Feb. 23, 2012, 7:00 a.m. EST
The CFIDS Association of America Breaks Ground on Its 'Institute
Without Walls' to Transform Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
Association-funded research will form a pipeline to effective treatment for CFS
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The CFIDS
Association of America today announces new additions to its
comprehensive research initiative to advance objective diagnosis and
effective treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): five new grant
awards, two new projects using resources from a central biobank and
curation of a biomarker "hit list" to guide future research. The new
investments total $2 million.
"Our 'research institute without walls' vision becomes a reality today
with the tightly integrated projects led by experts in diverse
disciplines," says CEO Kimberly McCleary. "Rather than expending
precious funds - and time - to construct a bricks-and-mortar facility,
we have attracted top institutions to put their best minds to work
immediately. We function as director and connector, networking
carefully selected projects, guiding progress and closely monitoring
performance at every step."
"We're building a pipeline to effective treatment that includes
objective means to diagnose and subtype CFS," says Suzanne D. Vernon,
Ph.D., the Association's scientific director. "These eight projects
extend an initiative begun in 2008 to overcome the 'one and done' type
studies that have stymied progress in patient care." Vernon, a
microbiologist with more than 15 years of experience in CFS research,
directs the Association's research program.
Five new grants build on past discoveries and explore new scientific terrain:
Dane Cook, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Madison has teamed
with Alan Light of the University of Utah and Gordon Broderick of the
University of Alberta to link information gathered from exercise
testing, brain imaging and gene expression markers in the blood to
understand post-exertional relapse, a hallmark feature of CFS. This
project will attempt to validate blood and brain markers independently
identified by these investigators in earlier studies.
Spyros Deftereos, MD, of Biovista in Charlottesville, Va., will use a
proprietary, very large-scale drug repurposing platform called the
Clinical Outcome Search Space(TM) (COSS) to analyze the biomedical
literature, patents, adverse event databases and other information
sources to systematically identify non-obvious new drug candidates to
treat CFS.
Patrick McGowan, Ph.D., of the University of Toronto Scarborough will
build on evidence of environmental influences that affect the function
of the immune system in CFS patients. Using samples collected through
the SolveCFS BioBank, McGowan will look for genome-wide epigenetic
changes and assess whether these alter the immune response. This study
may uncover novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers.
Marvin S. Medow, Ph.D., New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y.,
will extend earlier work supported by the Association that shows
orthostatic challenge, such as prolonged upright posture, leads to
problems with memory, concentration and information processing in CFS
patients. After measuring brain blood flow during a head upright tilt
test while testing cognitive ability, he will test three interventions
to identify mechanisms to improve neurocognitive impairment.
Peter Rowe, M.D., of Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore,
Md., has observed that simple movements like a straight leg lift can
trigger fatigue and brain fog in CFS patients. Dr. Rowe's group
hypothesizes that the underlying mechanism is similar to fibromyalgia
pain, where nerves become extra sensitive to stimulation, a process
known as central sensitization. His work will be among the first to
explore the possible link between fatigue, cognition and central
sensitization. The results are expected to identify a subset of
patients who will benefit from a different therapeutic approach.
In addition to these grants, the Association announces two new
collaborations through its SolveCFS BioBank, an integrated patient
registry and biorepository that houses extensive standardized medical
information and biological samples from individuals diagnosed with CFS
and healthy controls:
Eric Delwart, Ph.D., at the Blood Systems Research Institute, San
Francisco, Calif., will use laboratory techniques known as
metagenomics to screen blood samples for known and novel infectious
agents.
Dr. Leonard Jason, Ph.D., of DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., is
using symptom information reported by SolveCFS BioBank participants to
assess various case definitions used to classify CFS patients.
The Association will also work in partnership with start-up venture
LogosOmix to develop a biomarker "hit list" for CFS based on the
product of a 2009 - 2010 grant to New York University that created a
knowledgebase of the CFS literature and text-mining tools.
"These strategically aligned projects transform how research by
patient-supported organizations is done. No longer are we simply
passive sponsors; we are true partners," states Vernon.
In 2011, the Association established The Catalyst Fund to attract
support for its research program. "In science, 'positive' catalysts
speed a particular reaction. We're deeply grateful to nearly 2,000
individuals, foundations and companies who became catalysts through
donations both large and small," says McCleary. She and Vernon will
outline the "research institute without walls" strategy, describe the
projects and announce a $250,000 gift from best-selling author Laura
Hillenbrand at an invitation-only Catalyst Fund event this evening in
Charlotte.
About The CFIDS Association of America
The Association's mission is to make CFS widely understood,
diagnosable, curable and preventable. Our strategy is to stimulate
research aimed at the early detection, objective diagnosis and
effective treatment of CFS through expanded public, private and
commercial investment. Second only to the federal government in
funding initiatives for CFS, since 1987 the Association has invested
$30.4 million in initiatives to end the life-altering disability,
stigma and isolation of CFS. For information and resources for
patients, family members, caregivers, support groups, media
professionals, the general public and health care professionals, visit
www.research1st.com or www.cfids.org .
About CFS
Also known as chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS)
and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or ME/CFS, CFS is a complex illness
that results in a constellation of debilitating symptoms, including
incapacitating fatigue (experienced as profound exhaustion and
extremely poor stamina), sleep difficulties and problems with
concentration and short-term memory. It's also accompanied by flu-like
symptoms, pain in the joints and muscles, tender lymph nodes, sore
throat and headaches. The hallmark of CFS is post-exertional relapse,
a worsening of symptoms following even minor physical or mental
exertion that persists for days or weeks.
SOURCE The CFIDS Association of America, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
More information about the CAA and research can be found here:
http://www.research1st.com/2012/01/01/2012-research/
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