The research funded by the viral 'Ice Bucket challenge' has helped identify a gene behind the ALS disease, bringing scientists a step closer to pointing what's going wrong in patients, which can lead to therapeutic treatments.

Though trending charity campaigns normally get criticized for lack of an actual impact, the Ice Bucket Challenge eventually raised $220-million to fund new research on the neurodegenerative disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

In 2014, people poured a bucket of iced water over their heads in order to solicit donations before nominating others to do the same in a viral campaign called the "Ice Bucket Challenge."

Scores of celebrities, politicians, and businessmen around the world participated in the challenge.

READ: Ice bucket challenge crazy Philippines ranks 8th in participation

ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, affects nerve cells in the spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control, leaving those inflicted without the ability to walk, talk, and feed themselves. British physicist Stephen Hawking suffers from ALS.

The disease can be either sporadic or inherited, and in either case there is currently no cure.