MDA will recognize Dr. Appel during its Tribute Tour celebrating local Houston champions, Care Centers, partners, volunteers, and families. As part of the Tribute Tour, MDA leadership will visit the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute's MDA ALS Research and Clinical Center in Houston in honor of its 40th anniversary, in addition to visits to thank the community of longstanding volunteers and partners. The MDA Tribute Award will be presented to Dr. Appel among the community he has served for 40 years. The MDA Tribute Tour commenced in the volunteer state of Tennessee prior to arriving in Houston and continues to St. Louis over Labor Day.
Dr. Appel has received at least 42 individual grant awards from MDA, including a current award to evaluate autologous T regulatory cells in a clinical trial for ALS. He was a member of the MDA Board of Directors from 1979 to 2019 and now serves as Emeritus MDA Board Member.
"Dr. Appel helped mold our organization into the number one voluntary health organization in the US for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases. We celebrate Dr. Appel for his revolutionary research and his compassion for people living with ALS," said Donald S. Wood, PhD, President and CEO of MDA. "For over 70 years, MDA has led the way, investing over $173 million in innovations in ALS science and care, and it is largely thanks to Dr. Appel's invaluable service that we have made such inroads in research today."
An internationally renowned researcher and neurologist, Dr. Appel is dedicated to the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is one of the nation's foremost experts on the disease. He has spent more than 40 years devoted to understanding the human brain. Dr. Appel's laboratory focuses on developing new insights into ALS, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease, and was the first to document regulatory T-lymphocytes modulate disease progression in ALS patients. His focus is on enhancing the protective immunity of T-reg cells and anti-inflammatory microglia in neurodegeneration.
The MDA Tribute Award will be presented to Dr. Appel on June 2, the same day Major League Baseball has proclaimed 'Lou Gehrig Day' in honor of the hall of famer who passed away from ALS. To learn more about MDA's work in ALS from the experts, including Dr. Appel, view this video.
Source: Muscular Dystrophy Association