Researchers Identify New Gene Connected To ALS
WORCESTER (CBS) -- If you've ever wondered where all that money from the Ice Bucket Challenge went – here's part of the answer.
Thanks to funding from the ALS Association, a team of international researchers led by UMass Medical School Dr. John Landers just identified a new gene called KIF5A that's connected to ALS. They also have more evidence now that defects in a cell's cytoskeleton are a common factor in the disease.
"Identifying common mechanisms leading to ALS is essential in developing therapeutics for the disease," Landers said in a statement.
ALS is a cruel disease that robs patients of their muscle control and eventually leads to paralysis and death. There is no cure.
Researchers said funding from the ALS Association was "instrumental" in this discovery.
The Ice Bucket Challenge, inspired by Beverly's Pete Frates, has raised more than $220 million for ALS research since 2014.
