NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – The Open Medicine Institute of Mountain View, Calif., will use a $1 million foundation award to fund a study aimed at uncovering the role of genetics and heritable risk in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
OMI said today that it plans to use the funding from the Edward P. Evans Foundation to conduct whole genome sequencing and analysis and DNA methylation investigations, and to use other molecular testing technologies. The one-year study will target a group of 1,000 individuals, including those with and without ME/CFS. These efforts will include a collaboration with the Stanford Genome Technology Center, OMI said.
ME/CFS is a complex chronic disorder that affects multiple systems and organs, and results in persistent fatigue, sleep and cognitive dysfunction, muscle and joint pain, and headaches. OMI said there are few effective treatments or diagnostics for this disorder.
The institute's research focuses on using its novel technology platform, OpenMedNet, which facilitates the sharing of patient information and clinical collaborations, and large-scale data analysis to investigate poorly characterized diseases like ME/CFS, multiple sclerosis, autism, and other neuro-autoimmune conditions.
OMI 's research lab includes clinical space, core genomics and biotechnology lab space, an informatics core, and a physiology lab.
OMI said it also is partnering with international collaborators in the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Roundtable on Immunology and Treatment effort, which seeks to identify biomarkers for ME/CFS and to speed the development of new treatments and therapies.