Over the past seven years, the ME Association has funded a major research programme at the University of Oxford, led by Professor Karl Morten. This support has helped establish a dedicated ME/CFS research hub, advance Raman spectroscopy as a potential diagnostic tool, and drive forward metabolomics and “factors in the blood” research. During this period, the team has also built strong national and international collaborations.
This is a summary report produced initially by Copilot and edited for accuracy and grammar by The ME Association.
Key Scientific Findings
1. A promising new diagnostic approach
Oxford researchers have been testing Raman spectroscopy, a technique that uses light to capture the chemical “fingerprint” of cells. Early results show it can distinguish ME/CFS from healthy controls — and even from multiple sclerosis — with high accuracy.
Using PBMCs, the team reported they could “distinguish an unknown sample accurately 9 out of 10 times.
This approach could form the basis of a simple, non‑invasive diagnostic test, though larger studies are needed to validate the findings.
Raman spectroscopy is beginning to appear in NHS research settings — with early trials in hospitals for cancer and other conditions — but it’s not yet a standard test in routine NHS labs.
2. Studying patient-derived immune cells
The team has also analysed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) — B‑cells taken from patients and grown indefinitely in the lab. These provide a renewable model for studying cellular metabolism.
Key findings include:
- These results support the idea that ME/CFS involves fundamental changes in how cells produce and use energy:
- Clear biochemical differences in LCLs from people with ME/CFS
- Reduced DNA‑related signals
- Altered lipid and carbohydrate signatures consistent with reduced metabolic activity
- Noticeable heterogeneity — some ME/CFS samples resemble controls and vice versa
3. Progress into metabolomics (chemicals in the blood)
The team has analysed metabolites in a substantial ME/CFS cohort, adding important depth to the field.
They found:
- Hundreds of chemicals differ between ME/CFS and healthy controls
- These differences do not improve after graded exercise programmes
- Some baseline metabolic patterns may help predict who tolerates activity better
New analytical tools developed with the Rosalind Franklin Institute are helping identify previously “unknown” chemicals — a major step toward uncovering new biological pathways. This work is partly funded by the MEA, see more information here.
4. Searching for “factors in the blood”
Researchers have been testing whether something in ME/CFS blood affects how cells behave.
They used the HUVEC endothelial model — a simple, reliable stand‑in for blood‑vessel lining cells grown in the lab.
Key findings:
Both ME/CFS and healthy serum increase mitochondrial activity, with only small differences
Plasma can be toxic to some cell types, making model choice important
Raman profiling of HUVECs shows strong serum effects but no ME/CFS‑specific signature yet
The team also collaborated with researchers in Barcelona using a 3D skeletal muscle model, which may be more sensitive to ME/CFS‑related changes.
Findings include
3D muscle cells show more meaningful mitochondrial responses
Serum induces measurable changes over 14 days
This line of work may help identify harmful or dysregulated molecules circulating in the blood.
Publications
During the funding period, the team produced:
- A major Raman diagnostic paper- Xu et al., 2023
- A high impact review on lipid metabolism (9k+ views)- Davis et al., 2025
- A methods chapter on Raman PBMC profiling- Xu and Morten, 2024
- Additional Raman and metabolomics papers in preparation
- The full list of papers published on ME/CFS and Long Covid Research by this research group can be found here.
Future Directions
Although MEA funding has now concluded, the Oxford team plans to continue developing this work through:
- Expanded Raman diagnostic studies Larger PBMC cohorts, SERS for plasma, and integration with proteomics and metabolomics.
- Improved plasma‑factor identification Including expanded 3D muscle‑model work and deeper analysis of potential pathogenic serum components.
- Advancing metabolomics breakthroughs Full structural identification of unknown metabolites, publication of UK Biobank cohort data, and development of predictive biomarkers for activity tolerance.
- Major grant applications Including Horizon Europe (Long Covid), Solve ME (resubmission), and PRIME consortium projects.
Overall Conclusion
- The ME Association's long‑term investment has played a significant role in enabling Oxford to:
- Build a sustainable ME/CFS research hub
- Generate high‑impact scientific outputs
- Develop promising diagnostic technologies
- Advance metabolomics and plasma‑factor research
- Establish international collaborations
- Position the team for major future funding in ME/CFS and Long Covid research