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Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), Fibromyalgia Leading Research. Delivering Hope.Open Medicine Foundation® Canada
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Category: News

A New Year, A New Horizon: 2024 Milestones

Woman researcher using a pipette

As we step into 2025, we reflect on the remarkable progress made in 2024. We’re deeply grateful for the support you’ve shown. Thanks to you, our community, we’ve made significant strides in advancing the understanding and treatment of ME/CFS and Long COVID. In 2024, we achieved some major milestones, and with your continued involvement, we […]

OMF Welcomes Dr. Michelle James and Dr. David Kaufman to Our Scientific Advisory Board

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Open Medicine Foundation Canada (OMFCA) is proud to announce the addition of two distinguished experts to our esteemed Scientific Advisory Board (SAB): Dr. Michelle James and Dr. David Kaufman. Their appointments underscore OMFCA’s commitment to driving progress in ME/CFS and Long COVID research and patient care. Both Dr. James and Dr. Kaufman bring unparalleled expertise, […]

Serial Pediatrics Omics Tracking in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (SPOT-ME): Protocol Paper

Image description 1: The image features Chris Armstrong, who is in an outdoor setting with a mountainous landscape in the background. He is wearing a suit and standing on a paved area surrounded by greenery and modern structures.

The underlying biological mechanisms for ME/CFS remain unclear and have rarely been investigated in the adolescent population, despite this period representing an age peak in the overall incidence.  We’re pleased to share the ‘Serial Pediatrics Omics Tracking in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (SPOT-ME)’ protocol paper from the Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration. From the Desk of Dr. Chris ArmstrongMelbourne […]

Science Wednesdays: What is a “well-powered” study?

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What Is a “Well-Powered” Study? From the Desk of Dr. Danielle Meadows There are many nuances that contribute to the complexity and duration of the research process I introduced back in October, 2024. Therefore, I wanted to take time each month to explore some of those nuances and how they factor into Open Medicine Foundation […]

Research Portfolio in Review: Last Day to Donate in 2024!

Infographic with the following stats: 35+ active research projects, 3 treatment projects, 6 publications, 3 preprints, 11200+ participants in StudyME, 13 studies recruiting via StudyME.

Time is running out! With just a couple of hours in 2024 left, your year-end gift can help launch groundbreaking research initiatives in 2025. Our scientists are poised to build on this year’s momentum—will you help drive their work forward? Donate Now 2024 Research Portfolio in Review In Case You Missed It: Interviews with OMF’s […]

Support ME/CFS and Long COVID Research Momentum

The image features the text "THE END ME/CFS PROJECT" prominently in the center. Surrounding the text are abstract, interconnected geometric patterns with nodes in various colors, including teal, yellow, and pink. These patterns symbolize connections, representing collaboration.

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made together. Your support—whether through donations, fundraising, or sharing our mission—has been invaluable in our quest to understand and conquer ME/CFS and Long COVID. In Case You Missed It: 2024 Publications Overview Melbourne ME/CFS Collaboration: In vitro […]

Peaceful Holidays & Helpful Resources from Open Medicine Foundation!

The image features a holiday greeting card with a dark green background. In the center, it reads "Peaceful Holidays from your OMFCA Family!" in elegant, light-colored script. Surrounding the text are watercolor illustrations of festive greenery and berries on both sides.

The holiday season is a time for hope, but we understand it can also bring added challenges for those living with ME/CFS and Long COVID. At Open Medicine Foundation Canada, we want you to know that you are not alone. This season, we are inspired by the courage and resilience of the patient community—and fueled […]

Honor Your Loved Ones with the Gift of Hope and Research ❤️

The image is a collage consisting of three sections: the top left features a pair of hands gently holding a piece of paper with the word "HOPE" printed on it. The top right section shows an envelope sealed with a wax stamp, placed amidst the branches of a tree, with soft, warm lights. The bottom section presents a blurred background with golden bokeh lights against a neutral backdrop.

We understand that traditional holiday gatherings aren’t always possible for many in our community. But there is a meaningful way to show your love and support from wherever you are.  By making a tribute gift to OMFCA, you can honor someone special in your life who has been affected by ME/CFS or Long COVID while […]

Announcement!!! A New Large-Scale ME/CFS Biomarker Study (BioQuest)!

BioQuestME/CFS Biomarker Study on a blue background

We are excited to announce that, thanks to two very generous grants, we have successfully secured $800,000—one-third of our goal—that will allow us to initiate a large-scale ME/CFS biomarker study (BioQuest)! The Heart of the Matter OMF has received funding to start an ME/CFS biomarker study, called BioQuest. The goal of BioQuest is to identify […]

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Microvesicles and viral sequencing
Microvesicles are a type of extracellular vesicle that is released from the cell membrane. Vesicles are small, fluid-filled sacs or vacuoles within the body. Sequencing is a technique used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, and T) in a DNA (or viral) molecule.
NMR Metabolomics
NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) is an instrument/tool used to perform metabolic studies, metabolic profiling, and metabolomics in biofluids and tissues for more than 40 years using magnetic fields. There is a very close connection between metabolic measurements and NMR. This connection has flourished because of NMR’s many unique strengths for characterizing complex mixtures’ chemical composition.
Proteomics
The large-scale study of proteins, which are large, complex molecules that are required for structure, function, and regulation of the human body's tissues and organs.
Autoantibodies
Antibodies that react with self-molecules and that occur in healthy individuals and are referred to as natural antibodies or autoantibodies.
Extracellular DNA for viral reactivation and Mitochondrial DNA
exDNA (extracellular DNA), exDNA is often secreted actively and is used to perform several tasks, thereby offering an attractive target or tool for biotechnological, medical, environmental, and general microbiological applications. Viruses are intracellular parasites that rely to a significant extent on the host cell for replication. Viral reactivation occurs when an active replication of the viral genome results in a lytic (degradation of the cell) infection characterized by the release of new progeny (descendant) virus particles.
Immune cell profiling
The immune system has many important regulatory roles in disease development and progression. Given the emergence of effective immune therapies, reliable predictors of response are needed. Immune cell profiling determines response by evaluating immune cell populations from treated and untreated samples. For our purposes, we will evaluate the white blood cell response to the viral infection using a process called “Cytof.”
Leukocyte Genomics
A leukocyte is a colorless cell circulating in the blood and body fluids and is involved in counteracting foreign substances and disease. A genome is all genetic material of an organism. Genomics is a biology field focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. Therefore, leukocyte genomics is the study of all genetic material of leukocytes.
Metabolomics
Metabolomics is a way to study metabolism – that is, through measuring amounts of the metabolites (small molecules) produced by our bodies as we convert food into energy and other molecules that our cells need to survive. Metabolomics technology is ‘large-scale,’ meaning that several thousand metabolites can be measured from a single sample of e.g., blood or urine.
Micro RNA
Cells use Micro RNA to control whether a particular gene is making too much, too little or the normal amount of its protein at a particular time.