USA: News from Solve ME

Interview with neuroimaging researcher Zack Shan



"What my research now is, we have these brain MRI findings. Can we combine with smart sensors and biomarkers? Eventually, what we find can apply to a real patient without MRI data. Because, for research, we can collect rich phenotype data, and we already have this rich phenotyping data for research purposes. We can apply it to a new, single patient with probably just one or two, let's say, smart sensor, or biomarker. You don't necessarily have to have the range. [...] For real live, or daily clinic, we can just use one or two modalities."

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"We have logged the dynamic brain blood flow, autonomic function, and neuroinflammation in ME/CFS. As a group, ME/CFS patients always show clear anomalies across these systems, yet none of these measures alone define the disease. So what that tells me is, ME/CFS is not a single disease, but it is a disease with different biological subtypes. "
 
forestglip said:
Interview with neuroimaging researcher Zack Shan

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Solve ME has posted a short description of the interview:

Inside the Brain, Clues to ME/CFS Subtypes
Solve ME said:
In this interview, Dr. Shan shares:
  • What his team is learning from brain scans and autonomic testing
  • Why biological subtypes may hold the key to future diagnosis and treatment
  • How real-world patterns in patients are shaping the next generation of ME/CFS research
  • What it means to truly listen to the patient voice in science
Click to expand...
 
So what that tells me is, ME/CFS is not a single disease, but it is a disease with different biological subtypes.​

Maybe.

Cancer has a wide range of forms, symptoms and signs, and causes (genetic, chemical, infectious, radiological), and different treatments. But all cancers have one thing in common – abnormal unregulated cell growth.
 
New video from Solve ME: "What's New in ME/CFS? Interview with Dr. Roshan Kumar"



The Solve ME website has a short description of the video:

This Week in “What’s New in ME/CFS?”: A Q&A with Dr. Roshan Kumar
Solve ME said:
In this conversation, Roshan shares:
  • Why dysfunctional T cells are a promising focus of research
  • What it means to see meaningful immune signals in small cohorts
  • How his personal experience as a caregiver shapes his work
  • What gives him hope in the face of scientific and systemic barriers
  • What he’d do with more funding—and how close we are to drug discovery
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Upcoming webinar from Solve ME:

Protecting the Ones You Love: Legal & Insurance Tools for ME/CFS Caregivers

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
Time: 12 - 1 PM Pacific / 3 - 4 PM Eastern

Registration link
(link will show time in your time zone)

Note: The intended audience appears to be US residents.
Solve ME said:
Caring for someone with ME/CFS is an act of deep love–and preparation is one of the most meaningful ways to protect their future.

Hosted by Solve M.E. Director of Advocacy Monique Wike, Andrew Kantor, Esq. (Senior Partner at Kantor & Kantor, LLP), will walk caregivers through essential legal and insurance strategies to support a loved one living with ME/CFS.

Andrew will break down long-term disability (LTD) insurance, long-term care (LTC) planning, medical and legal documentation tips, and practical steps families can take to secure benefits and long-term stability.

Whether you’re just beginning this journey or planning ahead, you’ll gain the knowledge and confidence to advocate effectively, protect your loved one’s financial security, and support their care with clarity and strength.
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We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Sadie Whittaker back to Solve as Chief Scientific Officer. She brings over two decades of leadership experience in the biopharma industry and a deep commitment to improving outcomes for patients through science and collaboration.
� Learn more: https://ow.ly/75gi50Y41ZJ
 
New video from Solve ME: "What's New in ME/CFS? Interview with Manuel Ruiz Pablos"

(video is in Spanish -- see subtitle instructions on YouTube)



The Solve ME website has posted comments on this video here:

This Week in “What’s New in ME/CFS?”: A Q&A with Manuel-Ruiz Pablos
Solve ME said:
Why do so many people with ME/CFS share the same immune gene variants?

That’s the question driving Manuel Ruiz-Pablos’s research.
Click to expand...

Solve ME said:
In this interview with Solve Director of Advocacy Monique Wike, Ruiz-Pablos shares:
  • How a personal health crisis launched his research
  • Why he focuses on HLA-II genetics and herpesviruses
  • What gives him hope as both a patient and a scientist
  • What he’d say to policymakers, and to other patients
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From Facebook:

Federal funding bills covering Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense are now final, and 3 of our core asks from Advocacy Week 2025 made the cut!

Solve M.E. Dir. of Advocacy Monique Wike reports that the government has committed to keeping key ME/CFS research and public health programs alive, protecting pathways for new research funding, and directing the NIH to spell out how it will move toward real tests and treatments.

Learn more here:
solvecfs.org

Advocacy Update: Three Crucial ME/CFS Federal Budget Wins - Solve ME/CFS Initiative

Solve M.E. Director of Advocacy Monique Wike reports that the government has committed to keeping key ME/CFS research and public health programs alive, protecting pathways for new research funding, and directing the NIH to spell out how it will move toward real tests and treatments.
solvecfs.org solvecfs.org
 
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From Facebook:

ICYMI: Andrew Kantor, Esq. (Senior Partner at Kantor & Kantor, LLP) joined us this week for a webinar and walked caregivers through essential legal and insurance strategies to support a loved one living with ME/CFS.

Topics included: long-term disability (LTD) insurance, long-term care (LTC) planning, medical and legal documentation tips, and practical steps families can take to secure benefits and long-term stability.

Watch the recording and download the presentation deck full of helpful tips here:

solvecfs.org

Watch! Protecting the Ones You Love: Legal & Insurance Tools for ME/CFS Caregivers - Solve ME/CFS Initiative

Watch our webinar for caregivers and learn essential legal and insurance strategies to support a loved one living with ME/CFS.
solvecfs.org solvecfs.org
 
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An update from Monique Wike, Advocacy Director at Solve ME, on federal funding (USA):

Advocacy Update: Three Crucial ME/CFS Federal Budget Wins
Solve ME said:
... three of our core asks from Advocacy Week last year made it into the final version:

1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ME/CFS program funding is protected

The CDC Chronic Fatigue Syndrome program is funded at $5.4 million. This is one of the only dedicated federal public health footholds for ME/CFS. Keeping it in place was not easy this year with so many programs facing cuts, so this is a meaningful “we held the line” moment for our community.

2) ME/CFS remains eligible for a key Department of Defense Medical Research program

ME/CFS will remain an eligible topic area under the Department of Defense Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP) at the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). The PRMRP program itself will receive $370 million this year. That eligibility matters because it keeps an important research funding pathway open to our scientists.

3) National Institutes of Health (NIH) now has a real deadline to act on the ME/CFS Research Roadmap

Congress directed NIH to develop an implementation plan for the ME/CFS Research Roadmap within 180 days of the bill being signed. This doesn’t automatically guarantee funding but it does create a clear moment of accountability and ensure ME/CFS is a priority at NIH. NIH now has to put in writing how it plans to move forward on the roadmap’s priorities like biomarkers, treatments, and clinical trials.

A huge thank you to #NotJustFatigue and #MEAction, who have been spearheading the Roadmap push.
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February 24, 2026 - New Funding announced:

"New Catalyst Awards to Accelerate ME/CFS and Long Covid Breakthroughs"​


Awarded Studies (February 2026):
  1. Effect of Semaglutide on ME/CFS Symptoms
    Led by Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen, this study will evaluate whether semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS who are receiving treatment for being overweight. The research will also try to identify biomarkers to predict which patients may benefit most and ensure patient involvement throughout the project.

  2. Discovery of Target Antigens for Dysfunctional T Cells in ME/CFS and Long COVID
    Dr. Liisa Selin, Dr. Roshan Kumar, and Dr. Ayano Kohlgruber will identify the specific proteins that trigger dysfunctional immune responses in ME/CFS and Long Covid. Their work could reveal new biomarkers and treatment targets and will create valuable resources for future research.
Link
 
Lisan_Al_Ghaib_87 said:
Discovery of Target Antigens for Dysfunctional T Cells in ME/CFS and Long COVID
Dr. Liisa Selin, Dr. Roshan Kumar, and Dr. Ayano Kohlgruber will identify the specific proteins that trigger dysfunctional immune responses in ME/CFS and Long Covid. Their work could reveal new biomarkers and treatment targets and will create valuable resources for future research.
Click to expand...
Dr. Selin told us, “This award is crucial to our continuing our research into the immunopathogensis of ME/CFS and making a giant step to identify the potential viruses or autoantigens that drive the disease.”
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Seems like they have already concluded on what kind of disease ME/CFS is..
 
Lisan_Al_Ghaib_87 said:
  1. Effect of Semaglutide on ME/CFS Symptoms
    Led by Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen, this study will evaluate whether semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for people with ME/CFS who are receiving treatment for being overweight. The research will also try to identify biomarkers to predict which patients may benefit most and ensure patient involvement throughout the project.
Click to expand...
Just saw this anecdotal today:
 
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