Robert was introduced and hosted by Pat Donahoe. Robert gave a wonderfully erudite talk about his life’s work to address the clinical needs of his patients and uncover the genetic defects associated with ALS. Robert presented the methods used to uncover many gene defects ( including SOD-1 and many other genes) that are believed to contribute to 10% of ALS seen in the community. These genes encode proteins which play critical roles in protein stability, chromatin biology, the cytoskeleton and responses to environmental factors. It has been clearly shown by Robert that certain mutations in SOD-1 can result in ALS and in turn potentially be targeted by gene therapy. Robert described his international efforts to identify families with ALS throughout the world and including the USA, Cape Verde, Sweden, Israel and Belgium to name but a few. Robert also described both elegant and promising screening techniques and gene therapy approaches that are under development to address genetic defects associated with ALS using gene silencing mechanisms that could be directed to the CNS. In this way, Robert described definitive work that provides undoubted optimism for the future for individuals challenged and suffering with the remarkably challenging and unpleasant disease that is ALS.