The Medical Research Council (MRC) has awarded more than £1.6m for research into the causes of the debilitating condition chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)
The investment will fund five new projects to investigate the mechanisms and underlying biological processes involved in the illness, which could eventually lead to better diagnosis and the development of more effective treatments.
In February 2011, the MRC issued a £1.5m call for proposals in these areas, aimed at encouraging fresh partnerships between established CFS/ME researchers and those with strong scientific credentials, but new to this field. The key areas were:
- Nervous system disorders
- Cognitive symptoms
- Fatigue
- Immune dysregulation (eg. through viral infection)
- Pain
- Sleep disorders
In response to the high quality of the applications received, the MRC decided to provide an extra £150,000 to support the package of successful projects. The awards range in total value from £120,000 to £450,000 and the successful applicants were:
- Dr Wan Ng, Newcastle University
- Professor Julia Newton, Newcastle University
- Professor Anne McArdle, University of Liverpool
- Professor David Nutt, Imperial College London
- Dr Carmine Pariante, King’s College London
While the applications addressed most of the priority areas highlighted in the call, the MRC will announce shortly how it plans to stimulate research activity in those areas which were not covered.
