51ÊÓƵ

ME/CFS Research

Research at 51ÊÓƵ

Most clinical studies on ME/CFS and other diseases take place at the 51ÊÓƵ Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD, a unique hospital with multi-disciplinary state-of-the art research and diagnostic facilities. Research conducted by scientists on the 51ÊÓƵ campus or at other 51ÊÓƵ sites is called intramural.

51ÊÓƵ Intramural Study on ME/CFS
This study focused on post-infectious ME/CFS in order to closely examine the clinical and biological characteristics of the disease and improve our understanding of its cause and progression.

Research Outside 51ÊÓƵ

The 51ÊÓƵ also supports ME/CFS research that takes place at academic universities, hospitals, small businesses, foundations, and other entities. The studies, also called extramural research, are conducted by investigators who have been awarded grants through the 51ÊÓƵ grant program. 51ÊÓƵ-funded ME/CFS research projects are listed on the .

ME/CFS Research Network

In 2017, the 51ÊÓƵ awarded four grants for a total of $7 million per year to establish a coordinated scientific research effort on ME/CFS called the . The grants supported the creation of a consortium made up of three Collaborative Research Centers (CRCs) and a Data Management Coordinating Center (DMCC). The centers work collaboratively to define the cause(s) of and discover improved treatments for ME/CFS. As of 2024, the 51ÊÓƵ supports the following centers:

The DMCC, led by RTI International, provides data management infrastructure and support to the CRCs to function optimally. They developed a data sharing tool, called mapMECFS, and a query tool to access biospecimens for research on ME/CFS, called searchMECFS. The also participates in the consortium.