Journal of IiMER May 2025 Anouk Slaghekke Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands BRMEC14: Microvascular Abnormalities in Skeletal Muscle Anouk Slaghekke is a researcher specialising in physiology and movement sciences, with a focus on the interplay between muscle oxygenation, skeletal muscle structure and function, and immunology. Her research investigates how microvascular abnormalities in skeletal muscle contribute to the symptoms of ME/CFS, particularly exercise intolerance and post-exertional malaise. Recent studies involving Slaghekke have examined muscle biopsies from people with ME/CFS, both before and after exercise challenges. These studies aim to identify structural and functional changes in muscle tissue, such as impaired blood flow, reduced oxygen delivery, and the presence of microclots. By comparing findings in ME/CFS to those in long COVID and healthy controls, her work seeks to clarify whether microvascular dysfunction is a common underlying factor in these conditions. Understanding microvascular abnormalities is important because they may explain why patients experience rapid muscle fatigue and prolonged recovery after exertion. This research could lead to the identification of new biomarkers for ME/CFS and inform the development of targeted therapies to improve muscle function and quality of life for affected individuals. She will discuss evidence for microvascular dysfunction in the skeletal muscle of ME/CFS patients, which may contribute to impaired oxygen delivery and reduced exercise capacity. Session: In Vitro Models and Biomarker Discovery Session Chair: Simon Carding Quadram Institute, UK / EMERG Professor Carding will introduce this session on advanced laboratory models and biomarker discovery for ME/CFS. Elisa Oltra Universidad Catolica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Spain iPSC Dr Elisa Oltra is Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir in Spain and a leading researcher in the application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to biomedical research. Her group has pioneered the use of iPSC-based systems as sensitive bioassays to investigate metabolic and environmental factors present in the plasma of people with ME/CFS. Dr Oltra will discuss the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to model ME/CFS in vitro, enabling the study of disease mechanisms at the cellular level and supporting drug screening efforts. Invest in ME Research Page 30 of 43
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