From Spring 2009 Forum

The National CFIDS Foundation (NCF) is pleased to announce its latest research grant recipient. This new research brings the total to $255,000 awarded to researchers in just the last four months. The latest research grant recipient was awarded to Tsvee Lapidot, Ph.D., Professor of immunology at the Weizmann institute of Science in Israel. Dr. Lapidot is the Edith Arnoff Stein professorial chair in stem cell research. His research interests include the mechanisms of stem cell migration and immune development, the regulation of the bone marrow reservoir of immature and maturing leukocytes as part of host defense and repair during homeostasis and alarm situations and the role of Strom cells, cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and proteolytic enzymes in normal and leukemic human hematopoiesis. Dr. Lapidot has an extensive background in AML. This research is important to the Foundation because of the key role of elastase in the CFIDS/ME process. Since elastase plays a critical role in myeloid lineage development Dr. Lapidot will be using several compounds to explore their mechanistic action applicable to both myelodysplasia and AML utilizing in-vitro assays as well as a functional pre-clinical mouse model. Dr. Lapidot's research is titled "Involvement of elastase and SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in regulation of motility and development of human AML initiating cells."

Ongoing research is being performed by Hany El-Shemy, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry at Cairo University in Egypt as already announced. Dr. El-Shemy will be evaluating numerous compounds in-vitro against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines using markers found by the NCF in patients diagnosed with CFIDS/ME whom had participated in previous studies. His interests include the use of plant-based hotanicals for the eradication of AML. This research is important to the Foundation in light of patient results obtained from specialized flow cytometry and cytogenetics testing to establish the markers. The use of botanicals represents a novel approach towards the treatment of myelodysplastic cells that are progressing towards AML development. Early hints regarding potential treatment implications for long-term CFIDS/ME patients may result from this research. Dr. El-Shemy did his postdoctoral fellowship in leukemia with Professor Kounosuke Fujita at Hiroshima University in Japan. Dr. El-Shemy's research is titled "Production of natural biological active formulas as anti-carcinogenic AML drugs."

National CFIDS Foundation continues to fund highly specialized and directed medical research to find a cause, expedite treatment and a cure for Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome/ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFIDS/ME). Although the Foundation frequently receives grant proposals from researchers worldwide who seek funding to advance their own scientific stance, the Foundation has taken an aggressive stance toward its own directed research by utilizing a system biology approach to gain greater insight into the exact nature of the CFIDS/ME disease process. Very few nonprofit organizations directly seek out scientists to fund specialized research projects. This is what the National CFIDS Foundation does best — funding directed medical research whose scientific concepts originate from the boardroom. By thinking "out of the box", the Foundation has been able to tap some of the greatest minds in medical science today. These grants should further demonstrate the Foundation's extraordinary commitment and dedication to conquering this devastating disease.

As the National CFIDS Foundation continues to make significant progress in the research arena, our hope is that patients are encouraged by the vision of these advanced studies aimed at conquering the disease. To date, the Foundation has funded over $725,000 in directed research projects since the inception of its research grant program. This was done with the help and generosity of members.