[Nmefman] ANNOUNCEMENT: RESEARCH FUND FOR TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS STUDY

MEA ANNOUNCES RESEARCH FUND March 31, 2011 The U.K. ME Association (MEA) has announced that its trustees have approved funding for a new research study investigating the role of transcription factors in ME/CFS. The peer-reviewed research will be carried out by Dr. Abhijt Chaudhuri, Professor Peter Behan, Professor John Gow, Professor Chris Hillier and Simone Hutchinson at the Glasgow Caledonian University. Transcription factors are complicated proteins that act at a cellular level and are released in a cascading fashion following harmful stimuli, such as infections, trauma, exposure to toxins etc. and form a key part of the body’s initial defensive response. They assist in the process of ‘switching on’ genes and the activities they control. The researchers will be investigating blood samples from four separate groups: · People with well-characterized ME/CFS: Professor Behan will be doing the clinical assessments; · Healthy Controls; · People from Professor Gow’s research into gene expression; and · Blood samples obtained from the CFIDS biobank facility in the United States. The study is expected to take a year to complete and if significant abnormality in transcription factors is confirmed, it could lead to further research and therapeutic interventions. More information on the Ramsay Research Fund can be found at MEA: www.meassociation.org.uk/?page_id=1086 Lydia Lydia E. Neilson, M.S.M. , Founder Chief Executive Officer NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK 512 - 33 Banner Road Nepean, ON K2H 8V7 Canada Tel. 613.829.6667 Fax 613.829.8518 Email: mefmaction(a)ncf.ca www.mefmaction.com NATIONAL ME/FM ACTION NETWORK - HOST OF THE IACFS/ME INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH & CLINICAL CONFERENCE - OTTAWA, CANADA SEPTEMBER 22 - 25, 2011 Visit: www.iacfsme.org