Researchers are developing a novel approach to screen for drugs to combat neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease — using yeast cells. The clumping process of proteins takes decades in humans but the researchers could model the process within a matter of hours in yeast cells. This now allows for rapid genetic screening to identify proteins that can reverse the harmful effects of the disease protein; visualizing the clumping; and testing molecules that could eliminate or prevent clumping.