Funding

This page provides information on active and archived funding opportunities, and funded projects.

In 2016, the Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group conducted a portfolio analysis to get a comprehensive picture of ME/CFS research being supported by NIH and identify gaps in research as NIH moves forward in efforts to better understand the disease.

New Funding Opportunities

Opportunity Title

Analytical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Neurological Disease (U01) (Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PAR-18-550
Earliest Submission Date February 14, 2018
Application Due Date March 14, 2018; July 18, 2018; February 14, 2019; July 18, 2019; February 14, 2020; and July 20, 2020
Opportunity Title

Analytical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Neurological Disease (U44 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PAR-18-549
Earliest Submission Date February 14, 2018
Application Due Date March 14, 2018; July 18, 2018; February 14, 2019; July 18, 2019; February 14, 2020; and July 20, 2020
Opportunity Title

Clinical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Neurological Disease (U01 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PAR-18-664
Earliest Submission Date March 17, 2018
Application Due Date April 17, 2018; July 18, 2018; February 14, 2019; July 18, 2019; February 14, 2020; and July 20, 2020
Opportunity Title

Clinical Validation of a Candidate Biomarker for Neurological Disease (U44 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PAR-18-548
Earliest Submission Date February 14, 2018
Application Due Date March 14, 2018; July 18, 2018; February 14, 2019; July 18, 2019; February 14, 2020; and July 20, 2020
Opportunity Title

Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PA-18-141
Earliest Submission Date January 6, 2018
Application Due Date  Standard NIH dates
Opportunity Title

Mechanisms, Models, Measurement, & Management in Pain Research (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PA-18-159
Earliest Submission Date January 17, 2018
Application Due Date Standard NIH dates
Opportunity Title

Applying Metabolomics to Drive Biomarker Discovery in Symptom Science (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
ID Number

PA-18-158
Earliest Submission Date January 17, 2018
Application Due Date  Standard NIH dates

Funded Projects

The NIH has awarded seven administrative supplement grants in response to a Notice of Availability that was issued in April 2016. These supplements were awarded to existing grants, in an effort to expand ME/CFS research. A complete list of NIH-funded research on ME/CFS in FY2015 can be found at this link.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is funding the following supplements:

Project title

Genomic approach to find novel biomarkers and mechanisms of CFS/ME
Awardee

NOVA Southeastern University
Principal Investigator

Lubov Nathanson
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary Recent findings suggest that genetic activity influencing the immune system and inflammatory responses may affect the course of ME/CFS. Dr. Nathanson and her team will collect blood samples from individuals with ME/CFS and healthy individuals before, during, and after an exercise challenge.  Dr. Nathanson’s team will use innovative technology to comprehensively assess what is happening in the genes of individuals with ME/CFS. The findings of these genetic analyses may help provide new insight into disease onset and progression as well as help identify potential therapeutic targets.
Project title

Gender differences in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Awardee

NOVA Southeastern University
Principal Investigator

Mary A. Fletcher
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary Evidence suggests that ME/CFS may affect women to a greater degree than men, but the reasons for the difference are unknown. To investigate the role of gender in this disease, Dr. Fletcher and her colleagues will collect biological samples from adult males with ME/CFS undergoing an exercise challenge, and compare those results with previously collected data from adult females with ME/CFS. Dr. Fletcher and her group will look for differences in immune cell activation, hormones, cellular markers, and genetic activity to help identify potential therapies and improve our understanding of disease mechanisms.     

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is funding the following supplements:

Project title A longitudinal immunological and virological study for ME CFS biomarker discovery
Awardee

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Principal Investigator

Luis Nacul
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary

Studies suggest that one cause of ME/CFS may be abnormal changes in the immune system, thought to be associated with a viral infection. Dr. Nacul and his team will continue to collect additional blood samples, at various timepoints, from individuals with ME/CFS or multiple sclerosis, as well as from healthy individuals. Dr. Nacul will compare immune cell activity, genetic patterns and viral markers among the three groups to identify potential biomarkers of ME/CFS. In addition, the samples will continue to be stored in a biobank for use by researchers around the world.
Project title A prospective study of CFS following infectious mononucleosis in college students
Awardee

Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (The link includes information about the original grant, not just the supplement)
Principal Investigator Ben Z. Katz
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary A number of ME/CFS cases in young adults have been linked to infection with mononucleosis and to further examine this association, Drs. Katz and Jason will conduct a larger prospective study of college students, using data from university-based health services. Drs. Katz and Jason will compare data of individuals who fell ill with mononucleosis and then did or did not develop ME/CFS. This analysis may help identify risk factors that predict which individuals will develop ME/CFS and may also provide clues about the underlying causes of the disease.
Project title Immune cell gene expression and predictive models in CFS
Awardee

Weill Medical College of Cornell University (The link includes information about the original grant, not just the supplement)
Principal Investigator

Fabien Campagne
Funding opportunity NOT-AI-16-046
Summary Diagnosing ME/CFS can be challenging due to lack of biomarkers, which are genetic or cellular molecules that can be used to identify specific diseases, measure disease progression, and track response to treatment. Drs. Campagne and Hanson will continue to collect blood samples from individuals with ME/CFS as well as healthy individuals and use state-of-the-art technology to look for changes in the activity of genes that are involved in the immune system. These results may help identify novel biomarkers, new pathways related to ME/CFS, as well as potential avenues for therapy.
Project title Adaptive and innate immunity, memory and repertoire in vaccination and infection
Awardee

Stanford University (The link includes information about the original grant, not just the supplement)
Principal Investigator

Mark Morris Davis
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary Recent studies have shown that increased levels of activated CD8+ T cells are present in blood samples from individuals with ME/CFS. These cells are part of the immune system and typically become triggered following an infection. Dr. Davis and his group are using newly developed technologies to get a detailed look at the structure and function of T cell receptors in individuals with ME/CFS, which may provide clues about the immune system’s response to disease and may identify possible biomarkers.
Project title Center for Research in Diagnostics and Discovery
Awardee

Columbia University Health Sciences (The link includes information about the original grant, not just the supplement
Principal Investigator

W. Ian Lipkin
Funding opportunity

NOT-AI-16-046
Summary Multiple findings over the past several years suggest a viral or post-infective connection to ME/CFS. Dr. Lipkin and his colleagues will develop a cutting-edge library containing protein fragments of all known viruses that infect vertebrates, including mammals. Dr. Lipkin’s team will use the protein library to assess blood samples from individuals with ME/CFS and healthy individuals, to identify potential viruses the individuals with ME/CFS have been exposed to and correlate to symptoms of ME/CFS. The results may help advance detection of novel pathogens involved in ME/CFS.

This page last reviewed on August 3, 2018