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HUGE NEWS! OMF grants $1.2M to Ramp Up Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University

Ben H

OMF Volunteer Correspondent
Messages
1,131
Location
U.K.
Hi guys,

Some seriously incredible news here that we are so excited to share:


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Dear Friends,

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We are proud to announce funding for the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University led by Ronald W. Davis, PhD, Director of our Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Davis has assembled a world-class team of scientists, many of whom have never before focused their expertise on ME/CFS, and has planned several innovative projects that will help us to understand the molecular basis of ME/CFS, develop better diagnostics, and discover new treatments. Given the number and quality of investigators that this grant would bring into the field, and the likelihood of groundbreaking discoveries coming from this research, OMF has decided to fund this highly promising proposal.

Although the National Institutes of Health decided against funding this plan as one of their Collaborative Research Centers, we believe this work is too important and too promising not to pursue. The opportunity to bring a scientific team of this caliber into the field of ME/CFS research is not one we are willing to miss, and we have heard from many of you who agree! That’s why we are funding the first year of this vital work with a $1.2 million grant that we have raised from our generous patient community.

We need your support for this amazing team to continue beyond year 1 to complete these projects. One year of funding is enough to make significant progress, but these ambitious projects will require multiple years to complete and publish. To support and maintain this groundbreaking research, please donate today.

The ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford will work on three projects that are critical and fundamental to understanding this disease and developing diagnostics and treatments:

1. T cells and the molecular immunology of ME/CFS
Sequencing single T cells and discovering their targets

2.
Extended big data study in families
Genome sequencing, gene expression, metabolomics, cytokines, clinical features, and more

3.
Developing blood-based diagnostic and drug screening technology
Enabling fast, inexpensive diagnosis of ME/CFS and discovery of new treatments

To learn more about the scientific plan for these projects and the outstanding team that makes up the Collaborative Research Center, please visit our website.

The scientific team includes:

Ron Davis, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine; Director, Stanford Genome Technology Center; Director, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University; Director, Open Medicine Foundation ME/CFS Scientific Advisory Board.

Mark M. Davis, PhD, Director, Stanford Institute for Immunology, Transplantation and Infection (ITI); Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Mike Snyder, PhD, Chair, Stanford Department of Genetics; Director, Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine

Wenzhong Xiao, PhD, Director, Immuno‐Metabolic Computational Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Craig Heller, PhD, Professor of Biology, Stanford University, exercise physiologist.

Robert Phair, PhD, Chief Science Officer, Integrative Bioinformatics, Inc..

Lars Steinmetz, PhD, Co-Director, Stanford Genome Technology Center; Professor of Genetics, Stanford University; Senior Scientist, Genome Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory.

Raeka Aiyar, PhD, Director of Communications and Development, Stanford Genome Technology Center.

Laurel Crosby, PhD, Engineering Research Associate, Stanford Genome Technology Center – multi-system integration

Rahim Esfandyarpour, PhD, Engineering Research Associate, Stanford Genome Technology Center – electrical engineering, device fabrication

Fereshteh Jahaniani, PhD, Research Associate, Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine – multi-omics

Mohsen Nemat-Gorgani, PhD, Life Science Research Scientist, Stanford Genome Technology Center – protein biochemistry, enzymology

Peidong Shen, PhD, Research Associate, Stanford Genome Technology Center – biochemistry, cell-free DNA detection methods

Gozde Durmus, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford Genome Technology Center – magnetic levitation platform, bioengineering

Julie Wilhelmy, Life Science Research Professional, Stanford Genome Technology Center – experimental genomics, immunology

Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Pathology, University of California, San Diego; Co-Director of Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center

William Robinson, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Immunology and Rheumatology), Stanford University

Curt Scharfe, MD, Associate Professor of Genetics, Yale University

Lucinda Bateman, MD, founder and Medical Director of the Bateman-Horne Center for ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia

David Kaufman, MD, ME/CFS Physician

We are fortunate that many members of the scientific, medical, and biotechnology communities have offered their expertise and resources to this Center. This Working Group includes:

Paul Berg, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry, Emeritus, Stanford University; Nobel Laureate

Mario Capecchi, PhD, Professor of Human Genetics and Biology, University of Utah; Nobel Laureate.

Baldomero Olivera, PhD, Professor of Biology, University of Utah

Alain Moreau, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Montreal

Øystein Fluge, MD, Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Olav Mella, MD, Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD, Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Neurochemistry, Uppsala University

Jonas Blomberg, MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Virology, Emeritus, Uppsala University

Maureen Hanson, PhD, Professor of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University

Chris Armstrong, PhD, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Bio21 Molecular Science & Biotechnology Institute researcher at the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

Neil McGregor, BDS, MDSc, PhD, senior researcher, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Adjunct Professor, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

Ronald Tompkins, MD, ScD, Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Founding Director of Center for Surgery, Science & Bioengineering at Massachusetts General Hospital

Catherine Blish, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and of Immunology, Stanford University

Christopher Garcia, PhD, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University

Roger Howe, PhD, Professor of Engineering, Stanford University; Director, Stanford Nanofabrication Facility

Tom Soh, PhD, Professor of Electrical Engineering, Radiology, and by courtesy, Chemical Engineering, Stanford University

Robert Tibshirani, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Data Sciences and Statistics, Stanford University

Alan Light, PhD, Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Utah

Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD, Professor of Sleep Medicine and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University; Director of Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine

Gerald Shadel, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Genetics, Yale University; Director of Yale Center for Research on Aging

Jarred Younger, PhD, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Rheumatology and of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham; Director, Neuroinflammation, Pain, and Fatigue Laboratory

John Ryals, PhD, President and CEO, Metabolon

Chunlin Wang, PhD, Chief Technology Officer, iRepertoire, Inc.

Michael Mindrinos, PhD, President of Sirona Genomics, an Immucor company

David Bell, MD, ME/CFS Physician

Kevin Tracey, MD, Professor of Neurosurgery and Molecular Medicine, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine

Jennifer Frankovich, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatric Rheumatology, Stanford University

Jose Montoya, MD, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University; ME/CFS Physician

Susan Levine, MD, ME/CFS Physician

Harry Greenberg, MD, Senior Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University

Bela Chheda, MD, ME/CFS Physician

We are so grateful to the donors whose support has made it possible to establish this Center! Please stay tuned for updates on the progress of this innovative work.

With hope for all,

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Linda Tannenbaum
CEO/President
www.omf.ngo




Hopefully the magnitude of this is conveyed! This truly is incredible and it would not be possible without your donations and your support, so thank you so, so much.

Hopefully that is a bit of Christmas excitement early.

:)


B


@Janet Dafoe (Rose49) @AshleyHalcyoneH @marilynbsg
 
Last edited:

Neunistiva

Senior Member
Messages
442
Truly wonderful news! This is such an important project, I am glad Dr. Davis and OMF didn't let it fall through despite NIH's short-sightedness. It is encouraging to see so many expert names come together. For many patients time is running out.

I hope we all continue to fundraise and keep this project going.
 

Ben H

OMF Volunteer Correspondent
Messages
1,131
Location
U.K.
Amazing! :hug: (And sad at the same time that a team like this can't get funding.)

@Ben H, has there been a decision regarding the second grant they applied for (I think you talked about that in your Bedside chat)? And will the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University replace the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Center (CFSCR)?

Hi @Joh

Regarding the second grant I am not sure. Will try and find out. Not sure a decision has been made yet.

Yes I believe it will. @Janet Dafoe (Rose49) should be able to clarify on the specifics of this change.

They funded 3 centres, we funded a 4th. Great to see this vision funded by patient support and OMF effort. Fantastic achievement and much needed hope for the community.

Exactly!


B
 

Tuha

Senior Member
Messages
638
Stanford also got $457,536 from OMF from that Tuesday Giving campaign. Is this $1.2 million grant separate or $457,536 is part of it?