Center Investigators Attend Invest in ME Research 2026 Conference Week; Early Career Researcher Wins Outstanding Presentation Award

Center investigators recently participated in the Invest in ME Research 2026 conference week at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridge, UK, attending both the 15th Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium (BRMEC15) and the 18th International ME Conference. This annual gathering represents one of the most significant forums for ME/CFS research collaboration, bringing together international researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to advance understanding of myalgic encephalomyelitis. Our Center’s continued participation reflects our commitment to fostering global partnerships and contributing to the growing body of biomedical research addressing this complex disease.

Erin Wissink, PhD

We’re particularly proud that one of our early career investigators, Dr. Erin Wissink, received 1st place for the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award from Young EMERG for her talk entitled “Cytotoxic T cell dysregulation in ME/CFS.” The presentation outlined a hypothesis that metabolic differences in T cells in ME/CFS cause changes in mTOR signaling and mRNA translation, based on findings from our recent single-cell genomics dataset. This recognition highlights the innovative research emerging from our Center and the importance of supporting early career scientists in ME/CFS research, particularly as the field continues to expand with growing recognition of post-viral illness connections.

Center Director Maureen Hanson Visits WE&ME Foundation

Our Center Director, Dr. Maureen Hanson, recently visited the WE&ME Foundation in Vienna, Austria, in her role as a member of their Scientific Advisory Board. During her visit, the Foundation announced a new research funding initiative on June 15, 2026. This collaboration reinforces our Center’s commitment to advancing rigorous, patient-centered ME/CFS research and strengthens our partnerships within the global research community.

The WE&ME Foundation’s call for proposals seeks research teams focused on advancing understanding of the biological mechanisms of ME/CFS. Projects must demonstrate innovation in methodology or clinical approach and include meaningful involvement of patients or patient representatives, with study designs aligned with current diagnostic criteria. The initiative welcomes applications from both established ME/CFS researchers and scientists from related fields, encouraging diverse approaches to the field. Research teams investigating post-viral contexts are also eligible, provided participants meet established ME/CFS diagnostic criteria.

We encourage members of the research community to explore this funding opportunity and share it with colleagues who may be interested. Learn more on the WE&ME Foundation Call for Proposals for full eligibility details and deadlines.

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