NMCB in the picture

Opening General Assembly NMCB

Accessible research and shared infrastructure
In his opening remarks, Jos Bosch discussed the research infrastructure of the NMCB and its commitment to accessible research, including adapted protocols and mobile measurement setups.
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Brain changes in ME/CVS – stress- and immunesystem

Direct research in human brain tissue
Post-mortem brain research shows changes in stress regulation, microglia, and cellular stress mechanisms in a subset of people with ME/CFS. These findings align with symptoms such as exhaustion, sleep disturbances, and sensitivity to stress.
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Single-cell transcriptomics of multiple regions in the brain

What happens in individual brain cells?
Using single-cell transcriptomics, researchers are studying which genes are active in individual brain cells across different brain regions. This approach aims to improve our understanding of dysregulated processes at the cellular level.
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exercise limitation phenotypes and muscle abberations

Different biological patterns during exertion
Through reanalysis of existing data and new MRI and NIRS measurements, researchers are investigating different exercise phenotypes in ME/CFS. The findings suggest that limitations during exertion can differ biologically between patients.
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Orthostatic intolerance and Cerebral blood flow

Why symptoms are not always visible in standard tests
This project investigates different forms of orthostatic intolerance and the regulation of cerebral blood flow in ME/CFS, using clinical tests and MRI measurements during simulated postural changes.
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EnergiseME – immune cells and metabolism

What happens in immune cells in ME/CFS, including in young people?
The EnergiseME project examines how autoantibodies and metabolic processes in immune cells are related to symptoms in ME/CFS, with particular attention to children and adolescents.
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IMMUNESTRATIFY – immune signatures

Searching for biological subgroups
This project focuses on identifying immune signatures in ME/CFS, including through the concept of trained immunity. The aim is to better distinguish biological subtypes of the disease.
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Comparison of ME/CVS and other PAIS

What do ME/CFS, post-COVID and post-Lyme have in common?
This project studies ME/CFS alongside other post-acute infection syndromes, using unique data collected around the onset of illness and recovery.
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Virusreactivation and the gut microbiome

The interaction between viruses, the gut and the immune system
This research explores how viral activity, the gut microbiome, and the intestinal barrier are interconnected in ME/CFS, using multiple cohorts and advanced laboratory models.
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Personalised gut interventions

Testing interventions before involving patients
At TNO, in-vitro models of the ME/CFS gut microbiota are being developed to test potential interventions such as prebiotics and probiotics, before they may be evaluated in clinical studies.
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Bioactieve proteins and neurological complaints

Measurements during stable phases and PEM
This project investigates the role of bioactive proteins in inflammation and neural signaling, with measurements conducted at participants’ homes, including during post-exertional malaise (PEM).
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Metabolisme brain and cognitive complaints

A new perspective on ‘brain fog’
By combining brain imaging, blood analyses, and adapted cognitive tests, this project investigates how metabolic and immune processes are related to cognitive symptoms in ME/CFS.
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MuscleME – post-exertional malaise

What happens in muscle and blood after exercise?
In MuscleME, researchers study changes in muscle and blood, both during stable phases and during PEM. The analyses focus on energy metabolism, blood flow, and microcirculation.
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AutonoME – auto-immunity as possible explanation

Can antibodies cause complaints?
Previous research in related conditions has shown that antibodies from patients, when administered to mice, can induce symptoms resembling those experienced by humans. In AutonoME, this approach is now being applied using antibodies from people with ME/CFS to investigate whether autoimmunity plays a role in the development of symptoms. This explanation is based on the current project, Jeroen could not present during the meeting