In our What’s New in ME/CFS? series, we spotlight researchers transforming what we know – and what we can do – about this disease.
This week, we spoke with Dr. Hector Bonilla, Clinical Professor at Stanford and Co-Director of the Stanford ME/CFS and Long COVID Clinics. In this powerful interview, Dr. Bonilla shares how emerging science is reshaping our understanding of ME/CFS.
“I used to think about ME/CFS primarily as an infectious condition, but what we’re seeing is a much broader dysregulation of the immune system. There are increased inflammatory markers, and mitochondria play a very important role. This parallel pathobiology between ME/CFS and Long COVID really changed how I understand these illnesses.” — Dr. Hector Bonilla
In this conversation, Dr. Bonilla shares:
- Why viral persistence may be driving ME/CFS and Long COVID
- How mitochondrial dysfunction connects inflammation to fatigue
- What he would say to policymakers
- Why we can’t wait for federal agencies to lead research
🎥 Watch the full interview here.
There’s still so much to learn, and we’re grateful to the researchers on the cutting edge for doing this work.