UCLA Health researchers reported a blood test that detects ALS rapidly by measuring circulating cell‑free DNA (cfDNA) signatures, offering a potential noninvasive diagnostic adjunct for earlier disease detection. The assay aims to shorten diagnostic delay in a disorder that currently lacks robust blood biomarkers. Complementary basic research from Washington University detailed new molecular views of proteins implicated in ALS and frontotemporal dementia, enhancing target validation for therapeutic development. The pair of studies strengthens both translational diagnostics and mechanistic discovery in ALS.