Lorne Zinman

Dr. Zinman was appointed Director of the ALS/Neuromuscular Clinic at Sunnybrook HSC in 2005. He has since built one of the largest ALS research units in the world with numerous collaborative initiatives. In collaboration with fellow University of Toronto scientists Drs. Janice Robertson, Ekaterina Rogaeva, Yana Yunusova and Julia Keith, the group continues to study ALS pathophysiology to discover novel therapeutic targets. The University of Toronto ALS research team have made numerous important discoveries including the identification multiple novel ALS genes. 

In addition, Dr Zinman has lead a number of multicentre clinical trials evaluating the most promising ALS therapeutics. ​Dr. Zinman formed and was the first Chair of the Canadian ALS Research Network (CALS) which serves as the official national ALS consortium for clinical research and best practice care. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.  

His most recent achievement includes conducting a world’s first study with Sunnybrook ALS researchers Drs. Lipsman, Hynynen, Aubert and Abrahao where they successfully and safely opened the blood brain barrier over the motor cortex in ALS patients using MRI-guided focused ultrasound.

The next phase of the study includes opening the BBB in a larger region of the motor cortex in ALS subjects and delivering a promising therapeutic.