Celebrating Partnership: Les Turner ALS Foundation 30th Anniversary Symposium"Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future."  | Mr. Gaffen, and Drs. Kessler, Jameson, and Siddique (l to r) |
In quoting Nobel Laureate Nils Bohr in his remarks at the Les Turner ALS Foundation 30th Anniversary Symposium, John A. Kessler, MD, Ken and Ruth Davee Professor of Stem Cell Biology and chair of the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, made reference to the many mysteries that remain surrounding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). At the afternoon’s celebration of the progress made possible in ALS research and care over the past 30 years, Dr. Kessler was sure of a bright future and continued partnership between Feinberg and the Les Turner ALS Foundation. An event 30 years in the making, the symposium featured remarks by neuroscientists Teepu Siddique, MD, Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert C. Wenske Foundation Professor and director of the Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, and P. Hande Ozdinler, PhD, assistant professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurological Sciences, as well as Wendy Abrams, executive director of the Les Turner ALS Foundation. Hosted at the Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, the symposium attracted the interest of more than 200 faculty and staff members, students, supporters of the Les Turner ALS Foundation, and many ALS patients and their family members. Throughout the reception and symposium, testimonial posters shared the stories of many of these families, detailing their experiences with the Les Turner ALS Foundation, the Lois Insolia/Les Turner ALS Center, and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. These posters not only honored the work of the tremendous faculty and staff involved in this collaborative effort, but even more so, the patients who have so bravely fought this devastating disease.  | Dr. Siddique, Mr. Joel Schechter, vice president of the Les Turner
ALS Foundation, Mr. Gaffen, Dr. Ozdinler, and Ms. Abrams (l to r) |
After Dr. Kessler’s opening remarks, Harvey Gaffen, founding member and president of the Les Turner ALS Foundation, took the stage to introduce Dr. Siddique. While acknowledging the contributions of his many collaborators, Dr. Siddique described the history of ALS research and shared recent breakthroughs with the audience. In particular, he described his team’s recent discovery of a link between sporadic and familial forms of the disease. Following Dr. Siddique’s presentation, Dr. Ozdinler was introduced by William N. Haarlow, board member of the Les Turner ALS Foundation. In her remarks, Dr. Ozdinler described several high impact collaborations in which she is involved and shared her insightful plans to clearly define her role as a young faculty member at Feinberg. She described the paths she will take to turn potential energy into discoveries through well-designed collaborations at Northwestern. Mr. Greg Insolia then took the podium to introduce Ms. Abrams. Mr. Insolia lost his mother Lois to ALS in 1985, after which point his family helped dedicate the Lois Insolia/Les Turner ALS Center with funds made available through the James V. Insolia Family Foundation. Addressing patients’ clinical needs, the Lois Insolia/Les Turner ALS Center plays a critical role in realizing the collaborative dream of the Les Turner ALS Foundation. In her remarks, Ms. Abrams shared her experiences with the Les Turner ALS Foundation, explaining how her passion for ALS research and patient care is motivated through patients who continue to inspire her with their spirit and their abundant hope. She said she was delighted to work with many physicians at Northwestern, including the talented neuroscientists who spoke before her. Finally, Ms. Abrams expressed her gratitude to J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, vice president for medical affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, announcing that he will be honored next year at the Hope Through Caring Award Dinner, a fundraiser hosted annually by the Les Turner ALS Foundation.  | Timothy Spann, PhD, adjunct assistant professor atFeinberg and ALS patient, with Dr. Ozdinler |
In closing, Dr. Kessler again took the podium to present Ms. Abrams and Mr. Gaffen with a crystal award to recognize the Les Turner ALS Foundation’s pivotal role in the breakthroughs described in the earlier presentations. He discussed promising research currently being conducted in cell regeneration, summarizing the presentations of Drs. Siddique and Ozdinler, and extending a hopeful arm toward the future of ALS research at Feinberg. In an emotional and fitting tribute to the partnership between the Les Turner ALS Foundation and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Dr. Kessler quoted Albert Pike as he presented the award. Honoring the dedication of the Foundation, he said, “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” It was the unifying hope of all in attendance at the symposium that the success of this alliance will extend well into the future, making possible even more groundbreaking findings in our fight to prevent and cure ALS. Photo credit: Nathan Mandell | 
