Research Appreciation Day
On July 5th, ME Research UK marked the first annual Research Appreciation Day which celebrates the hard work of health researchers and scientists all around the world. The organisers of Research Appreciation Day 2024 emphasised that “all progress, big or small, comes through research.”
In line with the theme, we highlighted that ME Research UK is currently funding 14 ongoing projects and 5 PhD-level awards, investing £2.4 million in research in 8 countries.
Furthermore, this month, we launched our annual call for grant applications, seeking proposals for biomedical research into the causes, consequences, and treatment of ME/CFS. Over the next few months, ME Research UK’s Science Committee will review these proposals, and you can read more about this process and how the charity decides which research projects to fund.
Maeve Boothby O’Neill
Almost 3 years after her death, a full Coroner’s Inquiry opened on 22 July examining the circumstances surrounding the death of 27-year-old Maeve Boothby O’Neill from severe ME. The two-week Inquiry will look at her care at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, delays in palliative care, and the wider lack of understanding in the medical community of ME/CFS. We have published an overview of the Inquiry, and a narrative in quotes with media links for Weeks 1 and 2 of the on-going proceedings.
Research articles
In June, ME Research UK attended the 16th Invest in ME Research International Conference, gaining important insights into ME/CFS research. The conference highlighted the need for collaboration, innovative research methods, and clinical trials. You can read our full report on our website.
A major challenge in ME/CFS research is that the disease varies widely between individuals (heterogeneity). A US research team investigated whether inconsistencies in the diagnostic process between clinicians may provide one possible explanation for differences in disease characteristics between people with ME/CFS.
A recent review by a multidisciplinary team summarised ME/CFS symptoms, severity, diagnostic criteria, causes, pathophysiology, and management, providing a helpful overview.
The Big Give
Every year, ME Research UK participates in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, and thanks to the response from our wonderful supporters we have been able to raise our Pledge target this year to £15,000. This could help us increase the amount of research we fund by raising even more through the Big Give. Read about how the Big Give works, and become a Pledger today.
Help us make the breakthrough
We know that, as a subscriber to our newsletter and someone who is interested in our work, you join us in the belief that only robust scientific research is the key to understanding ME/CFS.
Donations from our valued supporters are vital if we are to continue our work to inform, influence and invest in ME/CFS research globally.
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