# Cornell ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center

> **NIH NIH U54** · CORNELL UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $1,866,110

## Abstract

Project Summary: Overall
Despite the enormous suffering endured by millions of people worldwide, the underlying causes of Myalgic
Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) are unknown and effective therapies are lacking.
ME/CFS is characterized by debilitating fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, headaches, cognitive difficulties
orthostatic intolerance, and sleep disturbances. The absence of simple objective tests prevents many from
obtaining an appropriate diagnosis and inhibits drug development because of the lack of biomarkers to monitor
the efficacy of experimental therapies. In order to gain fundamental mechanistic insights into ME/CFS, we will
leverage the experience, capabilities and varied backgrounds of researchers from four different colleges at
Cornell University, Florida Atlantic University, the Hospital for Special Surgery, and an ME/CFS expert
physician. We will take advantage of an enormous amount of data already obtained from patients and controls
both before and after symptom provocation through exercise, as well as a valuable set of new samples. Three
research projects will seek to (1) use cutting-edge multi-omic single cell profiling to examine alterations in cell
types, gene expression, and cell-cell interactions that occur in ME/CFS muscle (Project 1), (2) identify tissue
injured in ME/CFS following exercise through characterization of RNA released into circulation and (3) identify
the RNA and protein cargo of extracellular vesicles in ME/CFS patients that may alter function of target cells
(Project 2) and (4) Use genomic and computational methods to better understand the gene regulatory
mechanisms that result in immune dysregulation in ME/CFS and systematically identify ME/CFS-specific
alterations in signaling across the immune system (Project 3). These three research projects are supported
by a Research Core that will act as a resource for genomics technology expertise, reagents, and services and
for data management and integrated analysis. Multi-omic analysis and predictive modeling carried out in all
three Projects will provide a foundation for future development of therapeutics and diagnostic tests. All Center
activities will be coordinated through an Administrative Core, which will foster synergy and integration within
the Center, while also being the platform for collaboration with other ME/CFS Collaborative Research Centers,
a Patient/Advocate/Caregiver Committee, other ME/CFS researchers, and the Data Management Coordinating
Center. The Administrative Core will also be responsible for outreach activities that are designed to increase
awareness and understanding of ME/CFS within the research community, health professionals, and the
general public, and will administer a pilot project program designed to bring new ideas and researchers into the
ME/CFS field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10827446
- **Project number:** 5U54AI178855-07
- **Recipient organization:** CORNELL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** ANDREW W GRIMSON
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,866,110
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-30 → 2028-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10827446

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10827446, Cornell ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center (5U54AI178855-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10827446. Licensed CC0.

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