Trailblazing Researcher Receives Inaugural ME/CFS Catalyst Award from Solve M.E.

New Catalyst Award funds high-impact research by Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, accelerating breakthroughs for millions.

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World ME Day (May 12) and its commitment to advancing urgently needed biomedical research, Solve M.E. is proud to announce the first recipient of its inaugural ME/CFS Catalyst Award: Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Iwasaki will receive targeted funding to accelerate her study, "Probing Functional Autoantibodies in Patients with ME/CFS."

Solve M.E. is a national nonprofit dedicated to making myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Long Covid, and associated conditions widely understood, diagnosable, and treatable. Solve invests in translational research essential to turning biological discoveries into real-world therapies. The ME/CFS Catalyst Awards are a focused initiative to ensure that promising research doesn't lose momentum—especially in the face of unpredictable federal funding cycles. These awards provide strategic support to help studies reach key milestones such as publication, translation to clinical application, or advancement to the next phase of investigation. 

"We created the Catalyst Awards to meet a clear need: pushing breakthrough science forward now, not later," said Emily Taylor, President and CEO of Solve M.E. "Dr. Iwasaki is pursuing a bold, high-potential investigation, and we are honored to support her work. Our mission is driven by the patient community which has long deserved answers, action, and hope. I can't think of a better way to celebrate World ME Day than to demonstrate our commitment to finding treatments and cures for the millions who suffer from this devastating and underfunded disease."

Awardee: Dr. Akiko Iwasaki (Yale School of Medicine)

Dr. Iwasaki's study, "Probing Functional Autoantibodies in Patients with ME/CFS," investigates the role of autoantibodies—immune molecules that mistakenly attack the body's own tissues—in the long-term neurological symptoms seen in ME/CFS and Long Covid. Using innovative technologies, including a system called HuProt that screens all human proteins, her team will identify whether specific autoantibodies contribute to symptoms like fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and motor issues. The study is directly informed by the real-life neurological symptoms and struggles of people living with ME/CFS.

"This funding will allow us to deepen our search for biological clues that could finally lead to diagnostic tools and personalized treatments," said Dr. Iwasaki. "We're incredibly grateful to Solve M.E. and its donors for making this work possible—and for recognizing how essential patient-driven science is."

Through its Ramsay Research Grant Program, the organization has supported nearly 100 early-career investigators with over $1.4 million in seed funding—yielding a 34x return on investment in follow-on grants and external funding. Now, with its Catalyst Award program, Solve is helping existing studies reach completion faster.

The inaugural Catalyst Awards, totaling over $100,000, reflect Solve M.E.'s continued dedication to accelerating scientific breakthroughs, bridging research between ME/CFS and Long Covid, and delivering hope and impact to millions worldwide.

Learn more about the Catalyst Awards here.

Solve will host Dr. Iwasaki for a free webinar about her Catalyst Award-winning study on Thursday, July 31^st at 3 pm PT / 6 pm ET. Register here.

About Solve M.E.:
The Solve ME/CFS Initiative (Solve M.E.) is a non-profit organization that serves as a catalyst for critical research into diagnostics, treatments, and cures for ME/CFS, Long Covid, and other infection-associated chronic conditions and illnesses (IACCIs). Our work with the scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical communities, advocacy with government agencies, and alliances with patient groups around the world are laying the foundation for breakthroughs that can improve the lives of millions who suffer from various "long haul" diseases. For more information, visit SolveME.org.

Media Contact:     

Karman Kregloe
[email protected]
SolveME.org

SOURCE Solve M.E.