Journal of IiMER May 2025 James Baraniuk Georgetown University Medical Centre, USA BRMEC14: Exertional Exhaustion (PEM) Evaluated by Effects of Exercise on Cerebrospinal Fluid Metabolomics–Lipidomics and Serine Pathway in ME Professor Baraniuk will discuss how exercise affects cerebrospinal fluid metabolites and lipids in ME/CFS patients, focusing on changes in the serine pathway. This work provides insights into the biochemical basis of post-exertional malaise. Dr Baraniuk's research focuses on ME, Gulf War Illness (GWI) and other pain conditions. His work employs advanced techniques including functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), biomarker discovery through proteomic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic assays in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, autonomic testing, and heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. Recent findings from Dr Baraniuk's team have revealed distinct molecular signatures in ME and GWI, suggesting they are separate conditions with unique brain chemistry profiles. His research has shown that these disorders produce different abnormal patterns of brain activity after moderate exercise, which could lead to improved diagnoses and treatments. Dr Baraniuk's work on exercise- induced changes in cerebrospinal fluid microRNAs has provided new insights into the biological basis of these conditions. Helena Cochemé, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, UK BRMEC14: Redox Signalling in Aging and Its Implications for ME/CFS and Long-COVID Research Professor Helena Cochemé, Head of the Redox Metabolism Research Group at the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, is a leading biochemist specialising in redox signalling and mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic health and ageing. Her research uses in vivo models, particularly Drosophila, to investigate how reactive oxygen species (ROS) and redox changes regulate cell signalling, stress responses, autophagy, and lifespan. Recent findings from her group have shown that redox regulation can modulate autophagy, extend lifespan, and that systemic extracellular acidification is a hallmark of ageing. Professor Cochemé also explores the interplay between mitochondrial function, redox state, and metabolic pathways in determining cellular health and disease susceptibility. Her team employs highthroughput screening and translational studies to identify redox-sensitive pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Her expertise is highly relevant to ME/CFS and Long COVID, as redox imbalance, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are increasingly recognised as contributors to fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and multi-system symptoms. Professor Cochemé’s work provides mechanistic insights into how disruptions in redox signalling may drive persistent symptoms in these conditions, suggesting new avenues for biomarker discovery and treatment strategies. Invest in ME Research Page 28 of 43
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