Research into Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME or ME/CFS) was recognised in 2015 by the USA Institutes of Medicine -
“It is clear from the evidence compiled by the committee that ME/CFS is a serious, chronic, complex, multisystem disease that frequently and dramatically limits the activities of affected patients.”
Despite the seriousness of this disease very little biomedical research has been funded or performed on ME for the last decades.
Yet over the past few years this situation has been gradually changing with more more researchers becoming interested in the disease, mainly due to the work from organisations such as UK charity Invest in ME Research.
An international family of researchers working together has been facilitated by the BRMEC* Biomedical Research into ME Colloquiums held annually in London, UK.
Thinking the Future for ME
To ensure that a foundation of biomedical research into ME can be sustained and to encourage
new ideas from new areas then we cannot rely just on this family of researchers that has been built up from all parts of the world.
We need to draw in knowledge and expertise from other areas – as we have been doing for many years with our
research Colloquiums and international Conferences.
Importantly, we also need to encourage early career researchers – and young researchers.
As part of the EMERG (European ME Research Group) concept - which aims to build a network of close European biomedical research collaboration to make rapid advances in research and funding for ME - in 2018 the charity initiated the young/early career researcher conference - Thinking the Future - an initiative to build a network of new and young research capacity for the future.
We continue this into 2019.
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London 28th May 2019 - Early Career Researchers for ME
Now in its ninth year we will continue with this additional level to the Biomedical Research into ME Colloquium to address the requirements to provide career paths for young researchers of ME.
In 2019 the Thinking the Future conference for young/early career researchers will encapsulate the need to bring in new faces and new ideas to the field of ME research as well as provide a forum for networking for existing young/ecr researchers.
Following the successful 2018 inaugural conference a whole day will be allocated in 2019 for the event, which will take place in London in ME Conference Week.
The event is free for accepted participants who join this network.
It is possible that some contribution to travel costs may be available (this will be determined on an individual basis).
BRMEC9 Colloquium
Agenda for the Meeting
The agenda will include presentations from young/early career researchers and others. Details will be available in the link as they are finalised.
For those wishing ot present please use the contact form below to contact us and arrange for abstracts/ideas to be sent for consideration for the conference.
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Who Can Participate
An Early Careers Researcher is defined an individual who is within a few years of the award of their PhD or equivalent professional training, or their first academic appointment.
This event will be open to postgraduate students and postdocs involved in biomedical research, and also medical students with an interest in biomedical research into ME.
It will provide an international forum where research into ME can be discussed, ideas can be generated and a network built to allow opportunities for those young or early career researchers who are already involved in research into ME, or involved in another research area which may be of relevance to understanding ME.
All applications for participation will be considered by the committee responsible for planning the agenda, which will include existing young researchers.
Thinking the Future News
News of the Thinking the Future event - click on the titles below.
Together with NIH we are progressing the development of the international young/ecr network
for biomedcial researchers involved in, or interested in becoming involved in research into ME.
Also working together to arrange Washington and London Thinking the Future conferences in 2019.
Contact us for more information
The call for abstracts is now open. Those wishing to present their work can submit a short abstract (max 300 words) when registering.
Contact us
Research and Training Grants assist early career scientists in pursuing research and training at a European host institution in a country other
than their own country of residence (and exceptionally to support research and training projects outside Europe)
Click here
After the success of the first event in 2018 we are planning to make this event into a whole day event.
We hope to have attendance from young/early career researchers from Europe, USA and Australasia
and continue to build this
important network for biomedical researchers who are working in the field of ME research or
a related area.
Future Development
We foresee that questions or queries or ideas or anything else
produced from the Thinking the Future forum would be input to a specific session in the research Colloquium on the next day.
This international event will be in keeping with the emphasis we have placed on international cooperation.
The early career researchers whom we are funding will be present - indeed, we are hopeful that the young and new researchers will assist in running this event.
We also wish to turn this into an international group with events being held elsewhere, and in other countries.
So we have contacted research groups and our friends in other like-minded charities and organisations who have the same objectives as us.
The Thinking the Future Forum will have the opportunity for developing this group of international, early career researchers which will, in turn, facilitate further international collaboration in research into ME and new ideas being formulated.
It will, importantly, also give more awareness of the exciting possibilities of researching this disease – for the betterment of patients and carers.
We welcome all support for this and hope that more early career researchers and research departments will begin to appreciate the interesting and challenging opportunities that exist for biomedical researchers entering this field.
Past Thinking the Future Conferences
Our objective with the Thinking the Future conferences for young/early career researchers is to build a network of young/ecr researchers.
We therefore hope to work with others to facilitate this.
We will record details of other TtF events here.
Past Colloquiums can be seen via the link below.
Apply to Participate in Thinking the Future
Use the contact form below to apply to participate and to provide details of your research and why you wish to participate.
All applications will be considered by the committee responsible for planning the agenda.
Contact Us
Get in Touch
Please use the form here to submit an application to attend the Thinking the Future for ME conference.
You can also use this form if you have any questions regarding the this event
All submissions will receive a response and all applications will be considered by the committee responsible for planning the agenda.
Thank you for your interest in the conference.
The Office
- Address: Invest in ME Research
PO Box 561 Eastleigh SO50 0GQ Hampshire, UK - Phone: 02380 643736 / 07759 349743
- Email:
- Conference:
- Centre of Excellence for ME:
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An opportunity to form a crucial element of future biomedical research into ME.
Join this unique gathering and help further research into ME.