Current SA Research

Participate in surveys

Find a list of open surveys that are relevant to ME/CFS, related conditions, health care or disability.

SAHMRI Biomarkers for ME/CFS

Study 2: 'Good Day/Bad Day' Study

This research is a multidisciplinary approach to investigate ME/CFS which aims to take some blood, urine and faecal samples from 60 people (including 20 healthy controls), during two phases of illness. This includes when the person is experiencing a period of feeling unwell, and when their symptoms are reduced.

There will also be a series of questionnaires that gather health and personal information about you, so that we can match information about you with your samples and ME/CFS symptoms.

The research team intend to examine the components in your blood (biomarkers) that may inform them about the differences between what is often called an ME/CFS crash (where the person feels very unwell) and then they will re-examine blood and urine biomarkers when the same person is feeling considerably better.

Biomarkers include ‘cytokines’ that may inform about inflammation and how your body is responding to your current period of illness. By matching a period when you feel sick and a period of when you are well, the researchers may see some differences.

Difficulty with sleep is often experienced by those diagnosed with ME/CFS, so participants in the study will undergo sleep monitoring for a night (or a 12-hour period to match your usual sleeping pattern). A sleep monitor will be supplied, which will measure your bodily activity overnight. They will then retrieve the sleep monitor the following day.

Lead researchers: Dr Michael Musker, Dr Martin Lewis

To participate, contact Dr Martin Lewis at martin.lewis@sahmri.com for further information.

Download the Participant Information & Consent Sheet from the SAHMRI page.

Study 1: Cytokines and clinical symptoms

Following a half day of clinical evaluation, participants were waited on hand and foot as blood samples were collected at 7 minute intervals over eight hours. Warmly known as the Vampire Study, the original plan was to look at Leptin and Interleukin-6. Samples from the resulting ME/CFS biobank have since been analysed for additional cytokines based on emerging research. It is anticipated that the biobank will later be used for genetic studies.

Study 1 is no longer recruiting and analysis of the collected samples is continuing.

Lead researchers: Dr Michael Musker, Dr Martin Lewis

Click on the image to enlarge.

Access to primary health care for people who are housebound - stage 1

This proposed four-stage study, Making the Invisible Visible, is designed to support digital health and social inclusion in Australia for people who are housebound. Stage 1 has been funded and the initial report has been made available. The research is occurring under the umbrella of the NHMRC's Centre for Research Excellence in Frailty and Healthy Aging at Flinders University.

Lead researcher: Dr Maria Alejandra Piñero De Plaza

Participate in interstate and overseas research

Find opportunities to participate in research interstate or overseas. Some involve sample collection in South Australia and others can be done purely online.

This does not include surveys. Access to surveys can be found at the top of this page.

If you have an interest in ME/CFS research, you may like to explore:

• South Australian research
• global research