Driving research of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS),
Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), Fibromyalgia and Post COVID .

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Scientific Advisory Board

Ronald W. Davis, PhD, Chair of our Open Medicine Foundation Scientific Advisory Board, brought together world-renowned researchers with a track record of innovation and success to take on the End ME / CFS Project. As part of this board, they are contributing their time, expertise, and brilliant minds to help guide the  open, collaborative research needed to develop precise diagnostic tools and life-changing treatments for ME / CFS and related chronic complex diseases.  We invite you to learn more about our esteemed ME / CFS Scientific Advisory Board members, which includes two Nobel laureates and six National Academy of Sciences members

Ronald W. Davis, PhD, Chair

Dr. Davis’ history of interdisciplinary work, technology development, and attacking previously unsolvable biological problems (both in genetics and traumatology) makes him the ideal scientist to lead a collaborative consortium to solve the mystery of ME/CFS. Additionally, he brings a strong passion to this cause in hopes of finding a cure for his son, who suffers from a severe case. Dr. Davis is a professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine, and he is the director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center. Dr. Davis holds a PhD in chemistry from Caltech. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Chris Armstrong, PhD

Chris Armstrong, PhD, is a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and is most well known for his research using metabolomics to observe biochemical in ME / CFS patients. He began his work in this field at the University of Melbourne, beginning a PhD project to apply metabolomics to study Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) and published his first ME / CFS metabolomics study on blood and urine in 2015.

Since then Chris has set up collaborative efforts to apply metabolomics to immunological experiments on ME / CFS, observing how metabolism may relate to immune cell function. He has also focused on longitudinal research in ME / CFS while looking to extend metabolic capabilities across the field of ME / CFS to help collate different patient groups.a Visiting Scholar

David S. Bell, MD

Dr. Bell is a widely respected clinician (now retired) who cared for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) patients in one of the well-known cluster outbreaks in the mid-1980s. Through his practice in Lyndonville, New York, he particularly gained insights into pediatric cases and the course of the disease over many years. His name appears on articles and research studies about ME/CFS immune dysfunction, autonomic dysfunctions, blood vessel abnormalities, difference between ME/CFS and depression, and a longitudinal study of his patients. He is also one of the authors of a 2008 pediatric case definition for ME/CFS.

Dr. Bell received his college degree from Harvard University and his medical doctorate degree from Boston University. His 1995 book, “The Doctor’s Guide to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,” includes a disability scale measurement tool that is still used today. He has appeared as an expert in documentaries and news media reports about the disease. In 2003, Dr. Bell served as the chairman of the US Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee. In 2011, he also served on the board of the International Association of CFS/ME.

In Memory of Paul Berg, PhD

Dr. Berg was an expert on the chemical processes involved in cellular metabolism. He was noted for being one of the first scientists to show folic acid and B12 are needed for healthy energy production. He was considered one of the fathers of modern genetic engineering.

Dr. Berg was a Nobel Laureate in the Chemistry category. He was honored with the National Medal of Science in 1983 and the National Library of Medicine Medal in 1986. He was a professor emeritus of Stanford University and held a PhD in biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD

Dr. Bergquist is a Full Chair Professor in Analytical Chemistry and Neurochemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Uppsala University, Sweden, Adjunct Professor in Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Distinguished Professor in Precision Medicine at Binzhou Medical University in Yantai, China.

His group develops tools for screening and discovery of biomarkers in different diseases. Dr. Bergquist studies numerous conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders. His research into ME/CS is focused on characterizing the neuroimmunological aspects of the disease using proteomics and metabolomics, with a special interest in cerebrospinal fluid studies and autoantibodies.

Mario R. Capecchi, PhD

Dr. Capecchi is an expert on human genetics, with a focus on the interaction of immune cells in the brain. His current research involves investigating the molecular genetic causes underlying human disorders involving the immune system and the brain. His expertise and insights in this area will be essential in understanding ME/CFS.

Dr. Capecchi is a Nobel Laureate in the Physiology or Medicine category. He is the distinguished professor of Human Genetics at University of Utah School of Medicine. Dr. Capecchi holds a PhD in biophysics from Harvard University. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Mark M. Davis, PhD

As a world-famous immunologist, Dr. Davis’ focus is to develop a broad understanding of the human immune system, particularly what a healthy immune system looks like. The immune system is clearly involved in ME/CFS, and Dr. Davis will be invaluable on the Advisory Board.

Dr. Davis is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine and director of the Stanford Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection. Dr. Davis holds a PhD in Molecular Biology from Caltech. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Photo of Oystein Fluge

Øystein Fluge, MD, PhD

Dr. Fluge has been courageous in pursuing his observations on the effects of rituximab on ME/CFS patients when that issue was not the planned focus of his investigation. He has now completed a double-blind, well-controlled, multi-center clinical trial on the effects of Rituxamab. He has continued to follow where the data lead him into cellular and molecular analyses. This kind of excellent, open-minded science is just what we need in our quest for an end to ME/CFS.

Dr. Fluge is the Senior Consultant supervising the ME/CFS research group at the Department of Oncology and Medical Physics at the University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.

Drs. Fluge and Mella work together on the Norwegian Rituximab and cyclophosphamide trials with ME/CFS patients.

Olav Mella, MD, PhD

Dr. Mella is an adjunct professor working in the ME/CFS research group at the Department of Oncology and Medical Physics at the University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.

Photo of Alan Moreau

Alain Moreau, PhD

Dr. Alain Moreau is a Full Professor in the Faculty of Dentistry (Stomatology Department), cross-appointed to the Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine Department in the Faculty of Medicine at Université de Montréal. He served as Director of Research and Chief Scientific Officer of Sainte-Justine University Hospital (2013-2016). He is currently Director of The Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR), and he serves on the Advisory Board of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis of The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

More recently, Dr. Moreau was appointed Director of the Interdisciplinary Canadian Collaborative Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ICanCME) Research Network, another national research network funded by CIHR. He is an internationally recognized expert on the molecular genetics of pediatric scoliosis. His discoveries led to multiple peer-reviewed papers, international conferences as a guest speaker, several awards as well as 60 patents covering innovative diagnostic tests and therapeutic molecules. Dr. Moreau is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Inception Therapeutic Inc., a start-up based in Montreal developing diagnostic tests for primary osteoarthritis and new disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs. Dr. Moreau’s primary research interests also target other complex adult diseases such as osteoporosis and myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Jennifer Frankovich, MD

Jennifer Frankovich, MD, is a pediatric rheumatologist in California and is an expert in systemic autoimmune and post-infectious inflammatory diseases that affect the brain and specializes in Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)/ Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Dr. Frankovich is the PANS Program Director at Stanford Children’s Hospital and an Associate Professor in Pediatrics and Pediatric Rheumatology at Stanford School of Medicine. Dr. Frankovich’s clinical experience in autoimmunity and post-infectious inflammatory diseases are highly relevant as ME/CFS is thought to have an autoimmune component that might manifest after symptoms of an infection.

Dr. Frankovich received her MD from the University of Nevada School of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship at Stanford University.

Maureen Hanson, PhD

Dr. Hanson has conducted groundbreaking molecular analysis of many facets of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS). She analyzes her data with sophistication and insight. It’s exciting to have such an accomplished top-notch scientist working on this disease.

Dr. Hanson is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Cornell University. She previously was on the Biology faculty at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. She holds a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Harvard University. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

H. Craig Heller, PhD

Dr. Heller has a wide breadth of knowledge of biology. He conducts extensive research in exercise physiology, including examining fatigue in athletes. Dr. Heller has developed an instrument that allows increased exercise without fatigue. Having someone who understands fatigue and the normal response to exercise is essential for understanding how it goes wrong in ME/CFS.

Dr. Heller is professor of Biology at Stanford University. He holds a PhD in biology from Yale University and is a physiologist and biologist at Stanford.

Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD

Dr. Naviaux is internationally known for his expertise in human genetics, inborn errors of metabolism, metabolomics, and mitochondrial diseases. He discovered the cause and created the diagnostic test for Alpers syndrome, a classical form of mitochondrial disease. He has expertise in virology and molecular and cellular biology. Dr. Naviaux also works in oceanographic ecosystems research and is the director of the first FDA-approved clinical trial to study suramin as a treatment for autism. He was trained at the NIH in tumor immunology and natural killer cell biology, and he trained at the Salk Institute in virology and gene therapy.

Dr. Naviaux runs the Robert Naviaux Laboratory at UC San Diego, which is doing genetic research into mitochondrial dysfunctions. He is founder and co-director of the Mitochondrial and Metabolic Disease Center at UCSD, the co-founder and a former president of the Mitochondrial Medicine Society, and a founding associate editor of the journal Mitochondrion. He studied biochemistry at Georg-August University in Göttingen, Germany.

Baldomero M. Olivera, PhD

Through his studies in neurobiology and cone snails, Dr. Olivera has been able to develop a number of pain drugs, one of which is a thousand times more effective than morphine. Dr. Olivera is an expert on conotoxins that can modulate nerve function. He believes the future of neuroscience depends on collaboration across disciplines. Dr. Olivera brings to OMF his expertise in neurobiology and developing drugs for intervening in neurological processes, as well as his extraordinary creativity and thoughtful approach to scientific problems.

Dr. Olivera is a professor of Biology at the University of Utah and is a lead scientist in the research of cone snail toxins. He holds a PhD in biophysical chemistry from Caltech. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Daniel L. Peterson, MD

Daniel L. Peterson, MD, is an internist in Incline Village, Nevada and recognized medical expert on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS).

ME/CFS. Dr. Peterson has devoted more than 25 years of his clinical career to diagnosing and caring for patients with ME/CFS and related neuroimmune disorders, as well as collaborating with researchers to better understand the illness. Dr. Peterson’s experience as both a clinician and a research collaborator provide a unique perspective on ME/CFS for developing translational science.

Dr. Peterson’s interest in ME/CFS began in 1984 when Incline Village became the site of an unusual cluster of individuals presenting with unexplained flu-like symptoms that would not go away. Many of those individuals remained bedridden for extended periods of time. Dr. Peterson was perhaps the first to recognize these symptoms as something deserving of more attention.

Dr. Peterson received his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, NY, and completed his internship and residency at the University of Utah Medical Center.

Michael Snyder, PhD

Michael Snyder, PhD, is a leader in the field of functional genomics and proteomics, and one of the major participants of the ENCODE project. Seminal findings from the Snyder laboratory include the discovery that much more of the human genome is transcribed and contains regulatory information than was previously appreciated, and a high diversity of transcription factor binding occurs both between and within species. He has also pioneered the use of different state-of-the-art “omics” technologies as well as wearable devices (smart watches and continuous glucose monitoring) for managing human health. Dr. Synder’s expertise in “omic” and wearable technologies will be invaluable in both current and future ME/CFS research efforts.

Dr. Snyder is the Stanford W. Ascherman Professor and Chair, Department of Genetics and Director, Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine at Stanford University. Dr. Snyder received his PhD at the California Institute of Technology and carried out his postdoctoral training at Stanford University.

David Systrom, MD, PhD

Dr. David Systrom is a member of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital pulmonary and critical care faculty and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where he directs the Dyspnea Clinic and the Advanced Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Program. He has been on the Harvard faculty for over 35 years during which time he has received NIH, AHA, Department of Defense, Dysautonomia International and OMF funding to study various forms of exercise intolerance. Over the past five years, he has used invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing to investigate mechanisms underlying fatigue, shortness of breath and orthostatic intolerance in ME/CFS and PASC. His recent work suggest commonality between the two, in particular neurovascular dysregulation and related hyperventilation underlying symptoms during exercise. He is the Principal Investigator of an ongoing $8 million study of limb skeletal muscle mitochondrial dysfunction and just completed the first ever randomized clinical trial pyridostigmine, both in ME/CFS.

Wenzhong Xiao, PhD

As a world expert in computational genomics, Dr. Xiao develops bioinformatic and statistical tools for use in understanding human diseases, especially in studies of immuno-metabolic response. He focuses on integrative analysis and interpretation of multi-dimensional molecular, cellular, and clinical data of many types of patients, including those with ME/CFS. Dr. Xiao’s expertise will be essential for the interpretation of the massive data sets that will be collected in this project.

Dr. Xiao is assistant professor of Bioinformatics at Harvard Medical School and director of the Inflammation & Metabolism Computational Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. He also leads a Computational Genomics Group at Stanford Genome Technology Center. He holds a doctorate degree in chemistry and structural biology from University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree in statistics.

Photo of Ron Tompkins

In Memory of Ronald G. Tompkins, MD, ScD

September 24, 1951- January 17, 2022

Dr. Tompkins had a very broad knowledge of trauma and metabolism. He ran the large NIH-funded Glue Grant for Inflammation and Host Response to Injury in Humans, a large-scale collaborative research program that generated and analyzed likely the largest data set ever collected on humans. There seems to be a relationship between trauma and ME/CFS, possibly being triggered by or putting the body into a constant state of trauma. Dr. Tompkins was a skilled expert at getting a diverse group of scientists and doctors to collaborate. OMF was honored to have him lend his expertise to the Scientific Advisory Board and the role of Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Tompkins was a professor of Surgery at the Harvard Medical School. He is also chief of Trauma, Burns and Surgical Critical Care Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital and chief of staff at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston. Dr. Tompkins was a leading trauma and burn physician and trauma specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

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.
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.
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.