Paul Alan Cox, PhD, GCA Medalist, Announces New Rapid ALS Diagnostic Test.

GCA Honorary Member and His Research Team’s Breakthrough ALS Test Set to Be Available in 18 months.

February 19, 2025

By: Suzie Bissell

Paul Alan Cox, PhD, a GCA medalist and honorary member, recently announced a breakthrough in his research to find new diagnostics and treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), “a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.”  A new diagnostic simple blood test is scheduled to be available within the next 18 months.  The research incorporated microRNA in the blood test, which resulted in a rapid and highly accurate diagnosis capability. 

The Brain Chemistry Labs, where Dr. Cox is executive director, also is hoping to produce similar tests for other progressive neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Primary Lateral Sclerosis.  Dr. Cox credits his team of “geniuses” at the Brain Chemistry Labs, particularly Drs. Sandra Banack and Rachael Dunlop, for the innovative research leading to the new microRNA diagnostic test.

The test will dramatically impact how neurologists diagnose ALS.  Currently, it takes a year or more to make a diagnosis.  It is a crucial year when a patient could be receiving treatment. This rapid test will enable doctors to make an early diagnosis and begin treatment, which is critical for making a difference in the life of a patient. 

Dr. Cox is one of the world’s preeminent ethnobotanists and works at the Brain Chemistry Lab with a consortium of 50 scientists to further this research. He was awarded the GCA Eloise Payne Luquer Medal for special achievement in the field of botany in 2019.  He was named an Honorary GCA Member in 2022.