Blood signals linked to ME/CFS and post-exertional malaise
Official title: Circulating signals of ME/CFS
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-11501141 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at tiny bits of RNA and cell particles in the blood of people with ME/CFS to see how they change after exercise and during post-exertional malaise.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2017 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $484,187 |
| NIH project number | 5U54AI178855-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11501141 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults with a diagnosis of ME/CFS who can safely perform two cardiopulmonary exercise tests and provide multiple timed blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot safely exercise, cannot travel for in-person testing, or do not have ME/CFS would likely not benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would come to Cornell for two exercise tests with blood taken before and after the first test, 24 hours later, and after the second test. Researchers will measure cell-free RNA and extracellular vesicles in the same plasma samples to identify where signals in the blood come from when symptoms worsen. They compare results between people with ME/CFS and healthy sedentary control volunteers using these timed samples. The work builds on earlier measurements of metabolites, proteins, and immune-cell gene expression to find markers tied to post-exertional symptom flares.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal blood markers that explain post-exertional malaise and help guide future diagnosis or treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work from this group found metabolic, protein, and immune differences after exercise, while using cell-free RNA and extracellular vesicles in this context is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hanson, Maureen Rebecca — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Hanson, Maureen Rebecca
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.