OMF adds a fourth ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center

[Ben H]

Hi guys,

Some really fantastic news, another FOURTH collaborative research center! :

BREAKING NEWS

We are pleased to announce that we have added a fourth ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center (CRC) to join our End ME/CFS Project.

Directed by Alain Moreau, PhD, the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at CHU Sainte-Justine/Université de Montréal in Québec, Canada will serve to increase our international collaborative efforts.

Dr. Moreau's Research Team at the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center
CHU Sainte-Justine/Université de Montréal in Québec, Canada

​

Dr. Moreau and his lab have been researching ME/CFS for several years. After meeting Ronald W. Davis, PhD, OMF Scientific Advisory Board Director, and OMF CEO Linda Tannenbaum in 2017, Dr. Moreau has been a part of the ME/CFS working group and has presented multiple times at the community symposium held at Stanford University. Additionally, he organized the first ME/CFS Canadian Collaborative Conference held in Montreal in May 2018.

"I initially decided to invite Dr. Moreau to join our ME/CFS Working Group because he demonstrated that he could take multiple novel approaches to understand the disease. His work will be very complementary to the research of other investigators. The CRC in Montreal extends our international collaboration for solving ME/CFS." Ronald W. Davis, PhD

About the Research

The new ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at the Université de Montréal is searching for the cause of the disease with a focus on actionable therapeutic

targets. Their innovative research program is at the frontier of genetic predisposition and external factors that may have altered the gene expression in ME/CFS patients (epigenetic changes).

They hope that monitoring different biomarker changes during a stress test will shed light on the pathophysiology of ME/CFS and help to identify specific molecular signatures. In parallel, they intend to develop better clinical tools allowing clinicians to diagnose ME/CFS and select the best treatments to address their medical needs. Ultimately, they hope to find a cure to end ME/CFS.

Learn more about the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center, Université de Montréal

About Dr. Moreau

Alain Moreau, PhD, is a Full Professor in the Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Dentistry and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Additionally, Dr. Moreau is the Director of Network for Canadian Oral Health Research. He is the Scientific Director of the Viscogliosi Laboratory in Molecular Genetics of Musculoskeletal Diseases, Sainte-Justine University Research Center, Montréal, Québec.

Dr. Moreau's chief interests of study are pediatric scoliosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Dr. Moreau is a member of the Open Medicine Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and is the Director of the Interdisciplinary Canadian Collaborative Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Research Network, a national research network funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research.

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We are so proud of the great minds from across the globe that have joined
The End ME/CFS Project. Dr. Moreau's colleagues are from Canada, France,
Iran, Moldova, China, Egypt, Columbia, Spain, Russia, and Romania!

WON'T YOU SUPPORT THE WORK OF OUR
INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF RESEARCHERS?








visit us at www.omf.ngo​

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@Janet Dafoe (Rose49)

 

[andyguitar]

Very good news. Dont we need it at the moment!

 

[Ben H]

Too true @andyguitar . Really excited for this, it's massive for ME/CFS research, collaboration and for Canada


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[perrier]

Thank you Ben for posting this. Thanks. I actually live very close to this centre. However, am I correct in understanding that this is exclusively research? Or is the plan to provide treatments?

From what I know, there is not a single doctor in Montreal who focuses on ME. Dr. Moreau told me he is not a physician, but a researcher. (There used to be one doctor, Dr Morisette, but he has retired long ago. )

Any further information would be welcome.

Stay well.

 

[MonkeyMan]

@Ben H, thanks for posting this. Can you provide on update on where things stand with the nanoneedle testing?

 

[Hopeful1976]

Also the metabolic trap? Been waiting years for 'something in the serum' info, plus the metabolic trap suddenly went so silent. I don't want another collaboration centre; I want news, updates, genuine information!

 

[keepontruckin]

Could be any reason why there is no comment. could be a disappointment, a funding issue, waiting for publication of something before being questioned. They did not have that much new to report the last time he spoke in December. Let it be. Allow them to have their strategy.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

waiting for publication of something before being questioned. They did not have that much new to report the last time he spoke in December. Let it be. Allow them to have their strategy.

This was just published...a couple of days ago. Scientists don't commonly- pile on rumors and send out opinions willy nilly. It takes time to digest and formulate research strategies.

I have for some time felt OMF could do a better job with more frequent updates.

And now to hear, again, that several recent grant applications were denied because: why diagnose us? Very difficult.

 

[Dechi]

Thank you Ben for posting this. Thanks. I actually live very close to this centre. However, am I correct in understanding that this is exclusively research? Or is the plan to provide treatments?

Yes you are correct. For now, but hopefully more to come.

 

[Ben H]

Thank you Ben for posting this. Thanks. I actually live very close to this centre. However, am I correct in understanding that this is exclusively research? Or is the plan to provide treatments?

From what I know, there is not a single doctor in Montreal who focuses on ME. Dr. Moreau told me he is not a physician, but a researcher. (There used to be one doctor, Dr Morisette, but he has retired long ago. )

Any further information would be welcome.

Stay well.

Hi @perrier

I believe it is exclusively research for now, however with the aim of providing treatments of course, whether that will be from that center, I do not know.


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[Ben H]

@Ben H, thanks for posting this. Can you provide on update on where things stand with the nanoneedle testing?

Hi @MonkeyMan

No worries, there is lots of interest in the update for the nanoneedle recently, info has been passed on to OMF, hopefully an update can be given soon, I'll tag @Janet Dafoe (Rose49) who might be able to give some information.

I am mentioning the obvious but it would be very interesting to see how the nanoneedle fits in (or doesn't) with Prusty and Naviaux's recent study...


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[Ben H]

Also the metabolic trap? Been waiting years for 'something in the serum' info, plus the metabolic trap suddenly went so silent. I don't want another collaboration centre; I want news, updates, genuine information!

Hi @Hopeful1976

I understanding the want for the information, this has been passed on to OMF.

However, this is news and genuine information, with a new collaborative opening up a huge number of possibilities, and the opportunity to allocate the best team suited to whatever project is needed. Between the CRC's, there is a massive amount of expertise for this.


B

 

[Ben H]

This was just published...a couple of days ago. Scientists don't commonly- pile on rumors and send out opinions willy nilly. It takes time to digest and formulate research strategies.

I have for some time felt OMF could do a better job with more frequent updates.

And now to hear, again, that several recent grant applications were denied because: why diagnose us? Very difficult.

It's very difficult with the ridiculous reasons the NIH is giving for rejecting grant applications, that is obviously holding back progress. However I believe there are more applications in the pipeline, fingers crossed they will get funded.

I think they do a very good job of keeping people up to date in general, however specific progress info on the nanoneedle and metabolic trap is an area I think could be focused on more. I've shared this with OMF.

Also OMF is launching the third annual #MayMomentum campaign today (see in advocacy section), which has some exciting pilot trials for kynurenine and mestinon...


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[Rufous McKinney]

I think they do a very good job of keeping people up to date in general, however specific progress info on the nanoneedle and metabolic trap is an area I think could be focused on more. I've shared this with OMF

Thank you for sharing this info with them....(OMF)

I've been looking for more specific information on the U.S. Military Gulf War Research funding for FY 19/20.

I'm curious if OMF is applying for any of these funds, and the current status of- other ME researchers working thru this program.

 

[ljimbo423]

I understanding the want for the information, this has been passed on to OMF.

However, this is news and genuine information, with a new collaborative opening up a huge number of possibilities, and the opportunity to allocate the best team suited to whatever project is needed.

The more collaborative research centers we have, the better the chances of somebody finding crucial research information, that can either lead to a cause/treatment or both for ME/CFS.

Thanks Ben!