Invest in ME Research LunaNova Fellowship
Applications are invited for the Invest in ME LunaNova Fellowship to join the Laboratory of Prof Simon Carding in the Food, Microbiome and Health research programme at Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), based in Norwich, UK.
Background:
We are seeking to appoint a talented and enthusiastic Postdoctoral Research Scientist to an InvestinME LunaNova funded Fellowship to undertake an exciting project investigating the hypothesis that ME/CFS is the result of premature aging of the immune system due to the chronic exposure to, and stimulation by, endogenous microbes and/or their products, including viruses that are (re)activated as a result of prior infection or chronic fatigue.
The successful candidate will contribute to the groups' studies on the aetiology of ME/CFS and in particular the role that gastrointestinal tract-derived microbes and endogenous viruses play in disease pathophysiology.
The role:
The LunaNova Fellow will be responsible for undertaking studies to identify and characterise microbes, microbial products and eukaryotic viruses/viromes in patient-derived samples obtained from UK and European ME/CFS biorepositories and from patients participating in QI based clinical trials.
I’m sceptical that this would make any really significant difference. But I do want one to take home anyway. I love that stuff, and it looks more space efficient and economical to run than a full sauna room, which tbh I’d prefer. But I’ll take this, sure.
Mitochondria can absorb red light and use this to boost energy production, so there is interest in using red light therapy to treat ME/CFS. It has been used to manage the symptoms of acne, muscle and joint pain, arthritis, blood circulation issues and hair loss; this will be the first study to assess the use of red light therapy on ME.
Ten people with ME will be given a red light to use for two minutes per day, for a period of two weeks. Their symptoms will be monitored for a couple of weeks before and after this period, to see whether the red light therapy provides any benefits.
The Light ME Up study will trial objective assessments of cognitive function and physical activity levels and an online clinical trial management platform.
“We have set this up as a remote study so people can take part from home, as it is important we improve the accessibility of research participation to all people with ME” said study lead Dr Katharine Seton from the Quadram Institute and Invest in ME Research Ian Gibson Fellowship holder.
Dr Seton will work with colleagues from the University of East Anglia, including Dr Andrew Atkin, analysing activity monitor data and Professor Michael Hornberger who is providing expertise on cognitive function testing.
“We are excited to see whether this innovative therapy might help people with ME alleviate some of the symptoms of this debilitating condition” said Professor Simon Carding from the Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia.
“It will also help us improve the ways we can bring people with ME into clinical research in ME, including some of the other studies we’re planning here on the Norwich Research Park, through the ongoing support of Invest in ME Research and everyone who raises funds for them.”
“High quality biomedical research is vital if we are going to fully understand ME, and bring ways to treat it to the thousands of people it affects.”
Sometimes you think you’ve found a fun new project and suddenly it's all heavy metals and wondering if DIY electronics is ethically sound as hobby to have in a flat.
Even if red light did have an effect on the mitochondria of the skin cells exposed to it, the result will surely be trivial.
I was going to mention this. But I thought it might be taken as an example of ME patients harassing researchers out of their chosen fields. So I am conflicted here because I don’t know whether to feel chagrin at my relative lack of courage in speaking up for physics on this one, or concern that you may be making us all look a bit negative or ungrateful here @Kitty…You'd also think two minutes in the sun would be more effective, since it emits a lot of red light.
you may be making us all look a bit negative or ungrateful here @Kitty…
Doesn't appear to be. I'll start one.Is there a thread for this year’s conference?
I couldn’t see this here, regarding the DHSC delivery plan:
“Observations from and following the final meeting of the UKCRC ME Research Working Group”
May 2024
https://www.investinme.org/Documents/ukcrc24/ukcrc-epilogue.pdf
Due to some technical issue with the session, the charity's representative was muted during the meeting, able only to listen – somehow a symbolic reflection of the experiences of the past two years in the Research Working Group (RWG), during which our submissions were either not distributed or not discussed, and our perspectives seemingly ignored.