Earlier this week researchers announced that the gene NEK1 has been found to play a significant role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This landmark discovery is the result of an 11-country research collaboration that was funded through the Ice Bucket Challenge. The research team included 3 Canadians, one of whom was directly funded by the ALS Society of Canada for their work during this discovery.
This finding will trigger future studies that focus specifically on the NEK1 gene. It is a compelling example of how donor dollars can lead to landmark research results, and speaks to the ongoing need to fund ALS research. In Canada, the Ice Bucket Challenge resulted in more than $20 million in research funding through ALS Canada – more than 10 times the annual research investment the organization has typically been able to make. Your support of further research will support further advances that will make ALS a treatable, not terminal, disease.
For more information:
- Read Reuters article: Ice Bucket Challenge credited with ALS Breakthrough
- Read the research paper as published in Nature Genetics
- Learn about an additional gene recently identified to play a role in the development of ALS
- Donate now and support further research to support advances that will make ALS a treatable, not terminal, disease.
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