National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED)

Griffith University, Queensland

The NCNED is a world-class research facility focusing on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), long COVID, and Gulf War Illness (GWI). Our research is dedicated to the identification of the pathology, development of a screen/diagnostic test, and pharmacological treatments for ME/CFS, long COVID, and GWI patients. Our aim is to translate research to improve patients' outcomes in the area of preventative medicine, social and clinical care, and public health.

Website

https://www.griffith.edu.au/research/health/national-centre-neuroimmunology-emerging-diseases

Organisation type

• University Research Centre

Number of research staff

Up to 20 research staff

Address

Level 9, G40 Ian O’Connor Building, Griffith University, Gold Coast campus, Southport QLD 4222

Strengths and capabilities

• Complex chronic diseases (ME/CFS, long COVID, and GWI research)
• Ion channel
• Patch-clamp Electrophysiology
• Immunology
• Transcriptomics
• Epidemiology
• Quality of life and health economics
• Therapeutic development
• Screening/diagnostic test
• Clinical Trial
• MRI/Neuroimaging
• Disability and NDIS
• Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

Facilities and major equipment

• Physical containment class 2 (PC2) laboratory;
• Electrophysiology laboratory;
• Flow cytometry equipment;
• Cell culture laboratory;
• NCNED Biobank for ME/CFS, long COVID, and GWI
• High performance Computing (HPC) systems
• EVIDENT: Spin SR Microscope w/ Fura2 illumination

Lead researchers

• Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik - Identified transient receptor potential ion channel dysfunction in ME/CFS, long COVID, and GWI patients
• Associate Professor Leighton Barnden - 25 years experience in Nuclear Medicine and has reported on abnormal brain MRI findings in ME/CFS and long COVID
• Dr Kiran Thapaliya - Studies brain dysfunction using MRI to identify biomarkers for ME/CFS and long COVID
• Dr Natalie Eaton-Fitch - studies immunology in natural killer (NK) cells and transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel dysfunction in the pathophysiology of ME/CFS, long COVID, and GWI.

Achievements of the centre

• Illness presentation and quality of life in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and post COVID-19 condition: a pilot Australian cross-sectional study.
• Investigation into the restoration of TRPM3 ion channel activity in post-COVID-19 condition: a potential pharmacotherapeutic target
• Impaired TRPM3-dependent calcium influx and restoration using Naltrexone in natural killer cells of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients
• Novel characterization of endogenous transient receptor potential melastatin 3 ion channels from Gulf War Illness participants
• Imbalanced Brain Neurochemicals in long COVID and ME/CFS: A Preliminary Study using MRI

Key science sectors

More information about the sectors this centre is involved in:

• Health and medical