Journal of IiMER May 2025 electrophysiology. This work has demonstrated impaired TRPM3 activity in NK cells from both ME and post-COVID-19 patients, suggesting shared pathomechanisms between the conditions. Additionally, the team investigates immune cell alterations and neuroimaging findings that reveal impaired brain connectivity and structural changes in ME and Long COVID. These findings are informing new approaches to diagnostic testing and pharmacotherapeutic interventions, with the aim of translating research discoveries into improved clinical care for people with ME and related disorders. Professor Ron Davis Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine in Stanford, California, USA IIMEC17 - Diagnostic Breakthroughs and Therapeutic Horizons for ME Ron Davis, PhD, is Professor of Biochemistry and Genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and Director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center. He is internationally recognised for his leadership in developing innovative technologies and for his longstanding commitment to advancing research into ME/CFS. Professor Davis’s recent work has focused on identifying reliable diagnostic biomarkers and exploring new therapeutic avenues for ME/CFS. His team developed the “nanoneedle” diagnostic platform, which distinguishes ME/CFS patients from healthy controls by measuring changes in the electrical properties of blood cells exposed to stress. This technology has shown high accuracy in early studies and is now being tested in larger cohorts to confirm its utility as a clinical diagnostic tool. The platform is also being used to screen potential drug treatments by observing whether candidate compounds can normalise the abnormal cellular responses seen in ME/CFS samples. In addition to the nanoneedle, Professor Davis’s group has pioneered a neutrophil assessment platform, revealing that neutrophils from ME/CFS patients move more slowly than those from healthy individuals. This work is ongoing and may yield further diagnostic markers. His research has also highlighted the role of factors in blood plasma that may drive the illness, with ongoing investigations into possible infectious or metabolic contributors. Professor Davis collaborates widely with international research teams and is involved in developing animal models to study disease mechanisms and test therapeutic candidates. At IIMEC17, he will summarise progress in biomarker discovery, the development of new diagnostic tools, and early results from therapeutic screening. His work is closely aligned with the goals of Invest in ME Research, aiming to accelerate the path toward effective diagnosis and treatment for ME/CFS. He is a world leader in biotechnology, especially in recombinant DNA and genomic methods applied to biological systems. As Director of the Stanford Genome Technology Center, he focuses on integrating nano-fabricated solid-state devices with biology. His team develops innovative genetic and molecular technologies for a range of organisms, including humans, setting standards in clinical genomics. Invest in ME Research Page 40 of 43
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