Journal of IiMER Volume 10 Issue 1 June 2016 At Stanford University, where he is Director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center, Dr. Davis focuses on the interface of nano-fabricated solid state devices and biological systems. He and his research team also develop novel technologies for the genetic, genomic, and molecular analysis of a wide range of model organisms as well as humans. The team's focus on practical application of these technologies is setting the standard for clinical genomics. ABSTRACT: Big Data Approach: Severely ill ME Patient Cohort Our first major effort with multiple patients was to collect a large number of molecular observations on patients with ME/CFS. Once published these data could serve as the basis for a large number of hypotheses that NIH and other government agencies might fund. The cost of this type of study will be very expensive per patient. In order to reduce the overall cost it was recommended by the OMF Scientific Advisory committee to study severely ill patients because they should show the largest molecular signature. With a larger signal fewer patients can be used and still achieve statistical significance. This study has been called the Big Data Study of Severely Ill CFS Patients. These patients are bed bound so do not visit clinics and have not been studied. We send a medical team to each home in the San Francisco Bay Area to collect blood, urine, saliva, tears, and stool. We will be collecting more molecular data on each patient at one time point than has ever been collected in any study in history. While we were seeking funding for the Big Data Study we tested some of the technologies on a few severe and not severe CFS and healthy control patients. We discovered that the metabolome (the small metabolites found in the blood and urine) of the serium gave clear indication of metabolic abnormalities. Preliminary results indicated that glycolysis may be impaired with glucose being routed to fatty acid synthesis. Possibly more important, the metabolites in the citric acid cycle in the mitochondria were lower than in healthy controls and some almost undetectable. This cycle generates most of the energy (ATP) for the body. It makes it clear that this is no psychosomatic disease. From preliminary analysis it would appear that not only ATP is low but also ADP, AMP, GTP and in some cases uracile. These cofactors are involved in hundreds of molecular reactions in the body including in the brain. Their decrease would cause a large number of body functions to be abnormal. We don’t know which cells in the body are being affected (possible all cells) and are currently studying the various white and red cells with a variety of commercial and custom technologies. Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) www.investinme.org Page 73 of 77
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