Fernando G. Vieira, M.D. is the Chief Scientific Officer at the ALS Therapy Development Institute where he leads a multidisciplinary team of scientists and researchers in their efforts to discover treatments and biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He has been working in ALS research since 2001. Dr. Vieira studied biological engineering at the University of Florida and medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has been awarded numerous patents for the invention of potential therapeutics for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. His research findings, spanning preclinical, basic, clinical, and translational ALS research, have been published in dozens of peer-reviewed journals including Nature Genetics and Science Translational Medicine. His publications have been cited more than 1000 times.
Fernando is a proud father and enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and running with his son.
"The essential thing 'in heaven and earth' is, apparently, that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living." –Friedrich Nietzche

Dr. Lukashev joined the ALS Therapy Development Institute in 2013 with over 20 years of postgraduate research experience and 14 years of biotechnology industry experience. He has supported and led therapeutic discovery and development programs across all stages of drug development in therapeutic areas of neurology, oncology, immunology and fibrosis. His leadership of the research effort supporting clinical development of Tecfidera, an oral small molecule therapeutic recently approved by the FDA for treatment of multiple sclerosis was recognized by an Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award from Biogen Idec, Inc. Dr. Lukashev received a Ph.D. from the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, and postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins and University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Theo Hatzipetros joined the ALS Therapy Development Institute in 2011. He is an in vivo pharmacologist who specializes in the field of neurodegeneration. Prior to joining the Institute, Theo worked on drug discovery for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease at FoldRx Pharmaceuticals. At the ALS Therapy Development Institute, Theo's efforts are focused on the development of novel animal models of ALS and in evaluating therapeutic strategies for the treatment of the disease. Theo, originally from Cyprus, received his doctorate in pharmacology from Boston University School of Medicine for his thesis work on the neurotoxic effects of the psychostimulant methamphetamine.

Dr. Alan Gill joined the ALS Therapy Development Institute in 2007. He is an experienced pharmacologist/physiologist with a thorough understanding of practical investigation in complex in vivo animal systems. He came to the Institute after a one-year immersion in Huntington's disease drug discovery as the Director and Head of Pharmacology at EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company concentrating on neurodegenerative diseases. Prior to EnVivo he worked for 13 years in Biogen and Biogen Idec's drug discovery research division where he instituted Biogen's Pharmacology Department. These efforts led to drug candidates that were the basis for collaboration with Merck and Co. for their clinical development, and to small molecule and protein potential therapeutics selected for development by Biogen Idec itself. Prior to working for Biogen, Alan worked for 12 years with Johnson & Johnson's worldwide drug discovery research division. He received his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the M.S. Hershey Medical Center of the Pennsylvania State University, and his Master's degree in Physiology and Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of San Francisco.