The ME Association and ME Research UK are excited to build on their October 2023 partnership, when we jointly funded a 12-month study exploring electrical differences in blood cells from people with ME/CFS.
This next phase of funding will refine and expand the initial work, giving us deeper insights into the biology of ME/CFS and moving us closer to a reliable and low-cost diagnostic test.
The study builds on initial findings in 2019 by Professor Ron Davis and his team from America, who developed a nanoelectronics test which could detect an impedance in white blood cells taken from people with ME/CFS. The new grant has been awarded to Dr Fatima Labeed (United Arab Emirates University), who authored the initial research, and Dr Jacqueline Cliff, who will host the work in her laboratory at Brunel University of London.
Summary of findings from initial research
- Blood cells (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell) (PBMCs)) from people with ME/CFS showed distinct electrical properties compared to healthy controls.
- These differences suggest that the cells may have problems with how they handle ions – tiny, charged particles that help cells function properly (known as ion channel dysfunction and altered cellular ionic composition).
- If a cell is unable to function properly it could be causing or contributing to disease progression and functional impairments.
- Results demonstrated that the electrical signatures from blood cells could distinguish ME/CFS from other conditions, supporting their potential as a diagnostic tool.
- More information about the Electrophysiological Properties of Cells can be found in Dr Krista Clarke’s blog about the initial study, here.
What will this new grant be used for
The new research grant, “The Electrophysiology of ME/CFS: Advancing the Electrical Model of PBMCs for Aetiology and Diagnosis”, seeks to:
- test a larger, more diverse cohort.
- improve how samples are prepared and tested to make results more accurate and easier to get, including the characterisation of differences between fresh and cryopreserved (frozen) samples.
- compare blood cells from people with ME/CFS, Long Covid, Multiple Sclerosis and healthy volunteers.
- explore how ion channels and plasma ions affect these electrical differences, and test whether a treatment called low-dose naltrexone (LDN) can help.
This is an exciting opportunity to combine our expertise in ME/CFS and biomarker development research. Both our groups (Labeed and Cliff) have previously characterised differences in cells from people with ME/CFS, and the electrical properties identified could potentially form the basis of a diagnostic test for ME/CFS.
Dr Fatima Labeed and Dr Jackie Cliff
This grant will enable us to try the test across an extended cohort of UK ME/CFS Biobank samples to validate its utility, and to optimise the laboratory testing process so that it can readily be deployed clinically on a larger scale. We will also investigate the biological basis for the electrical changes, as this could provide scientific leads to help researchers develop new treatments.
Further Information
- The ME Association: Doctoral Thesis: Characterising the Electrophysiological Properties of Cells in Health and Disease | July 2, 2025
- The ME Association: Research: The search for a blood-based biomarker for ME/CFS: from biochemistry to electrophysiology | February 5, 2025
- MEA and MERUK Research: Explaining Electrophysiological Properties of Cells in Health and Disease | August 15, 2024
- The ME Association: Professor Robert Dorey and colleagues update on investigating the electrical properties of blood from people with ME/CFS | July 2, 2024
- The ME Association and ME Research UK announce funding for a study that aims to create a diagnostic test for ME/CFS | October 30, 2023
- ME Research UK: Characterising the electrical properties of white blood cells to diagnose ME/CFS
- Esfandyar-Pour et al. A nanoelectronics-blood-based diagnostic biomarker for ME/CFS | April 2019