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Journal of IiMER Volume 10 Issue 1 affairs. We also bring thought leaders from government, academia and the private sector to our patient community through regular webinars and forums. V. Five, we developed an investigation framework of highpriority targeted research initiatives focusing on original research. Initiated this year, this program leverages in-house expertise to help close the knowledge gaps in our organization’s three key research focus areas: bioenergetics, neuroendocrine biology and immune dysfunction. We conduct these targeted initiatives through well-defined projects initiated at our organization, either independently or in collaboration with researchers or medical centers. Projects are typically high risk/high reward and likely to generate information useful to the broader medical and scientific ME/CFS community. Results of these initiatives will be shared with the community to spark further studies. Currently, we have several targeted initiatives in the areas of bioenergetics, metabolomics, functional genomics, immune-senescence and RNA interference that were developed with commercial entities like Metabolon, research centers like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and individual academic laboratories at leading medical centers nationwide. To achieve all these ambitious goals, we leverage other key assets at the organization including: Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) www.investinme.org Page 23 of 77 June 2016  a Research Advisory Council made up of highly respected experts drawn from diverse fields  a broad-based network of patients as partners  deeply committed board members, each of whom has a personal connection to the disease. We work to add value in our research endeavors by pursuing the most innovative applications and ideas in the ME/CFS field to make this disease understood, diagnosable and treatable. We are always looking for collaborations and partnerships in the United States and abroad. -----The Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SMCI), based in Los Angeles, is the major nonprofit, US-based organization focused on the debilitating disease Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) since its founding in 1987 (then under the name of CIFDS Association of America). SMCI’s mission is to serve ME/CFS patients through making the pathophysiology of the ME/CFS understood, diagnosable and treatable. With emphasis on transparency and rigor, the organization pursues its work in a number of ways, including grant making, bio-banking and patient registry support, the design and implementation of research programs in the basic and translational sciences as well as national advocacy, engagement and multi-channel communications on the most pressing and current ME/CFS affairs.

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