EUROMENE

EUROMENE stands for European ME Network, also called European Network on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It was started by the Cooperation In Science And Technology (COST) Association, an international not-for-profit organization. Funding was approved for four years and may be extended longer upon approval. COST refers to the formation of EUROMENE as COST Action 15111 or CA15111.

The official start date of the organization is 21 April 2016 and is funded until 20 April 2020 unless extension is approved.

Goals
The following objectives were listed on the memorandum for the implementation of the network:

"Research Coordination procedures  with   pilot   studies   in   selected   locations;   develop   a   geographical   mapping   of   ME/CFS epidemiology involving correlations with other mapped information biomarkers for ME/CFS capable to evaluation of various infections and immunological disorders as causal factors or comorbidities identification  of  relatively  homogenous  sets  of  patients,  who  can  be  studied  to  identify  pathogenesis mechanisms,  biomarkers  and  disease  process  in  a  stratified  way,  as  well  as  to  be  compared  with  other researched populations the disease (SMEs), in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and ICT industries in each participating country to develop collaborative research and innovation proposals"
 * Develop strategies to collect population-based data on the prevalence of ME/CFS, including standardized
 * Promote co-operation  and  involvement  of  research  groups  with  an  objective  to  assess  potential
 * Define a  standardized  clinical  diagnosis  for  ME/CFS  for  clinicians  and  researchers  that  allows  the
 * Coordinate efforts to determine the social impact of ME/CFS and to appraise the economic damage from
 * Establish communication  links  with  industrial  organisations,  especially  small/medium-sized  enterprise

"Capacity Building and special translational research skills; Demonstrate ME/CFS as a promising field for carrier development in science ME/CFS, -omics and bioinformatics, translational research in ME/CFS by involving relevant stakeholders, interested researchers, ECIs and clinicians, and organizing working groups, seminars, training schools, and Short-Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) involvement"
 * Integrate Early Career Investigators (ECI) into network activities, providing optimal diffusion of knowledge
 * Foster knowledge exchange on use of synchronised diagnostic criteria and management of research in
 * Provide update  in  novel  ME/CFS  knowledge  via  short  training  events  with  an  efficient  participant

Management Committee
The following are listed as being participants of the COST Action CA15111/EUROMENE :
 * Chair - Professor Modra Murovska, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
 * Vice Chair - Dr. Eliana Lacerda, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
 * Working Group Leaders:
 * Dr. Jesus Castro-Marrero, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Spain;
 * Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen, Charite, Germany;
 * Professor Derek Pheby, Buckinghamshire New University, United Kingdom;
 * Dr. Elin B. Strand, Oslo University Hospital HF CFS/ME Centre, Norway;
 * Professor Evelina Shikova-Lekova, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Bulgaria;
 * Dr Lorenzo Lorusso, A.O. Mellino Mellini, Italy


 * Members:
 * Professor Mira Meeus, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium;
 * Dr. Els Tobback, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium;
 * Professor Evelina Shikova-Lekova, National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Bulgaria;
 * Dr. Henrik Nielsen, PrivatHospitalet Danmark, Denmark;
 * Professor Ivan Brandslund, Vejle, Denmark;
 * Dr Olli Polo, Unesta Research Center, Tampere, Finland;
 * Professor Jerome Authier, Paris Est-Creteil University, France;
 * Professor Jean-Dominique de Korwin, Lorraine University and Nancy University Hospital, France;
 * Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen, Charite, Germany;
 * Professor Thomas Harrer, Universitatsklinikum Erlangen, Germany;
 * Dr John Cullinan, NUI Galway Discipline of Economics, Ireland;
 * Dr Lorenzo Lorusso, A.O. Mellino Mellini, Italy;
 * Professor Enrica Capelli, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy;
 * Dr. Uldis Berkis, Riga Stradins University, Latvia;
 * Dr Ruud Vermeulen, CVS/ME Medisch Centrum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
 * Professor Anne Marit Mengshoel, University of Oslo, Norway;
 * Dr. Elin B. Strand, Oslo University Hospital HF CFS/ME Centre, Norway;
 * Dr Nuno Sepulveda, Centre of Statistics and Application of University of Lisbon, Portugal;
 * Dr. Magdalena Budisteanu, "Prof. Dr. Alex. Obregia" Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Romania;
 * Dr. Carmen Adella Sirbu, Central Military Emergency Hospital, Romania;
 * Dr. Slobodan Sekulic, Medical Faculty Novi Sad, Serbia;
 * Dr. Jesus Castro-Marrero, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Spain;
 * Dr. Jose Alegre-Martin, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain;
 * Professor Jonas Blomberg, Uppsala University, Sweden;
 * Professor Jonas Bergquist, Uppsala University, Sweden;
 * Dr. Eliana Lacerda, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK;
 * Professor Derek Pheby, Buckinghamshire New University, United Kingdom;


 * Member Substitutes:
 * Dr Bhupesh Prusty, Julius Maximilian University of Wuerzburg, Germany;
 * Dr Patricia Grabowski, Charite-Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany;
 * Ms Helma Freitag, Charite-Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany;
 * Professor Angelika Krumina, Riga Stradins University, Latvia;
 * Ms Santa Rasa, Riga Stradins University, Latvia;
 * Ms Zaiga Nora-Krukle, Riga Stradins University, Latvia;
 * Dr. Ingrid Bergliot Helland, Oslo University Hospital, Norway;
 * Dr Maja Vukadinovic, Novi Sad Business School, Serbia
 * Professor Jordi Miro, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain;
 * Dr Julià Blanco, Fundacio Institut Germans trias i Pujol, Spain;
 * Professor Jonathan Edwards, University College London, UK;
 * Dr. Luis Nacul, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Online presence

 * EUROMENE Website

Learn More

 * 2017 - The European ME/CFS Biomarker Landscape project: an initiative of the European network EUROMENE
 * Memorandum of  Understanding  for  the  implementation  of  the  COST  Action “European  Network  on  Myalgic  Encephalomyelitis/Chronic  Fatigue  Syndrome” (EUROMENE) CA15111