Ice Bucket Challenge Donations Helped Fund New ALS Gene Discovery

WORCESTER (CBS) — An international team of scientists funded by Ice Bucket Challenge donations–including a professor from UMass Medical School in Worcester–has isolated a gene variation present in many ALS patients. Related: Frates Family ‘Grateful’ For Donations That Led To ALS Gene Discovery It was two summers ago when the Ice Bucket Challenge first went viral, raising millions for ALS research as challengers across the country dared each other to dump buckets of ice water over their heads in honor of those affected by the disease. Pete Frates and the entire Red Sox team helps relaunch the Ice Bucket Challenge. (Bernice Corpuz/WBZ NewsRadio 1030) Now, according to the ALS Association, researchers from Project MinE, which was funded by money raised by the Ice Bucket Challenge, have identified one of the most common genes, known as the NEK1 gene, that causes the neurodegenerative disease. The study that lead to that discovery was headed by Dr. John Landers of University of UMass Medical School and Dr. Jan Veldink of the Netherlands’ University Medical Center Utrecht. “Global collaboration among scientists, which was really made possible by ALS Ice Bucket Challenge donations, led to this important discovery,” Dr. Landers said in an ALS Association release. The Ice Bucket Challenge gained traction on social media in the summer of 2014 due in large part to the efforts of former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, who wa...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Local News Syndicated Local ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Pete Frates UMass Medical School Worcester Source Type: news