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Remember when the Ice Bucket Challenge took over the internet? People far and wide were dumping icy buckets of cold water on top of each others heads to support the cause of possibly finding a cure to ALS. The ALS Research Foundation managed to rack up a lot of money from this frigid act of kindess. Every once in a while videos resurface from that crazy time in history. They are fun to watch. Everyone participated! Former President George Bush, Lady Gaga and the next door neighborhood. Well in a surprising update, all that dousing of water actually accomplished something good, really good. Scientist were able to use the funds and discover an important breakthrough in understanding the condition. Check out the article below:
People thought it was silly two summers ago, but the Ice Bucket Challenge Internet sensation actually gathered enough funds to make an important breakthrough in ALS research.
The University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Project MinE recently discovered the gene that is responsible for ALS. Project MinE scientists were able to research this gene with help from the ALS Association, which donated $1 million from the Ice Bucket Challenge.
The identified gene is NEK1, which its variants could provide clues to understanding and potentially treating familial and sporadic ALS.
ALS affects four to eight per 100,000 people and approximately 5,000 are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
