Ramsay 2017: Meet Research Team 1
Solve M.E. supports worthy ME/CFS research projects across a range of disciplines. In 2017, we funded five research projects and their work is currently underway.
The 2017 Ramsay study from Drs. Jonas Blomberg, Jonas Bergquist, Carl-Gerhard Gottfries, and Olof Zachrisson of Uppsala University and the Gottfries Clinic in Sweden is entitled “Biomarkers for initiation (infection) and metabolic derangement in ME/CFS.” Read more here.
2016 Ramsay: Research Team 1 Update
Dr. Jarred Younger (University of Alabama at Birmingham) recently provided Solve M.E. with a progress update on the Ramsay 2016 Research Team 1 project. He reflected on what motivated him to study neuroinflammation in ME/CFS and how pilot grants like the Ramsay Award can jumpstart promising lines of investigation. Read more here.
Ramsay 2018: Requests for Applications Coming in May
Following two successful Ramsay Award Program application cycles, we are thrilled to introduce the 2018 request for applications (RFA). Applications will be available online for download in the beginning of May and will close at the end of June. We wanted to share this exciting news with our community at the earliest possible opportunity.
Improvement of severe ME/CFS symptoms following surgical treatment – Study by Solve M.E. RAC member Dr. Peter Rowe
Research Highlights
- This paper used medical records to retrospectively analyze the outcome from a surgical intervention to expand the spinal canal in the necks of three female ME/CFS cases
- The patients were well-characterized for ME/CFS, displayed signs of orthostatic intolerance (OI), and were later found to have cervical spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the neck)
- The surgery was associated with an improvement in myelopathic (dysfunction of the spinal cord) symptoms, global ME/CFS symptoms, and overall functioning
- Although a limited case series analysis, this work contributes to evidence of the biomechanical and neurological dysfunction in ME/CFS and highlights the importance of careful neurological examination in those meeting criteria for ME/CFS
Solve M.E.’s Research Advisory Board member, Dr. Maureen Hanson, publishes new study
Research Highlight: Eukaryotes in the gut microbiota in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
- Researchers did not find significant alteration of gut eukaryotes – fungi and protozoa – in ME/CFS patients
- They do note a non-significant (meaning the possibility of chance cannot be ruled out) decrease in diversity of gut eukaryotes – in ME/CFS as compared to healthy controls
- They also found indications of a pro-inflammatory environment in the guts of patients, building on previous research findings
- Work to characterize eukaryotes in ME/CFS is a less explored area of the gut microbiome; future studies might contribute to better understanding of how the complex interactions between the community of microorganisms in our guts factor into ME/CFS
