Skin Biopsies for the Generation of ALS-specific Human Embryonic Stem Cells The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Research Center and the Motor Neuron Center of Columbia University, in collaboration with the Stowers Medical Institute, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and Project ALS have embarked on a project to develop stem cell lines that have the genes of individuals with ALS. Research on animals suggests it may be possible to develop special human stem cells to study diseases, including ALS, Parkinson's disease and diabetes. Stem cells may also eventually help to restore normal function to diseased organs. For instance stem cells may someday be used to replace Insulin producing cells needed to correct type1 diabetes, or brain cells to treat Parkinson's disease or motor neurons to treat ALS. Understanding stem cells is a very active area of scientific research at this time. The specific aim of this study is to develop stem cell lines that have the genes of individuals with ALS. If you participate in this study and donate your genetic material through a skin biopsy, and if we are successful, a stem cell line we will create will have all your genes. To date, we have collected 28 skin samples from patients with ALS and their spouses or family members. We still need more participants, specifically those with a confirmed SOD1 mutation and their family members. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jackie Montes @ 212-305-3632 or jm598@columbia.edu.