Biogen ($BIIB) is joining Columbia University in an effort to sequence the genes of 1,500 people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, hoping to better understand the disease's underlying biology to inform drug R&D. The idea is to spotlight the genetic roots of ALS, creating a database of patient data with the aid of a network of institutions. To fund the project, Biogen and Columbia will tap their $30 million research alliance and draw $3.5 million from the ALS Association, all of which was raised through last year's Ice Bucket Challenge. More