Affiliated Managers Group, a global asset management company, has announced a $20 million matching gift to establish a research center at Massachusetts General Hospital that will work to advance scientific research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and develop effective treatments for people with ALS.

The gift, which boosts total funding for the center to $40 million, matches previous commitments, including those from the AMG Charitable Foundation and the company's executive chair, Sean M. Healey, an ALS patient, as well as AMG employees, partners, and other individuals.

The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS at Mass General will provide funding for research aimed at accelerating the development of treatments for ALS; endowed chairs in neurology as well as research conducted by chair incumbents; and annual fellowships for early-career physician-scientists ready to dedicate themselves to improved ALS treatment and patient care. With the help of a scientific advisory committee comprising leading medical experts from around the world, the center also will make targeted grants to research teams pursuing promising and forward-thinking ideas, thus drawing new scientists into the field.

"There has never been a better time for action," said Merit Cudkowicz, chief of neurology at Mass General and the head of the Healey Center. "The basic research in ALS has reached the critical point where it can be translated into treatments for people with ALS, and AMG's impactful gift will immediately be put to work to advance this research. The Healey Center will provide meaningful support to research professionals and dedicated physician-scientists working together to find a cure for ALS and deliver personalized care and greatly increased access to therapies for people with the disease. AMG's commitment will benefit people with ALS both locally and globally."