MIDWAY, FL- The ALS Association is crediting money raised through the Ice Bucket Challenge for the discovery of a gene among the most common contributing to the progressive disease.
People who accepted the challenge allowed buckets of ice water to be dumped on their heads to raise awareness of ALS.
The challenge became a viral sensation in 2014 and raised more than $100 million for the association.
Some of that money helped fund a global effort to find genetic drivers of the condition called "Project Mine."
The ALS Association says a paper published this week in The Journal, nature genetics revealed Project Mine researchers identified the NEK1 Gene's connection to ALS.
It says understanding the gene's role will help in developing new target therapy for ALS.
Today, the WTXL Sunrise crew watched Meteorologist Alex Cordero take the challenge in 2014.
