Ice bucket challenge led to medical advance in Irish motor neurone disease research

Money raised from a global fundraising campaign, the ice bucket challenge, has helped identify a key gene linked to motor neurone disease (MND).

Project MinE, which is part-funded by the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, discovered NEK1, believed to be the cause of the disease.

It is hoped the breakthrough will lead to the development of treatments for MND, a rapidly progressive fatal disease which can affect any adult at any time.