Ice Bucket Challenge leads to major scientific breakthrough

Researchers discover motor neurone disease gene thanks to fundraising campaign that encouraged celebs to douse themselves with freezing water Celebrities who doused themselves with freezing cold water for charity have helped scientists make a discovery that could help sufferers of motor neurone disease. The Ice Bucket Challenge went viral in 2014 as scores of famous figures including Tom Cruise, Ruth Langsford, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Beckham, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift posted videos showing them getting a chilly drenching. Despite being dismissed in some quarters as a pointless stunt, the campaign raised $115 million and funded six research projects. Significantly, one of them has now led to the discovery of a new gene linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neurone disease – the progressive brain condition suffered by Stephen Hawking. Defective variants of the gene, NEK1, are only found in three per cent of ALS sufferers but are present in both inherited forms of the disease and 'sporadic' cases without any family connection. Scientists believe the gene could guide them to the development of potential new treatments. The Project...

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