Young EMERG - European ME Research Group Early Career Researchers

SPARK ME, the ECR Symposium For promoting the Advancement of Research Knowledge in ME

As part of this initiative, Young EMERG was involved in organizing and chairing the Symposium for Promoting Advancement of Research Knowledge in ME (SPARK ME workshop), which was funded and arranged by Invest in ME Research. The workshop offers a unique platform for ECRs to engage in meaningful discussions, present their research, and explore collaborative opportunities. Scheduled as a key event during the annual Invest in ME conference week, SPARK ME promises to be a vibrant space for knowledge exchange, featuring talks on the latest research developments, funding opportunities, and practical insights into building a career in ME/CFS research. With interactive breakout sessions and open discussions, SPARK ME is set to ignite new ideas and foster collaboration, ensuring that the next generation of researchers are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of ME/CFS.

This year's SPARK ME workshop brought together researchers from 12 different countries across Europe, North America, and Australia. The workshop hosted a diverse group of participants, including mostly PhD students and young post-docs, but also master students and principal investigators (PIs). The attendees represented a wide range of research fields, primarily within the biological sciences, including electrophysiology, immunology, neuroscience, genetics, metabolomics, and metagenomics. Additionally, participants from the medical sciences, such as medicine, cardiology, and public health, and from computational and data sciences, including biomarker mining, bioinformatics, and statistics, contributed to the vibrant interdisciplinary atmosphere.

Feedback

The SPARK ME workshop was highly valued by ECRs who attended, describing it as an exceptional networking and team-building experience. Attendees appreciated the comprehensive overview provided on crucial topics such as career advice, funding opportunities, biobank information, and tips for grant and publication writing. Feedback highlighted the benefit of in-person events including ice breaking sessions, and team-building activities. Further, we noticed a desire for more time to fully engage with the topics of interest and fellow participants. Overall, the workshop successfully facilitated significant professional growth and collaboration among ECRs in the ME/CFS field.

Building Connections: The Workshop's Networking Opportunities Proved Invaluable for Advancing ME/CFS Research

In the afternoon of the SPARK-ME workshop, we held a networking session. The main goal was for ECRs to meet, share their research, and discuss their views and ideas on ME/CFS research. The attendees were divided into breakout groups to discuss diverse topics. This included five questions on their views on expanding the network of ECRs, what the focus of ME/CFS research should be, and how to involve patients more in our research.
These discussions generated valuable insights, which we are excited to share as part of our key takeaways and results.

Strengthening the Network for ECRs: Collaboration Through Workshops, Online Meetings, and Social Media

To enhance the network of early career researchers in ME/CFS, we aim to encourage current ECRs to stay in the field and foster collaboration. Strategies include holding more frequent in-person workshops and online meetings like journal clubs that also involve researchers from other fields to maintain and expand global contacts. Effective advertising through social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter is essential. Sharing information on international funding possibilities is also important.

Advancing ME/CFS Research: Think of Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Holistic Approaches

During the networking session, we discussed that over the next five years, ME/CFS research should focus on biomarker discovery, sex differences, genetic analysis, and clinical trials. Additional efforts should be made to standardize research methods, increase patient cohort sizes, include appropriate controls, and expand research to middle- and low-income countries. Involving researchers from other fields can provide a holistic view of ME/CFS and encourage collaboration. Patient and public involvement can enhance the relevance and impact of research by ensuring it addresses the real-world needs and concerns of ME/CFS patients.

ME/CFS Diagnosis: Improving Precise Patient Stratification using Available Tools

Improving ME/CFS diagnosis remains challenging due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Thus, emphasizing precise patient stratification is needed to enable the distinction of subgroups with different pathophysiological patterns to facilitate identifying distinct biomarkers. Using already available tools like the DSQ and FUNCAP questionnaires can aid in clinical evaluation and support patient stratification. As post-exertional malaise (PEM) is a hallmark symptom that differentiates ME/CFS from other conditions, it should be recognized among clinicians. Simultaneously, more efforts in clinical settings should be made in preventing PEM and managing its symptoms more effectively.

Promoting Transparency: Clear Communication and Patient Engagement Strategies

Educating patients about new discoveries is an essential part of being a researcher and requires clear communication of research results without unrealistic expectations. Using simplified language, visual aids, and social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok can help reach a wider audience. Additionally, organizing patient conferences and webinars will help inform patients about the latest research. Integrating the patient’s perspective can improve the quality of research through valuable patient insights and foster greater trust and transparency between researchers and the public.

Get involved!

If you are interested in joining this initiative, or would like to be notified about future events, don't hesitate to contact us. Together, we can drive ME/CFS research forward!