Invest in ME Research
Invest in ME Research
(IiMER) is an independent UK charity facilitating and funding an international strategy of high-quality biomedical research into
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME, sometimes referred to as ME/CFS), and promoting better education and information about ME
in order to raise awareness of the effects of the disease on patients and families and overcome ignorance amd misinformation about the disease.
The charity is working to sustain and augment a UK/European Centre of Excellence for translational biomedical research into ME
that will facilitate progress in treating this disease.
We prioritise education of healthcare professionals, policymakers, media, and the public.
Invest in ME Research is entirely volunteer-run, led by patients and parents. We have no salaried staff, ensuring that every donation directly supports biomedical research and advocacy.
Research, Education, Advocacy
Our research strategy and the research funded by the charity. IIMER is facilitating and funding a strategy of biomedical research into ME. The charity is currently funding important research projects for ME in the UK and Europe. The main hub of research is in the Norwich Research Park with the Quadram Institute and University of East Anglia. The charity is also supporting the development of fundamental research into ME in Europe by supporting collaborative projects and discussions.
Read MoreOur proposal for a UK Centre of Excellence for ME. Translational biomedical research - an iterative feedback of information between the basic and clinical research domains in order to accelerate knowledge translation from lab to bedside and back to lab again - allows translation of findings in basic research more quickly and efficiently into medical practice to produce more meaningful health outcomes and facilitate the sharing of repositories and research-based facilities and laboratories. This is the model that we are supporting for a Centre of Excellence for ME in Norwich Research Park.
Read MoreA founder member of the European ME Alliance (EMEA) – a grouping of charities and patient organisations working together across Europe. The charity also initiated the European ME Research Group (EMERG), European ME Clinicians Council (EMECC) and Young EMERG for young/early career researchers in order to build collaborative research and clinical expertise in Europe.
Read MoreOur annual international research Colloquiums/Conferences attract researchers from around the world in order to discuss experiences and open up collaborations and discover answers for this disease. Despite limited resources the charity has facilitated new directions in research and enabled barriers to be broken down between different areas of science, bringing together biomedical research from different disciplines. By facilitating and initiating these links far quicker progress can be made in finding the cause of this disease.
Read MoreRaising awareness and advocating for the future of patients and their families has been part of the charity's work since it was formed.
Read MoreCurrent News

Euro Infrastructure Development
We need a foundation for sustainable research and must start this ourselves in absence of official support
Read MoreCurrent Research Highlights
The only clinical trial for ME in UK
- funded by IiMER
RESTORE-ME is the clinical trial being perfomed at the centre in Norwich Research Park by Quadram Institute.
A single site, randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled Phase IIb study
The first trial in ME to use objective outcome measures; physical activity and cognitive function assessments
ME - What it IS…
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME, sometimes referred to as ME/CFS) is an acquired and disabling, " serious, chronic, complex, and systemic disease associated with neurological, immunological, autonomic, and energy metabolism dysfunction ". It is classified as a neurological disorder by the World Health Organization (WHO) under ICD-11 Code: 8.E49 (previously ICD-10 G93.3).
Creating Solutions
Invest in ME Research has dedicated effort to build a strategy of answers to the major problems and we are attempting as best we can to effect the necessary change.
The most promising route to finding cause and treatment - establishing a foundation of biomedical research into ME.
Invest in ME Research has initiated and funded high-quality biomedical research at UEA and Quadram Institute, UCL - and
facilitated collaborations with other researchers and institutes in Europe by initiating
the European ME Research Group (EMERG) to create a network of ME researchers in Europe.
For clinical trials the patient cohorts being used need to be correctly categorised which in turn
requires consultants to correctly diagnose ME.
Our aim is to have specialised ME consultants performing a standardised and thorough set of examinations for people with ME.
We have worked with the Quadram Institute to create a Clinical
Fellowship programme for ME and initiated the European ME Clinicians Council (EMECC) to
create a network of ME researchers in Europe.
Education about ME is the foundation for future treatments. Medical students and the
government and media outlets need correct and up-to-date information and education about ME.
We have funded medical students to intercalate
in their fourth year of training into biomedical research projects that we are funding.
The charity initiated the European ME Clinicians Council (EMECC)
to bring together clinicians working with ME.
There has been comparatively little funding for biomedical research into ME and what has been
provided has mainly gone to flawed psychological therapies.
Invest in ME Research and supporters have raised well over £2 million in recent years for biomedical research and related
collaborative initiatives.
As of January 2025 the charity was funding the only clinical trial for ME in the UK and
has funded two fellowships and multiple PhDs for research into ME.
We hope to achieve more.
Invest in ME Research
Research Collaboration
Collaboration has been one of the central tenets of Invest in ME Research’s policy following our second international ME conference in 2007 in London.
As a founding member of the
European ME Alliance
we work with international colleagues
(advocates,
researchers, research organisations and physicians) to make rapid progress in finding the cause of ME and providing
treatments for all.
Funding applications will be considered from outside of the UK though we do
prefer to use collaborations with UK and European organisations and researchers.
Invest in ME Research also initiated and facilitated the formation of the European ME Research Group (EMERG) -
The European ME Research Group - a collaboration of researchers and institutes within Europe.
More details can be found at the EMERG website.
The charity has a preference for involving EMERG members in all research that we fund or support.
The charity also has facilitated and encouraged international collaborations and our annual research Colloquiums attract researchers from around the world. The charity also often funds the registration costs for researchers which is also part of funding of research.
Recent/Upcoming Events
Organised by Invest in ME Research
Advocacy Examples
The following documents are recent statements from the charity on major issues.
Debate January 2019
Some of the issues relating to the UK parliamentary debate on 24th January 2019 with also included a one page summary of recommendations
Status of ME 2018
A status of ME document produced by the charity for the parliamentary meeting in 2018 that led up to the 2019 parliamentary debate in UK
NICE Commentary
Comments on NICE guidelines reviews and previous correspondence between the charity and directors of NICE guidelines development
Last Update February 2025