Open Medicine Foundation
The Open Medicine Foundation (OMF) is an American non-profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2012. It funds and initiates groundbreaking research into complex chronic illnesses. It supports neuro-immune disease research with a focus on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Fibromyalgia (FMS), and Chronic Lyme Disease.
The OMF's current project is the End ME/CFS Project.
Many of those involved in OMF, including Executive Director Linda Tannenbaum, either have a neuro-immune disease or have a family member who has a neuro-immune disease.
OMF's strategy is to include highly recognized and accomplished scientists with expertise in body systems linked to neuro-immune diseases. The organization also has an extensive patient network as developed through email newsletter subscriptions.
ME/CFS Scientific Advisory Board[edit | edit source]
The advisory board is made up of world-renowned researchers:[1]
- Dr. Ronald Davis (Scientific Advisory Board Director, and father of Whitney Dafoe)
- Paul Berg (cellular metabolism, Nobel laureate)
- Mario Capecchi (genetics, Nobel laureate)
- Mark Davis (immunology)
- Craig Heller (exercise physiology)
- Andreas Kogelnik (OMI founder)
- Robert Naviaux (virology & cell biology, mitochondrial specialist)
- Baldomero Olivera (neurobiology & pain)
- Ronald Tompkins (trauma & metabolism)
- James Watson (genetics, Nobel laureate)
- Wenzhong Xiao (computational genomics)
- David Bell (ME/CFS clinician. See Lyndonville outbreak)
- Maureen Hanson (cell and molecular biology)
- Øystein Fluge (oncology)
- Olav Mella (oncology)
Board[edit | edit source]
The OMF board comprises:[2]
- Linda Tannenbaum (Executive Director)
- Kimberley Hicks (Treasurer)
- Patti Linsley (Secretary)
- R.P. Channing (MD)
- Deborah Rose (MD)
- H. Kenneth Walker (MD)
Research Projects[edit | edit source]
The ME/CFS Severely Ill, Big Data Study was announced in May, 2015. The most severely ill ME/CFS patients are being studied to find a diagnostic bio-marker.
In 2016, "Mitochondria Man Gets Money UK Goes Mega Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Moves Forward"
Notable research[edit | edit source]
2016, Metabolic features of chronic fatigue syndrome
Funding[edit | edit source]
OMF have fund-raised primarily from ME sufferers and community for the research. NIH have not stepped up to fund the research.
In January 2018 Pineapple fund, a bitcoin investor, donated $1 million to OMF. The anonymous donor was so touched by the outpouring of appreciation from the worldwide ME community that they increased the donation to $5 million.[3]
In May 2018, OMF received a new $1 million anonymous pledge to escalate Dr. Ronald Davis’s systems biology approach with Robert Phair.[4]
Advocacy[edit | edit source]
The OMF and the Davis-Dafoe Family held two screenings of Forgotten Plague. Dr. Davis spoke about ME/CFS and research after the screening.[5][6]
Dr. Davis, along with colleagues, have written Open letters in reference to research funds and the PACE trial.
Talks and interviews[edit | edit source]
Ronald Davis
2017
- Q&A on ME/CFS Research with Dr. Ron Davis (Mar 7)
- An Update on ME/CFS Research with Dr. Ronald W. Davis (Feb 21)
- Scientist Ron Davis Tells How We Are "Fast-Tracking" ME/CFS Research (Feb 3)
2016
- Getting Answers to ME/CFS Faster through Collaboration and Openness (Dec 13)
- Short Story of a Family's Struggle with ME/CFS (May 21)
Linda Tannenbaum
2016
- Episode 79 - Linda Tannenbaum (May 8)
Online Presence[edit | edit source]
Learn more[edit | edit source]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Open Medicine Foundation - Scientific Advisory Board
- ↑ OMF Board
- ↑ Pineapple Fund
- ↑ New 1 million donation for ME/CFS research
- ↑ Ryan Prior (Director); Nicole Castillo (Director); Anthony Komaroff; Hillary Johnson; Ron Davis (2015), Forgotten Plague (documentary film)
- ↑ #ME Action (December 2015), Forgotten Plague Screening Announcement, Palo Alto USA
