About SALSA-SGC

What is SALSA-SGC?

The Sporadic ALS Australia – Systems Genomics Consortium (SALSA-SGC) brings together MND researchers and clinicians in Australia to establish a national resource of data and biological samples for MND research.    

Click here to meet the SALSA-SGC team
Abkühlung - ice bucke challenge
Two girls making ice bucket challenge
Yes, ice bucket challenge on a hot day

How did we come about?

In August 2014, the ALS/MND Ice Bucket Challenge swept the world to raise awareness and research funds for motor neurone disease (MND).

More than 2.4 million tagged videos circulated on Facebook featuring an assortment of people gasping in the wake of a bucket of ice and water dumped over their heads.

In Australia alone, over $3 million was donated to support MND research and care. The MND Research Institute of Australia decided to award a single grant – their largest-ever single award – to establish the Sporadic ALS Australian Systems Genomics Consortium (SALSA-SGC). 

Our goals

Enable all Australians with MND to contribute to a big-data research resource that integrates clinical, lifestyle and biological information

Set up infrastructure to underpin human MND research in Australia, and facilitate our role in international studies, for the next decade or more

Improve understanding of the complex mix of genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute to MND

Our long-term vision

Biological samples taken at the first clinic visit (or before) could be used for...

Predicting disease subtypes

Useful for clinical trial recruitment and disease management

Precision medicine

Using genomic and clinical information to tailor treatments to each individual

Earlier diagnosis

Enabling treatments to be commenced earlier in disease course