Precision research program to identify the unique biology of individuals and the unifying biological pathways of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
Established in 2020, the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration, directed by Christopher W. Armstrong, PhD, is a hub of research innovation and collaboration for ME/CFS and related conditions.
Dr. Armstrong’s interest in ME/CFS research was sparked by his interactions with patients and clinicians during his PhD in Biochemistry at The University of Melbourne, leading to a dedicated pursuit of understanding these complex diseases.
His innovative use of metabolomics to detect biochemical changes in patients was pivotal, capturing Linda Tannenbaum’s attention at a conference and resulting in his collaboration with Open Medicine Foundation (OMF) as a Science Liaison and a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University under Ronald W. Davis. This collaboration laid the foundation for OMF Australia, established to continue supporting Chris’ groundbreaking research upon his return to Melbourne.
The Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration aims to decipher the common biological pathways in ME/CFS, acknowledging patient diversity in disease manifestation. Initially focusing on metabolic studies, the collaboration now champions precision medicine to understand each patient’s unique biology. Dr. Armstrong’s strategy includes expanding research networks within Australia and across the world, guiding new scientists in the field and bridging different patient groups to enhance collective understanding.
Under Dr. Armstrong’s leadership, the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration continues to be at the forefront of cutting-edge research, striving to unlock the complexities of ME/CFS and pave the way for targeted interventions and improved patient outcomes.
This project will develop a software tool to rapidly look for metabolism anomalies in an individual which might be explained by their genes. It will also look for potentially damaging genes in individuals and it will attempt to group ME/CFS patients based on their genetic and metabolic profiles.
This project aims to look at metabolic traps in central carbon metabolism that lead to observed altered energy production pathways in ME/CFS.
To investigate the metabolite signatures of ME/CFS patient stool, urine and blood samples and the impact that co-morbidities (IBS and Fibromyalgia) have on these signatures.
This study seeks to understand the biological mechanisms driving the symptomatology of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) using metabolomic and lipidomic high-throughput analysis and high-frequency blood sampling over a 6.5 to 7.5 hour period conducted at two separate sites (Melbourne and Uppsala).
Collaborate with OMF CRCs in Uppsala and Melbourne to establish a global perspective.
Decode the molecular mechanisms underlying ME/CFS and contributing to specific symptoms with a particular emphasis of post-exertional malaise (PEM) through:
Deep phenotyping of ME patients
Global proteomic plasma profiling of ME patients
Global metabolomics plasma profiling of ME patients
Ocular Motor Study Study AIM The aim of this project is to fully characterise eye movement changes in ME/CFS on two consecutive days, identifying
This project aims to test the nitrogen hypothesis, which is that damaging, nitrogen-containing by-products of energy metabolism accumulate more readily in the cells of ME/CFS patients.
This study seeks to understand pathological mechanisms of pediatric ME/CFS (13 to 18 years old), using case-control and longitudinal study design that meshes clinical measures and omics methods.
This study aims to broadly evaluate B cell subsets, metabolism, viability, receptors, and antibodies in people with ME/CFS.
Establish a condensed personalized research protocol that can be used to characterize ME/CFS in individual patients as it pertains to all their unique biological aspects of their self, interacting with a complex chronic disease.
Establish an analytical workflow for outlier analysis in ME/CFS to identify disease or symptom exacerbators that may not be considered in the individual with ME/CFS (including gene mutations, elevated toxins) and then develop a software program to rapidly identify these potential anomalies.
To carry out these ambitious projects, Dr. Armstrong is establishing networks and collaborations extending to USA, UK, Sweden, and other Australian institutions.
University of Melbourne, Australia
Paul Gooley, PhD
Natalie Thomas, PhD
Kathy Huang
Amber Jaa-Kwee
Elena Christopolous
Xiaoyun Wang, PhD
David Fineberg, MD
Neil McGregor, PhD
David Ascher, PhD
Elisha Josev, PhD
Sarah Knight, PhD
Adam Scheinberg, MD
Elena Schneider-Futschik, PhD
Kristin Brown, PhD
Stanford University, USA
Ronald Davis, PhD
Michael Snyder, PhD
Robert Phair, PhD
Laurel Crosby, PhD
Ryan Kellogg, PhD
Julie Wilhelmy
Jaime Seltzer
Amit Saha, PhD
Harvard-Affiliated Hospitals, USA
David Systrom, MD
Wenzhong Xiao, PhD
Uppsala University, Sweden
Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD
University of Montreal, Canada
Alain Moreau, PhD
Open Medicine Foundation
Linda Tannenbaum
UC San Diego, USA
Robert Naviaux, MD, PhD
University of Alabama Birmingham, USA
Jarred Younger, PhD
University College London, UK
Jo Cambridge, PhD
Michal Tal, PhD
Beth Pollack
La Trobe University, Australia
Sarah Annesley, PhD
Paul Fisher, PhD
Daniel Missailidis, PhD
Australian National University, Australia
Brett Lidbury, PhD
Alice Richardson, PhD
Monash University, Australia
Joanne Fielding, PhD
Meaghan Clough, PhD
Macquarie University, Australia
Benjamin Heng, PhD
OMF Australia Limited is a Health Promotion Charity, established for the purpose of promoting and funding research into multi-system chronic complex diseases, and supports the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration.
Open Medicine Foundation Australia Limited is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). We are authorised by the Australian Tax Office as a deductible gift recipient (DGR). Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.
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