Digital speech markers to track bulbar decline in Spanish-speaking ALS patients
Official title: Developing Digital Speech Biomarkers of Bulbar Disease Decline in Spanish-Speaking persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Funded at Nova Southeastern University · NIH-11393889 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A smartphone app will collect Spanish-language speech data from ALS patients to detect early bulbar decline and help guide timely care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nova Southeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Lauderdale-Davie, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 13, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $136,195 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM159802-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11393889 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Spanish-speaking adults with ALS who own a smartphone or caregiver-supported use of a smartphone app.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who do not speak Spanish or do not use a smartphone may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will create and validate digital speech biomarkers using a smartphone app for Spanish-speaking people with ALS. Researchers will compare spoken and respiratory measures with caregiver reports and standard Spanish ALS scales to understand how bulbar decline progresses. The goal is to enable earlier detection and timely interventions to preserve speech and swallowing abilities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could allow clinicians and families to monitor bulbar decline more precisely and act sooner to maintain communication and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Similar digital biomarkers exist in English-speaking cohorts, but this project is the first focused on Spanish speakers.
Where this research is happening
-
Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale-Davie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tabor Gray, Lauren — Nova Southeastern University
- Study coordinator: Tabor Gray, Lauren
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.