The project, conducted by Microsoft and Answer ALS, compiled research from over 1,000 ALS patients in the last year. Answer ALS, a global project dedicated to developing and implementing a unified strategy to stop ALS, has opened up its data portal for free today, in the hopes of uniting researchers everywhere around the science and knowledge needed to fulfill that vision.

At 21, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with ALS.

January 8 also marks what would have been his 79th birthday. Answer ALS, Microsoft, and the Hawking family are commemorating this day by giving the science community access to the largest ALS dataset to date as a gift in his honor — and hope the year ‘21 will see a breakthrough in his honor, too.

In support of the project, GALE created a video tribute to Stephen: a retrospective of one of the most influential lives in modern history.

“We’re so proud to partner with Microsoft and Answer ALS on this important initiative, whose hard work we highlight today on Stephen Hawking’s birthday — we are grateful for the opportunity for GALE to put a strategic and creative bow on it! It’s symbolic that we chose this day to celebrate his lifelong commitment to defying the odds and we hope this effort helps find a cure.” -Geoff Edwards, Executive Creative Director, GALE

Prominent ALS research supporters, including former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS a decade ago, Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, actor Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”) and many others are also expected to promote the project via their respective social media pages.

The media plan consists of programmatic, search and social media ads kicking off today on streaming online video, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google, with additional rollouts on streaming online video, display and social media on Jan. 15, ending Feb. 11.