Standing Together on Long COVID Awareness Day: Let’s Make a Difference Together!

Today, we unite in solidarity to observe Long COVID Awareness Day. This day holds profound significance for countless individuals worldwide. We stand together in spirit and purpose, recognizing the extensive impact of SARS-CoV-2.

This day serves as a beacon in our collective efforts to raise awareness and bolster support for those living with persistent symptoms following COVID-19 infection. Today, we’re proud to highlight OMF supported research addressing the complexities of Long COVID.

OMF supported Long COVID Research Studies 

from funds generously donated by the Patient-Led Research Fund (PLRF), a project of the Patient-Led Research Collaborative and funded by Balvi Filantropic Fund

1. Characterizing Non-restorative Sleep in Post-viral Disease to Advance Intervention Innovations: Harvard Medical School and the Open Medicine Foundation Supported Ronald G. Tompkins Harvard ME/CFS Collaboration

We are thrilled to announce that this study has officially started. Led by Janet Mullington, PhD, this project aims to characterize several features of sleep regulation in ME/CFS and Long COVID compared with age and sex matched healthy sleep controls. The study investigates three primary components: 

• Sleep patterns and how they relate to the body’s natural rhythm (circadian dysfunction)
• Changes in immune function, specifically looking at a type of molecules called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) and how they’re affected by sleep problems
• Brain electrical activity

2. Systems Biology Approaches to Uncovering Disease Mechanism and Drug Repurposing For Long COVID: Massachusetts General Hospital and the Open Medicine Foundation Supported Computational Research Center for Complex Diseases

Led by Wenzhong Xiao, PhD, this project uses deep machine learning and network medicine to analyze clinical information, research findings, and multi-omics data of Long COVID, ME/CFS, and related diseases. The analysis incorporates a collective knowledge-base of drugs, diseases, genes, and symptoms to discover disease gene modules. This project aims to identify potential drugs as candidates for repurposing for these illnesses.

3. Multi-omic Approaches to Solve Post-Acute COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2 Syndrome: Université de Montréal and the Open Medicine Foundation-Supported ME/CFS Collaborative Center at CHU Sainte-Justine/Université de Montréal

Led by Alain Moreau, PhD, this project hypothesizes that Long COVID, and ME/CFS after COVID, is the result of a broad molecular-level reorganization occurring primarily at the epigenetic level. The study aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of long-term sequelae following a SARS-CoV-2 infection, by looking at 4 specific aims:

• Global expression profiling of circulating microRNAs
• Global DNA methylation profiling
• Global proteomic plasma profiling
• Global metabolomic plasma and urine profiling.

To learn more about this international study, click here. 

We are actively working to raise additional funds to continue these critical studies. We all need this research now, and we need your help today so that millions can return to health tomorrow.

How You Can Help:

• Participate in Research: Join OMF StudyME Registry; a recruitment tool to connect individuals interested in participating in research studies with the researchers conducting them. Over 8300 participants joined already! With OMF StudyME, we are helping recruit for Long COVID studies at:
  
  • University of New England, Australia
  • Bateman Horne Center, Salt Lake City, US
  • Scripps Medical Center, San Diego, US
  • Mt Sinai, New York, US
  • Harvard Medical School: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, US
  • Stanford University, Stanford, CA
• Spread the Word: Raise awareness by sharing information about our studies with your network. 
• Support Our Work: Your donations allow us to continue conducting vital research studies. Consider making a donation today to support our ongoing efforts.