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Biological evidence and mechanism-based disease classification for the improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of ME/CFS (DISCOVER-ME)

Objective

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating multisystem disease affecting up to 1% of the population. It is defined by post-exertional malaise, persistent fatigue, cognitive and neurological symptoms, and autonomic, endocrine, and immune dysfunction. Clinical heterogeneity and the absence of specific diagnostic tests lead to long delays in diagnosis, lack of effective therapies, and a socioeconomic burden exceeding €40 billion annually in Europe.
DISCOVER-ME will deliver the first clinically actionable, biologically validated stratification framework for ME/CFS. Through harmonised clinical phenotyping of 2,000 patients and multi-omics profiling of >900 samples from five European biobanks, the project will identify, validate, and prioritise biomarkers across (epi)genetic, immune, metabolic, neuroendocrine, and vascular domains. This large-scale, reproducible approach overcomes decades of fragmented, underpowered studies that have stalled progress.
Three innovations set DISCOVER-ME apart: (i) a robust biomarker discovery and validation pipeline; (ii) the first systems-level taxonomy of ME/CFS grounded in mechanistic disease drivers and supported by AI-assisted stratification; and (iii) open-access disease maps and digital twin models that combine biological mechanisms with social and economic determinants of health, enabling in silico testing of therapeutic hypotheses. These outputs will underpin biomarker-guided clinical trials and precision drug repurposing.
Patient involvement is embedded throughout—from co-design of phenotyping tools to surveys, stratification frameworks, and policy recommendations—ensuring that lived experience informs all biomedical and computational outputs. By integrating patient, clinical, and biological perspectives, DISCOVER-ME will deliver evidence and tools directly relevant to patients, clinicians, and health systems.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01

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Coordinator

MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 641 151,25
Address
SPITALGASSE 23
1090 Wien
Austria

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Region
Ostösterreich Wien Wien
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 641 151,25

Participants (20)

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