Frequently Asked Questions
“Discovery starts wherever someone decides to ask why” – Discover-ME
For People with ME and Carers
Answers to some questions from people living with ME/CFS and/or their carers about the DISCOVER-ME project, what it is researching, and what it could mean for diagnosis and care in future.
DISCOVER-ME is a Horizon Europe funded project bringing together biomedical researchers, clinicians and patient-focused organisations from more than 20 institutions across Europe and Canada, working to improve understanding of ME/CFS.
ME/CFS currently has no validated biological test for diagnosis, and no treatment that targets the underlying disease itself. DISCOVER-ME is investigating the biological mechanisms behind ME/CFS, across (epi)genetics, the immune system, metabolism, hormones, and blood vessel function, to identify measurable biological changes that could lead to a reliable diagnostic test and, over time, treatments that address the disease itself rather than only its symptoms.
To do this, the project will carry out detailed clinical assessments of around 2,000 people with ME/CFS, then analyse biological samples from over 900 of them across five biobanks in Europe. It is the first Horizon Europe-funded research project dedicated specifically to ME/CFS, bringing together 21 partner organisations across 12 countries over four years.
ME/CFS currently has no validated laboratory tests or biomarkers, and is diagnosed on clinical criteria alone, often after other conditions have been ruled out. By identifying measurable biological patterns and subtypes, DISCOVER-ME aims to lay the groundwork for earlier, confirmed diagnosis, and for treatment approaches tailored to a patient’s individual disease mechanisms rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
DISCOVER-ME is coordinated by the Medical University of Vienna, working with a wide consortium of European and international partners including Imperial College London, Uppsala University, the University of Galway, CNRS, and the Quadram Institute.
DISCOVER-ME is funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme, with an award of 7.5 million euros.
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