Earlier this year, the team at the UK ME/CFS Biobank asked ME Research UK to highlight a new initiative, referred to on X as the ‘#CureME Free Sample Campaign’, which offered high-quality samples from the Biobank at no cost to those with the best outline proposals.
This week the winners of this competition were announced, and included Dr. Sarah Annesley from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia, who is currently working on research funded by ME Research UK, alongside Dr. Kempuraj Duraisamy from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, USA.
The UK ME/CFS Biobank stores over 30,000 aliquots of blood samples and data generously donated by >600 donors including people living with mild/moderate and severe ME/CFS, with multiple sclerosis (MS), and healthy controls. Participants with ME/CFS have longitudinal samples at up to 6 timepoints.
Using biobank samples saves time and costs on lengthy ethical processes, recruiting and meeting with participants, the collection, processing and storage of samples, and data collection. More details on sample types and the accompanying data available can be found on the website.
Notably, the UK ME/CFS Biobank was established with a joint grant from the charities ME Association (including continuing support), ME Research UK and Action for ME, and private donors.
