JOURNAL OF IIMER May 2026 Dutch Research Award Virus infection and reactivation and the gastrointestinal microbiome in myalgic encephalomyelitis Rik Haagmans, one of the PhDs funded by Invest in ME Research, recently completed his project and, with the Quadram Institute, applied to the Dutch ZonMW agency for a recent round of awards for research as part of the ongoing Dutch strategy in their 10 year plan for research into ME. We are glad to report that Rik was successful in this application and so continues with research into ME and has established now a collaboration with the Dutch programme. Here below Rik has written a brief description of the new project. Viral infections have long been associated with ME/CFS, and may trigger or contribute to maintaining ME/CFS. In addition, gut microbiome as well as immune system abnormalities have been found in ME/CFS patients and gastrointestinal disturbances are a frequent occurrence in ME/CFS. Gut microbiota play an important role in regulating the immune system and microbiome abnormalities may affect the immune reaction against viral infections, and chronic viral infections may contribute to immune system abnormalities themselves. How the gut microbiome and viral infections interact and contribute to ME/CFS is still unclear, however. Our project is funded by the Dutch funding organisation ZonMw through their ME/CFS research programme. We will be investigating the activity of several viruses commonly associated with ME/CFS, as well as the composition of the gut microbiome and virome and markers of gut barrier integrity. This will be done in the Dutch ME/CFS Biobank and Cohort (NMCB) and ME/CFS Lines cohort, as well as in a group of patients participating in the RESTORE-ME study which will take place at the Quadram Institute in the UK. Invest in ME Research Page 13 of 35
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