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We are the M.E./CFS Epidemiology and Genomics Alliance (MEGA) and we want to carry out a potentially game-changing biomedical research study.
We are trying to understand more about the biology of the chronic neurological condition, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E., often diagnosed within the NHS as chronic fatigue syndrome or M.E./CFS). If we do this, we think we may be able to develop new treatments. We also think we may be able to target treatments more effectively for those that will benefit.
We are doing this by developing a research application and securing funding for a biomedical “big data” study of 12,000 men, women and children with M.E./CFS in the UK, plus healthy controls.
A “big data” study investigates, in terms of DNA, RNA and other molecules, the distinctive genetics, epigenetics, proteomics and metabolomics within a certain group, using a very large number of samples. Such studies are the latest trend in population-based scientific research and are the way to generate the most useful data and the most productive research.
Sounds good right? Check out who is involvedA study of this scale will require considerable funding but we are not asking for your money. Instead, we are asking for your voice.
MEGA is working on putting together an application to mainstream funders to take this project forward. The first application will be submitted in January 2017 as an outline application. For this to have a high chance of success, we need evidence that patients support MEGA.
By pledging your name to back this biomedical research, you are showing mainstream research funders that MEGA has your support, and helping to persuade them that they should support it too.
Please back this potentially game-changing biomedical research for people with M.E./CFS by signing this petition to #makeitMEGA
Personally, I'm going to be thinking long and hard about voting for this if Crawley and White are involved.MEGA is Prof George Davey-Smith, University of Bristol; Prof Chris Ponting, University of Edinburgh; Prof Colin Smith, University of Brighton; Prof Caroline Relton, University of Bristol; Tony Bartlett, Somalogic; Dr Rick Dunn, University of Birmingham; Prof Julia Newton, University of Newcastle; Sonya Chowdhury, Action for M.E., representing the patient charity members of the UK CFS/M.E. Research Collaborative Board; Prof Andrew Morris, University of Edinburgh; Dr Simon Collin, University of Bristol; Prof David Ford, Swansea University; Dr Esther Crawley, University of Bristol; Prof Paul Moss, University of Birmingham; Prof Peter White, Queen Mary University London; Prof Jim Horne, Loughborough University; Prof Maria Fitzgerald, University College London; and Prof Paul Little, University of Southampton.
https://www.change.org/p/support-th...-its-application-to-major-uk-research-funders