Transforming What Comes Next: Dr. Leonard Petrucelli Honored with Prestigious Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research

The ALS research landscape continues to advance because of bold thinkers and this year, one of the most influential among them has been recognized on a global stage.

Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D., founding director of the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research, one of the field’s highest honors.

Presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, this prestigious recognition is funded by the Essey family through the American Brain Foundation, and sponsored in partnership with the ALS Network, the American Academy of Neurology, and ALS Association, to recognize individuals who have made significant research contributions in the search for the causes, prevention of, and cures for ALS.

Dr. Petrucelli’s pioneering research has helped redefine how ALS is understood at the molecular level, particularly through his work on TDP-43, a protein now known to play a central role in the majority of ALS cases. His team also led critical breakthroughs in understanding C9orf72-linked ALS, developing the first preclinical model of this genetic form of the disease; work that continues to shape how researchers study progression and test potential therapies.

Dr. Petrucelli’s research has a powerful connection to real-world implementation and is focused on improving life today for people living with ALS, and in the future. A key area of his work is the development of biomarkers, which could enable earlier diagnosis, more precise tracking of disease progression, and more effective clinical trials.

At the ALS Network, we know breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation. They are powered by a community of researchers, advocates, families, and supporters working together to shape what comes next. We congratulate Dr. Petrucelli on this well-deserved honor.