March 2020 Newsletter

OMF 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW

We realize that you take your philanthropy seriously, and we are honored by your belief in our mission and our efforts to end Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS). The accomplishments contained in the following, OMF 2019 Year in Review, are only possible because of you; your investment in our work and your dedication to our shared vision of a world free from ME / CFS. We are grateful beyond words…

OMF 2019 Year in Review
Organizational Accomplishments

We Welcomed:

• New SAB members: Alain Moreau, PhD and Michael Snyder, PhD
• New Chief Medical Officer: Ronald Tompkins, MD, ScD
• New VP of Philanthropy: Kathleen Morgen
• New Ambassadors: Karin Alvtegen and Jaqueline Ko

We also:

• Launched a new ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center at Uppsala University in Sweden
• Sponsored two productive scientific symposia at Stanford and Harvard
• Sponsored two Community symposia
• Provided free live streaming at Stanford Community symposia
• Published high-level research papers on multiple projects
• Established OMF Canada
• Assembled Harvard-affiliated Clinicians to explore new collaborations among specialists

ME / CFS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTER UPDATES

Your 2019 contribution funded open and collaborative research across the globe, conducted with impeccable standards and integrity,
by researchers and clinicians of the highest caliber.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTER

Directed by Ronald W. Davis, PhD,
Professor of Biochemistry and of Genetics

Open Medicine Foundation has been the lead funding partner of Dr. Davis’s ME / CFS research at Stanford University since 2014.

2019 Research Focus:

• Nanoneedle technology development
• Technology to detect Red Blood Cell Deformability
• Tryptophan Metabolic Trap
• Trace heavy metal detection
• Expanding the pathogens detected in the cell free DNA/RNA test
• Direct DNA sequencing of genes opposable connected to ME / CFS

2019 Publications Include:

• Published a research paper on the Nanoneedle
• Published a research paper on the Metabolic Trap Hypothesis
• Published a research paper on Red Blood Cell deformability

Please visit our website for more information about projects at the Stanford CRC

Read Stanford’s Year-End Message

HARVARD AFFILIATED HOSPITALS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTER

Co-Directed by Ronald G. Tompkins, MD, ScD
Sumner M. Redstone Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School Founding Director

Co-Directed by Wenzhong Xiao, PhD

Assistant professor of Bioinformatics and Director of the Inflammation & Metabolism Computational Center at Massachusetts General Hospital

In 2018, OMF launched a funding partnership with Harvard affiliated hospitals, including Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).

This research collaboration seeks to conduct clinical and basic science studies to characterize the dynamic biological changes that occur during a change in symptom expression of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) patients

Projects launched in 2019 include:

• BWH iCPET biorepository plasma proteomic and metabolomic studies
• PASS/CAT diagnostic tool development
• Symposiums Science and Community

Please visit our website for more information about projects at the Harvard CRC

UPPSALA UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTER

Directed by Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD
Full Chair Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Neurochemistry

In 2019, OMF funded and launched the ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center at Uppsala University under the direction of Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD.

This new Collaborative Center focuses on the targeted molecular diagnosis of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) with the goal of evidence-based strategies for interventions.

Current projects include:

• • Kynurenine studies in ME / CFS
  • Autoimmunity aspects of ME / CFS
  • Endocrine hormone disturbances in ME / CFS

Please visit our website for more information about projects at the Uppsala CRC

We are proud to have been recognized in 2019 by Great Nonprofits,
and to have received Platinum level recognition from GuideStar
for our commitment to organizational transparency.

We look forward to 2020 with Hope for All!