{"id":15473,"date":"2025-12-08T11:58:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T11:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/?p=15473"},"modified":"2026-01-21T18:37:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T18:37:49","slug":"researchfunding-charite-stipendium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/researchfunding-charite-stipendium\/","title":{"rendered":"Research-funding announcement: Scholarship for junior ME\/CFS researcher at Charit\u00e9"},"content":{"rendered":"

In January 2026, another scholarship project jointly funded by the Lost Voices Foundation (external link<\/span><\/a>) and the ME\/CFS Research Foundation will start at Charit\u00e9 \u2013 Universit\u00e4tsmedizin Berlin.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the International ME\/CFS Conference 2025 (link<\/span><\/a>), the foundations agreed to cooperate in supporting junior ME\/CFS researchers. The ME\/CFS Research Foundation is providing the funding for this. The scholarship funding will be administered through the Lost Voices Foundation's scholarship programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The joint scholarship will be awarded to Linus Fock, who is pursuing his doctorate as part of his medical studies at the working group of Prof. Dr. Carmen Scheibenbogen (details in the ME\/CFS Research Register<\/span><\/a>) at Charit\u00e9 \u2013 Universit\u00e4tsmedizin Berlin. Linus Fock's doctoral project is entitled \"Comparative study of healthy control subjects and patients with ME\/CFS using questionnaires, hand grip strength measurement, cognitive testing and laboratory markers\"<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project background and objectives:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Biomarker studies on ME\/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis\/chronic fatigue syndrome) have provided a number of important insights on potential disease mechanisms in recent years. In the majority of examined ME\/CFS patients, there was evidence of immune dysregulation indicated by the presence of inflammatory markers, while some of the subjects showed autoantibodies and altered immune cell profiles. In addition, disturbances in mitochondrial metabolism and blood circulation were detected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well-characterised patient and control cohorts (healthy control groups) are of central importance for biomedical research projects. Only by comparisson with carefully defined healthy controls can disease-specific changes be clearly identified, scientifically sound conclusions be drawn, and diagnostic markers be developed. The aim of the doctoral project is to establish and analyse a cohort of 100 healthy subjects for subsequent comparison with ME\/CFS patients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the funded project, data on health status (medical history, self-reported information), epidemiological data and questionnaires for symptom assessment will be collected from healthy subjects in the same way as for the ME\/CFS cohort. This will also include clinical examinations (hand strength, cognitive testing using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), blood pressure and pulse measurement while sitting and standing, and laboratory analyses of standard parameters and immunological markers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project will start on 1 January 2026 and aims to establish a standardised control cohort of healthy adults over a period of six months. The project results will be published in a scientific publication, which will contribute to the validation and further development of biomarkers for ME\/CFS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integration into ongoing biomarker research<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The data collected from the healthy control cohort will be incorporated into the work of the following research projects, which are being implemented with the participation of Prof. Dr. Scheibenbogen's research group:<\/p>\n\n\n\n