BRMEC5 Colloquium 2015
The fifth Invest in ME Research Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium (BRMEC5) took place in London over two days: 27th–28th May 2015.
Over sixty researchers from thirteen countries convened to discuss research, strategies, and future planning.
The fifth colloquium built on past years and has now evolved into a major international event, with CPD accreditation, and involving the most experienced researchers in areas such as immunology, virology, neurology and bioinformatics.
Chairing the meeting was Dr Ian Gibson and Professor Jonathan Edwards - along with the Invest in ME Research Advisory Board.
The research meeting was by invitation only but the charity made available places for researchers and some students who would add to the meeting or who were interested collaborating with our increasing group of international researchers in performing biomedical research into ME.
We had representatives from most of the main biomedical research initiatives now occurring throughout the world represented at the meeting.
BRMEC5 Agenda
| BRMEC5 - Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| Welcome - Overview/summary of previous day Objectives of DAY 2 | Dr Ian Gibson, UEA, UK Prof Jonathan Edwards, UCL, UK |
| Neurology: Lead Angela Vincent (Oxford Univ.) | |
| Keynote Speech: Imaging Inflammation and Its Role in Neurodegeneration |
Professor David Brooks, Imperial College London, UK |
| Immune-Brain Communication and Relationship to Inflammation | Dr Neil Harrison Sussex Uni, UK |
| FMRI and ME/CFS | Prof James Baraniuk Georgetown University, USA |
| Discussions | |
| Chaired discussion with participants | |
| Biomarkers | |
| Immunological markers in ME/CFS | Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik Professor Don Staines Griffiths University, Australia Australia |
| Vision and ME/CFS | Dr Claire Hutchinson Leicester Uni., UK |
| CSF Proteomics in a Swedish ME/CFS patient cohort | Prof Jonas Bergquist Uppsala Uni, Sweden Sweden |
| Glucocorticoid receptors and ME/CFS | Dr Amolak Bansal, Epsom and St Helier NHS University Hospital, Surrey, UK |
| Molecular markers before/after exercise | Prof Betsy Keller, Cornell Uni, USA |
| Discussions | |
| Chaired discussion with participants | |
| Clinical trials | |
| Trial design, good practice | Prof Jonathan Edwards, UCL, UK |
| Norwegian rituximab research/trials | Prof Olav Mella/ Dr Oystein Fluge Haukeland Uni.,Norway |
| Discussions | |
| Chaired discussion with participants | |
| Additional Topics | |
| Funding | Participants |
| Discussions | |
| Chaired discussion with participants | |
| Adjourn | |
EMERG - European ME Research Group
Background
For a long time it has been the objective of UK charity Invest in ME Research to forge international collaborations between researchers.
IiMER is a member of the European ME Alliance (EMEA) and EMEA has joined the European Federation of Neurological Associations in order to promote ME in Europe.
With our EMEA colleagues we have also had discussions on forming a European Advisory Board which would allow EMEA to discuss, initiate and fund biomedical research into ME. This has led to further development of the idea.
During the Invest in ME Research BRMEC5 meeting in May 2015 discussions with European researchers were conducted about the future of ME research and how better to coordinate and link together research activity in several European countries.
Based upon these conversations there appears to be overwhelming support and enthusiasm from the group of researchers whom IiMER/EMEA have brought together to work cooperatively and more effectively.
Forming a group or consortium of European researchers represents a very progressive step in not only helping to establish new collaborations and cement on-going ones but also in developing new research ideas and priorities and bidding for funds that would allow us to work together on joint projects.
This is the genesis of EMERG - The European ME Research Group
Facilitated also by our supportive MPs IiMER convened the inaugural meeting in London to bring this together in the hope that rapid and lasting progress can be made in the research, treatment and cure for myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Later, in January 2016 Professor Simon Carding and Dr Uldi Berkis from Latvia met in Norwich Research Park to discuss future planning and agree on a strategy.
EMERG also met prior to the BRMEC6 Colloquium in London in May 2016.
The charity continues to pomote European collaboration between researchers. The emergence of the EMERG concept could prove to be a critical developments in research into ME in Europe over the last decade.
Our Conference Journals
Our Conference Journal
This year was the tenth year that the charity had organised an international
conference week.
