“It’s of tremendous value to the ME / CFS research field to have a PhD student get involved in a topic like ME / CFS. They can dedicate 100% of their time. They really own the project and drive it. It’s what the field of ME / CFS needs.” – Dr. Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD
OMF is proud to announce that we are funding our first PhD student to research Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS). Sandy Abujrais is a native of Jordan and has studied in Estonia as well as in Sweden. Sandy will join the OMF-funded Collaborative Research Center at Uppsala University under the guidance of Dr. Jonas Bergquist.
Dr. Bergquist has supervised more than 50 PhD students in research throughout his career. He is still in contact with most of his past students, some in industry, some in clinical settings, some in academia, and he continues to collaborate closely with several of them.
“It’s very stimulating to work with young people. They teach me a lot, they bring a unique perspective to our research, and I feel that I have a responsibility for them throughout their career,” says Dr. Bergquist.
Sandy was selected from over 230 applicants. She has a Master’s in analytical chemistry with a background in biomedicine. Sandy has practical experience analyzing cerebrospinal fluid in a clinical setting, which will be very valuable for the projects Dr. Bergquist is currently running on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS).
Sandy showed an intellectual maturity in her application, having worked on several important projects focused on optimizing analytical methods. Her application also revealed an understanding of the significant need for research in the field of ME / CFS and showed great interest in the disease.
In Dr. Bergquist’s words: “Its quite remarkable how students get more and more excited about the field of ME / CFS, the more they learn about it.”
Sandy will pursue her PhD as a member of the Uppsala research team for at least 4 to 5 years. Her first focus under the direction of Dr. Bergquist will be to sharpen the hormone and kynurenine pathway analysis method, which they plan to use to look for anomalies in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) patients.
We are delighted to have this opportunity to encourage students to participate in the ME / CFS field, an investment that will continue to reap benefits for years to come.
Won’t you support OMF’s efforts to attract the best and the brightest to ME / CFS research?
