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Zaher Nahle leaves Solve Me/cfs

Discussion in 'General ME/CFS news' started by Milo, Feb 23, 2018.

  1. Milo

    Milo Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    2,108
    This one is a shocker. What a huge loss. i wonder whether he will remain in the field or not.

    https://solvecfs.org/dr-zaher-nahle-leaves-smci/

     
  2. mango

    mango Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    2,522
    Oh no :( Why? What happened?
     
  3. Alvin

    Alvin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Will they tell us i wonder?
     
  4. Esther12

    Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Simone, Joh, Invisible Woman and 9 others like this.
  5. Diwi9

    Diwi9 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I've donated to SMCI because of him...damn. I hope he sticks with ME/CFS...and I hope he knows how individually admired he is by patients.
     
    dangermouse, Simone, Joh and 12 others like this.
  6. Cinders66

    Cinders66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,205
    A real shock and a real blow. No information given as to why or where he's going. Maybe the field was too frustrating but I thought he was making a real personal difference
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2018
    Simone, Yessica, Joh and 7 others like this.
  7. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    3,780
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    Nooooooooooooooo!
     
    Simone, Yessica, Joh and 10 others like this.
  8. Sean

    Sean Moderator Staff Member

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    Hmm. o_O
     
    Invisible Woman and Allele like this.
  9. Adrian

    Adrian Administrator Staff Member

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    He strikes me as someone who is ambitious. I wonder if he just felt he had set up some initiatives and that was as far as he could get. Sometimes different skills (and interests) are needed to set things up and to keep them running.
     
    Barry, Simone, Yessica and 13 others like this.
  10. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    52,218
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    I agree, @Adrian, I don't think a job like this, vital though it is to us, would be seen as the pinnacle of an ambitious scientist's career. I imagine he has found something new to move on to, and I wish him well and thank him for all he has done.
     
    Sing, Barry, Simone and 22 others like this.
  11. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    21,912
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    From what I've been hearing behind the scenes it's pretty much this, another opportunity opened up for him and so he moved on. It's disappointing of course but, in my opinion, he did a lot of good in his time with Solve.
     
    dangermouse, Sing, Simone and 29 others like this.
  12. MEMarge

    MEMarge Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I was thinking he probably got a better offer.
    At least as the field is changing and getting more interest etc, others with lots to offer should be looking to apply. I expect the ME docs and scientists in US have already put out feelers.
     
    Simone, Yessica, Joh and 9 others like this.
  13. Hutan

    Hutan Moderator Staff Member

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    26,844
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    Yes. And even if he doesn't immediately continue with ME/CFS, that's another informed and sympathetic bright science administrator out in the world who may one day be in charge of allocating government or philanthropic funds to medical research. Or may identify a tool or a researcher that, when combined with the resources already applied to ME/CFS, makes the breakthrough.

    So long as the next person to the SCMI role is good, perhaps it's a net gain in the long run.
     
  14. Joel

    Joel Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    UK
    I rate Zaher Nahle very highly. I hope he is moving on to something else in ME/CFS.
     
    dangermouse, Barry, Simone and 11 others like this.
  15. Cinders66

    Cinders66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,205
    Perhaps , and I include myself in this, we should get behind SMCI a bit more as a community too. I tend to focus on changing the negatives, especially as in uk there's so many, rather than supporting the positives, but that charity has become a fantastic thing due in large part to Dr Z N.
     
    RuthT, Sing, Barry and 14 others like this.
  16. Rick Sanchez

    Rick Sanchez Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    155
    I agree. I really don't think they get the credit they deserve in the ME/CFS community.
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2018
    Barry, Simone, petrichor and 6 others like this.
  17. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    My opinion is that they don't get the same level of visible support from patients due to them doing a lot of the essential work which doesn't have the wow factor of big research efforts that others engage in. Rather than fund fewer, larger studies they have looked to fund more but smaller studies, in part to increase the number of researchers working on ME, which is likely to be what we need more than just funding a few high profile researchers.
     
    dangermouse, Sing, Barry and 8 others like this.
  18. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    I agree individuals can make a huge difference. Zaher Nahle has done a great job at Solve, and their approach of seed funding small pilot projects to develop research and researchers is great, along with their educational and political role.

    Similarly but differently Charles Shepherd with the MEA in the UK has worked hard and effectively as a volunteer at promoting ME research through the MEA research fund, helping establish the UK ME biobank, and working to get political and medical education change.

    I hope Solve find someone equally effective to carry on the work. I get the impression the organisation is strong enough to cope with a change of Research leader.
     
    dangermouse, RuthT, Sing and 13 others like this.
  19. Cinders66

    Cinders66 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,205
    True but they're also strong on the infrastructure, info and advocacy side too but often their posts on Facebook just get a handful of comments, & when you consider the size of America. Maybe, as you say others get attention, unrest more on that front. They're not a support group like uk charities are, but they deserve support themselves, they have mine, I'm not a fan of the long view/collaborate with establishment rather than confront approach of uk charities ((sorry Trish)

    Anyway I wish Dr ZN well and thank him.
     
  20. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    21,912
    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    So I contacted Dr Nahle direct and he's allowed me to pass the following on.
    He's limited as to what he can announce for the moment solely as the person currently in post hasn't announced their retirement yet.

    So disappointing for Solve but it looks like he will be able to expand the number of researchers looking at ME.
     

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