Dr. Landers’ career has mainly focused on using new and high-throughput technologies for the identification of disease genes with a particular focus on ALS. His laboratory was part of a collaboration that identified the FUS gene as a significant contributor of familial ALS. His lab also headed the research of a genome wide association study that identified the KIFAP3 gene as a modifier of survival in ALS patients. He has subsequently been a collaborator on numerous follow-up genome wide association studies. Through his long-standing interest of novel technologies, his lab is now currently focused on using next-generation sequencing approaches to identify additional genes contributing to ALS. This includes using whole-genome sequencing, RNA-Seq and exome capture/sequencing. This effort has led to the identification of mutations in PFN1 in familial ALS. PFN1 is a regulator of actin polymerization further emphasizing the role of cytoskeletal genes in the pathogenesis of ALS. Through the Project MinE collaborative effort, they hope to further extend our understanding of the genetics of ALS.