cell-based therapies into clinical trials for people afflicted with ALS. This research involves thoroughly characterizing the protein and extracellular vesicle/exosome content of the conditioned medium and optimizing the therapy to provide maximal benefits with reduced risk and side effects.

“These outcomes will lay the groundwork to support the therapeutic efficacy and progress of a stem cell conditioned medium as a viable ALS treatment,” Dr. Walker said.

Dr. Walker’s research at Indiana University School of Dentistry is a collaboration with the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The projects funded by NDR will build upon his VA research for translating promising stem-cell based therapies to clinical application.

“NDR provides research funding to advance our understanding of the cause of ALS, as well to use that knowledge to develop, test, and translate therapies for ALS patients,” Dr. Walker said. “There are no cures for ALS, and it is 100% fatal. We hope our funded research will help accelerate effective therapies to patients sooner than later.”

About Indiana University School of Dentistry: 

Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) fosters an exceptional learning environment in which teaching, research, and community service converge to prepare future dental professionals. IUSD was founded in 1879 as the Indiana Dental College, with operational oversight assumed by Indiana University in 1925. IUSD is one of the oldest dental schools in the nation with more than 13,000 living alumni located across the United States and approximately 30 other countries. In March 2018, IUSD dedicated its newest facility on the IUPUI campus – the 45,000-square-foot James J. Fritts, DDS Clinical Care Center – to continue our tradition of excellence in service and education into the future.


About Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Inc.

Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization that was formed with a mission to provide funding to researchers with an emphasis to identify and validate biomarkers for determining drug effectiveness in neurodegenerative diseases and facilitate pathology-based treatments to ALS patients.  This novel research is helping to identify the causes of ALS, the phase of disease progression, and developing targeted treatments to end neurodegeneration. More information at https://www.ndrinc.org.