MECFS Research – Cornell Center for Enervating NeuroImmune Disease

International ME/CFS Awareness Day 2022: metabolite disruption in ME/CFS

For International ME/CFS Awareness Day, we would like to announce the official publication of a large metabolomics study from our Center. The work led by Arnaud Germain, PhD, describes results from a longitudinal plasma metabolite study associated with a 2-day cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Over 100 individuals, including both females and males, were assayed before and after both days of the 2-day CPET. The article is open access in the journal JCI Insight. The quote below, from this publication, does an excellent job at summarizing the study.

Our longitudinal study design has allowed us to identify a number of pathways that diverge between healthy individuals and those with ME/CFS 24 hours after an exercise challenge, at which time patients typically experience PEM. Inability to recover properly after exertion is one of the most disabling symptoms of ME/CFS. Our study provides insight into the metabolic changes that are inimical to proper response to physical effort.

“Next Steps for ME/CFS Research”

Dr. Maureen Hanson spoke on the “Next Steps for ME/CFS Research” panel at the NIH meeting “Accelerating Research on ME/CFS” on April 5, 2019. The text of her statement and some by Dr. Jose Montoya on the same panel can be found here. A transcript of the prior remarks at the meeting by Dr. Francis Collins is available here.

Outreach in Japan

This past November, @DrMaureenHanson visited the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in Japan to participate in their distinguished speaker series. Dr. Hanson’s talk provided general awareness about ME/CFS and shared details on the Center’s research. In particular, the research topics covered were the functioning of immune cells, cellular metabolism, the microbiome, neuroimaging, and exercise physiology. While in Japan, Dr. Hanson spoke with a representative of the Japan ME Association. ME/CFS researchers in Japan hope to attend the April 2019 NIH meeting.