Newcastle ME/CFS Centre of Excellence

[Seanko]

ICYMI there was an article in the Newcastle Chronicle about the Newcastle Centre of Excellence for ME/CFS which is overseen by Prof Julia Newton.

Major new NHS medical alliance aims to put North East at centre of pioneering research

 

[Simon]

mecfs is one early example of a collaboration between hospitals and university

Professor Newton added: “A real strength in the North East is that the university and hospital trusts work closely together, pulling on each other’s academic and clinical strengths so that we can be sure our work is of the very highest quality to help patients.”

Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) are already benefitting from the medical expertise provided by newly formed alliance.

Professor Julia Newton, clinical professor of Ageing and Medicine at Newcastle University, who also works within Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has led a team of experts who have found an abnormality of a protein which could lead to the development of new drugs and treatments.

Researchers found that patients with the condition have a defect in a molecule associated with the production of a protein known as AMP kinase (AMPK) – the first time such a discovery has been made which will provide greater understanding of CFS.

Professor Newton said: “At the moment we don’t know what causes CFS and, as a result, there are no biological-based treatments that can be given to patients.