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ME/CFS Collaborative
Research Center

at the CHU Sainte-Justine/
Université de Montréal

Clinical and scientific studies to understand and discover new treatments for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

About the research center

The ME / CFS Collaborative Research Center, established in 2020 at CHU Sainte-Justine /Université de Montréal, increases OMF’s international collaborative efforts through the End ME/CFS Project. Directed by Alain Moreau, PhD, the Quebec, Canada-based laboratory has been researching ME / CFS for several years.

Woman researcher in the distance, looking at computer

Alain Moreau, headshotAlain Moreau, PhD, is a Full Professor in the Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Dentistry and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, at Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Additionally, Dr. Moreau is the Director of Network for Canadian Oral Health Research. He is the Scientific Director of the Viscogliosi Laboratory in Molecular Genetics of Musculoskeletal Diseases, Sainte-Justine University Research Center, Montréal, Québec.

Dr. Moreau’s chief interests of study are pediatric scoliosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. Dr. Moreau is a member of the Open Medicine Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and is the Director of the Interdisciplinary Canadian Collaborative Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Research Network, a national research network funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research. 

Core Aims

Examine

the pathophysiology of ME/CFS, especially on severely affected persons

Address

the clinical heterogeneity of ME/CFS using provocation studies (stress-test)

Develop

a molecular diagnostic test

Integrate

a multi-omic approach to better stratify patients

Investigate

molecular profiling of discordant and concordant twins with ME/CFS

Study

multigenerational families affected by ME/CFS

Explore

possible treatment plans

Fundamental Philosophy

  • Establish collaborative work with ME / CFS groups to bring different fields of study together
  • Explore novel approaches to test for ME / CFS and treat the disease
  • Develop techniques to stratify ME / CFS patients
  • Predict which treatments will be most successful based on patient’s respective molecular profiling and symptoms
Evguenia Nepotchatykh and Alain Moreau in lab

View our latest news

Multi-Omics Study of ME/CFS (MAESTRO)

The primary goal of this project is to complete our comprehensive analysis of the genome, methylome, miRnome, and their interactions in order to fill the gaps in our understanding of ME/CFS pathophysiology and to identify clinically useful biomarkers.

Woman researcher reaching for a slide

studies

Multi-Omics Study of ME/CFS (MAESTRO)

The primary goal of this project is to complete our comprehensive analysis of the genome, methylome, miRnome, and their interactions in order to fill the gaps in our understanding of ME/CFS pathophysiology and to identify clinically useful biomarkers.

Read More

Precision Medicine for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Drug Discovery

The REMEDIAL project continues the work commenced with MAESTRO and will lead to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ME/CFS pathophysiology, the persistence and variability of the symptoms, and will contribute to the identification of targets and therapeutic agents for intervention.

Read More

Stress-Activated MicroRNAs

Studying microRNAs could help to bridge the conceptual gap between genetic predisposition and environmental factors causing ME/CFS or exacerbating specific symptoms.

Read More

Deep Proteome and Metabolome Profiling

Decode the molecular mechanisms underlying ME/CFS and contributing to specific symptoms with a particular emphasis of post-exertional malaise (PEM). This includes deep phenotyping of ME patients and global proteomic/metabolomics plasma profiling of ME..

Read More

Scientific Team

Woman researcher using pipette

CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center
Université de Montréal

Alain Moreau, PhD , Scientific Director

Anita Franco, MSc, Lab coordinator

Dashen Wang, MD, PhD, Research Associate

Mohamed Elbakry, PhD , Research Associate

Viorica Lascau, MSc , Research coordinator – certification manager

Sophie Perreault, RN  , Clinical research nurse

Valerie Tremblay, RN, Clinical research nurse

Hélène Gagnon, RN, Clinical research nurse

Iurie Caraus, PhD , Postdoctoral fellow

Wesam Elremaly, PhD, Postdoctoral fellow

Lynda Chalder, MSc, PhD student

Evguenia Nepotchatykh, BSc, PhD student

Atefeh Moezzi, MSc, PhD student

Corinne Leveau, BSc, MSc student

Bita Rostami, BSc, MSc student

Marie-Yvonne Akoume PhD, Invited professor – ICanCME Research Network Investigator

Valérie Marcil PhD, Associate Professor – ICanCME Research Network Investigator

Emile Levy, MD, PhD ,Full Professor – ICanCME Research Network Investigator

University of Florida Atlantic

Dawei Li, PhD, Associated Professor – ICanCME Research Network Investigator

Jason Kost BSc , Research Assistant – ICanCME Research Network Member

SUPPORT OMF Funded Critical Research

Please help us expand our research efforts across the globe. Every donation brings us closer to a fully-funded research effort and the answers we all seek.

Learn about Our Other OMF Funded Collaborative Research Centers

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME / CFS) Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), Fibromyalgia Leading Research. Delivering Hope.Open Medicine Foundation®

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