New funding supports ME/CFS diagnostic study

In 2019, a study conducted by Ron Davis and Rahim Esfandyarpour demonstrated promising results: a technology capable of accurately distinguishing ME/CFS patients from healthy individuals with unprecedented precision. 

Based on this pioneering work, ME Research UK and the ME Association have jointly funded a new 12-month study. Led by Professor Robert Dorey, Dr. Fatima Labeed, and Professor Michael Hughes from the University of Surrey, along with CureME’s Dr. Eliana Lacerda and Caroline Kingdon, the team aims to expand their research to include a larger cohort. This group will encompass individuals with varying degrees of ME/CFS severity, as well as healthy controls and those with multiple sclerosis (MS). 

This grant supports a diverse team with expertise spanning biomedical engineering, clinical medicine, and public health. Its primary aim is to develop a reliable, repeatable, and low-cost diagnostic tool utilising the electrical signature obtained from a simple blood test. Additionally, the team seeks to identify cellular changes associated with ME/CFS, which could open doors to novel treatment approaches. 

The receipt of this funding marks a significant milestone in ME/CFS research and holds promise for improving the diagnosis and treatment of individuals affected by this debilitating condition worldwide.