Peter B:
"I’m one of a group of ME/CFS patients who have been developing a crowdfunding campaign for an ambitious $1.27 million study of ME/CFS and the gut microbiome – our ‘ecosystem’ of bacteria, viruses and fungi – by “the world’s most celebrated virus hunter”, Dr. Ian Lipkin, at Columbia University in New York.
We have created a website for the campaign, with the full support of Dr. Lipkin. A message to patients from him appears on our home page.
We’re launching the website today and we hope that, as one of our community’s major bloggers, you might like to mention the campaign on your blog to help get the word out.
$1.27 million is an ambitious target but we’re confident that, with an international effort and with everyone helping us to spread the word, we can raise the money and do it fast.
We hope you’ll visit the site at www.microbediscovery.org.
Thank you!
ME/CFS: a devastating neuro-immune disease as disabling as multiple sclerosis, affecting one million Americans and 17 million people worldwide.
The study: a cutting-edge hunt for the causes of ME/CFS in the gut “microbiome” – the bacteria, viruses and fungi in the digestive system – led by “the world’s most celebrated virus hunter”, Dr W. Ian Lipkin at the world’s largest and most advanced center for microbe discovery and diagnosis at Columbia University in New York.
The payoff: a world-class study with the potential to swiftly lead to treatments using drugs, probiotics or exclusion diets.
Our challenge: to raise $1.27 million (£760,000; €910,000) to fund the project and do it fast! The scientists are ready to go and can complete and publish the study within 12 months. The sooner we fund it, the sooner it starts.