Invest in ME -International ME/CFS Conference 2008 Agenda

*Start Time*	*Activity/Presentation*	*Speaker*
from 08:00	*Registration*
08:55	Welcome	Kathleen McCall (Chairman of IiME)
09:00	Introduction to the IiME Conference	Professor Malcolm Hooper
09:15	Case Definitions of ME/CFS – including paediatric case definition	Dr. Leonard Jason
10:15	Gene Expression in ME/CFS: a means of Subtyping	Dr. Jonathan Kerr
10:45	*Coffee/Tea Break*
11:05	Diagnosis and Treatment of ME/CFS - Longitudinal Observations of Cardiac and Antiviral studies	Dr. Martin Lerner
12:05	Autonomic Dysfunction: Identification of aetiologically distinct subject groups within ME/CFS	Dr. Julia Newton
12:35	*Lunch*
13:35	Research on the Role of Chronic Enterovirus Infection in CFS/ME	Dr John Chia
14:35	A GP’s Experiences of Diagnosis and Treatments of ME/CFS	Dr. Irving Spurr
15:10	*Coffee/Tea Break*
15:30	Case Studies of Diagnosis and Treatments for ME/CFS	Dr Jean Monro
16:00	How Sub Grouping will affect research strategies	Dr. Judy Mikovits
16:50	Plenary Session	Professor Malcolm Hooper
17:30	*Adjourn*

Invest in ME are pleased to announce the following presenters at the conference -

Dr. Leonard Jason	Dr. Jason has been among the most prolific of all ME/CFS researchers. For more than a decade, Dr. Jason and his team at DePaul University’s Centre for Community Research in Chicago have worked to define the scope and impact of ME/CFS worldwide. Dr Jason is Vice President of the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (now the IACFS/ME) and has been a key driver of CFS research since 1991, and is uniquely positioned to support collaboration between CFS researchers, patients, and government decision makers. His studies have shown that the direct and indirect costs of ME/CFS amount to $20 billion in the U.S. each year, and more than 1 million people suffer from ME/CFS as opposed to the estimated 20,000 people originally reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Dr. John Chia	Dr Chia is an infectious disease specialist practicing in Torrance, California, USA and has published research recently (Chronic fatigue syndrome associated with chronic enterovirus infection of the stomach) on the role of enteroviruses in the aetiolgy of ME/CFS – an area which has been implicated as one of the causes by a number of studies. There are more than 70 different types of enteroviruses that can affect the central nervous system, heart and muscles, all of which is consistent with the symptoms of ME/CFS. By analyzing samples of stomach tissue from 165 patients with CFS, Dr. Chia's team discovered that 82% of these individuals had high levels of enteroviruses in their digestive systems. Dr Chia's research may result in the development of antiviral drugs to treat the debilitating symptoms of ME/CFS.
Dr. Martin Lerner	Dr Lerner is an Infectious Disease Specialist in Michigan, USA. Dr Lerner holds five Patents for Diagnosis and Treatment of CFS. Dr Lerner also heads the Lerner CFS Foundation which hopes to establish a molecular biology laboratory to develop specific diagnostic testing for subsets of the (ME/CFS) and a training centre dedicated to the training of medical professionals in the treatment of those suffering from ME/CFS
Professor Malcolm Hooper	Emeritus Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Sunderland. Professor Hooper is an internationally-renowned expert on ME/CFS and a tireless campaigner for patients' rights.
Dr. Julia Newton	Dr Newton is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University. Dr Newton has been working on autonomic dysfunction in ME/CFS patients and will be presenting results of her continuing research
Dr. Irving Spurr	Dr Spurr is a GP and brings enormous experience of ME/CFS to the conference. Dr Spurr worked with Dr John Richardson on enteroviruses and their implication in ME and is chairman of the John Richardson Group
Dr. Jonathan Kerr	Sir Joseph Hotung Senior Lecturer in Inflammation, St George's University of London. Dr. Kerr is now the principal investigator in a programme of research in ME/CFS. This involves development of a diagnostic test using mass spectrometry, analysis of human and viral gene expression in the white blood cells, and clinical trials of immunomodulatory drugs. He has recently published research identifying distinct subtypes in patients with ME/CFS.
Dr. Judy Mikovits	Dr. Mikovits obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from George Washington University. She is Research Director at the Whittemore Peterson Nevada CFS centre for Neuro-Immune disorders and has co-authored over 40 peer reviewed publications that address fundamental issues of viral pathogenesis, hematopoiesis and cytokine biology.
Dr. Jean Monro	Dr Jean Monro is the Medical Director of the Breakspear Hospital and is an internationally recognised specialist in environmental medicine. Dr Monro is a Fellow of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, a Board Certified US examination. Dr Monro was Medical Advisor to Sanity and Medical Advisor to the Coeliac Association. In early 2007, Dr Monro was asked to be a witness for the House of Lords' Select Committee on Science and Technology on allergy treatments.