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SMCI RAMSAY 2018: “Whole genome sequencing and analysis of ME/CFS”, Worthey

Discussion in 'ME/CFS research' started by Andy, Oct 10, 2018.

  1. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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    Ramsay 2018 award recipient
    https://solvecfs.org/ramsay-2018-meet-dr-liz-worthey/
     
  2. Tom Kindlon

    Tom Kindlon Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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  3. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I've broken this up for ease of reading. If you want to copy it into your post, @Tom Kindlon, I'll delete mine.

    “Whole genome sequencing and analysis of ME/CFS”

    A project summary as written by Dr. Liz Worthey, PhD:

    We propose to utilize whole genome sequencing (WGS) combined with cutting edge informatics approaches in patients afflicted with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in order to elucidate the genetic and molecular mechanisms behind the complex presentation and progression of this disease.

    Despite an increase in research projects over the last several years, the pathophysiology of ME/CFS still remains unknown. We hypothesize that ME/CFS is the result of an intrinsic genetic defect(s) that alters cellular metabolic homeostasis towards an unstable state.

    This unstable state is tipped into an irreversible deficiency by an external stimuli such as a viral or bacterial illness or physical or emotional trauma.

    We believe that the course of illness is based on the type of variant or where in a metabolic pathway an individual’s defect lies.

    This approach has the potential to molecularly define the several subtypes clinically observed in this disease, such as mild, moderate, and severe dysfunction.

    We will perform WGS and will analyze the data using various algorithmic approaches, including our custom network analysis algorithms, which support the identification of single nucleotide substitutions and other classes of small variants, structural variants (including more complex types of rearrangements), fusion products, expanded tandem repeats, and variants in regulatory regions that alter expression.

    We will be testing the following hypothesis; ME/CFS is caused by a genetic alteration(s) in one or more metabolic pathways that leads to an unstable cellular energetic state.

    The course of illness is based on the type of variant or where in a metabolic pathway an individual’s defect lies.
     
    Perrier, Mij, merylg and 7 others like this.
  4. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Wasn't this what MEGA was going to be doing? Won't they need a shedload of patients?
     
    voner and andypants like this.
  5. Kalliope

    Kalliope Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    MEMarge, Inara, pteropus and 4 others like this.
  6. Sly Saint

    Sly Saint Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Merged thread

    full details here:
    https://cummingsresearchpark.com/20...-to-study-causes-of-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 9, 2018
    rvallee, Invisible Woman and Andy like this.
  7. hixxy

    hixxy Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    $45,000 will achieve not much at all. I hope they've got other grants as well.
     
    rvallee and Invisible Woman like this.
  8. Hoopoe

    Hoopoe Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Small studies can lead to big NIH grants.
     
    andypants, rvallee, MEMarge and 2 others like this.
  9. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    It's one of the SMCI grants which are designed to make a start on projects that can then hopefully be expanded with further grants.

    I see it's part of the Jarred Younger research effort using patients that he already has well characterised, and doing a specific approach with them, so could potentially provide useful leads for further research.
     
  10. Alvin

    Alvin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Sounds like they already have a study in mind though i think this is not the best way to go, a disease mechanism rather then the cause would be more useful at this juncture.
    However this is research on the cheap, can they actually make real headway with only 45k?

    But without details little of what i said might be true.
     
    andypants likes this.
  11. Tom Kindlon

    Tom Kindlon Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I noticed in the latest newsletter of the Solve ME/CFS Initiative it says:
    It's nice to see people with the illness researching it.
     
    MEMarge, Wonko, rvallee and 1 other person like this.
  12. Andy

    Andy Committee Member

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