Introduction

Over two days, the meeting will bring together researchers, clinicians, innovators, patient-focused stakeholders, and young scientists working in the fields of ME/CFS, post-viral syndromes, Long COVID, and related biomedical research.

The program combines state-of-the-art scientific sessions on disease mechanisms, biomarkers, systems biology, metabolomics, biobanking, and emerging therapeutic approaches with presentations from major European collaborative initiatives, including DISCOVER-ME, VITAL-ME, and PREDICT-ME. Particular emphasis is placed on patient involvement and integration in research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the active participation of young and early-career researchers, who will present their work and engage with established experts from across Europe.

By fostering knowledge exchange, innovation, and the next generation of researchers, this event aims to accelerate progress towards improved understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of ME/CFS and related post-infectious conditions.

Speakers and moderators

• Eva Untersmayr. Medical University of Viena, Austria
• Simon Carding. Quadram Institute Bioscience, University of East Anglia, UK
• Elisa Oltra. Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain
• Rikke Olsen. Aarhus University, Denmark
• Jos A Bosch. University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Francisco Westermeier. FH JOANNEUM University, Austria
• Anna Niarakis. University of Toulouse, France
• Dezso Modos. Imperial College London, UK
• Jonas Bergquist. Uppsala University, Sweden
• Branislav Milovanovic. University of Belgrade, Serbia
• Vassilis Tsakanikas. University of Ioannina, Greece
• John Cullinan. University of Galway, Ireland
• Douglas D Fraser. Western University, Canadá
• Richard Simpson. IiME, UK
• Sandria Arias Montesinos. Universidad de Alicante, Spain
• Beatriz Llamusí Troísi. ARTHEx Biotech, Spain
• Representatives from the UKME Biobank (UKMEB), the Netherlands ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank (NMCB), FISABIO Biobanco IBSP-CV, ME/CFS Biobank Austria, and Iceland ME/CFS Biobank.
• Karen Giménez-Orenga. Medical University of Viena, Austria
• María Ljungström. Universidad Católica de Valencia, Spain
• Young EMERG (European ME/CFS Research Group) Members (see program details)

Course fees

Free registration

Program

Day 1. Wednesday, October 7, 2026

8:30-9:00. Welcome and Participant Registration

9:00-9:30. Official opening of the meeting by local authorities and UCV representatives

9:30-11:15. Building your scientific profile on LinkedIn. Sandria Arias Montesinos, co-creator of Naked Branding: Personal Branding on LinkedIn, Universidad de Alicante (UA), Spain.

11:15-11:30. Coffee break

11:30 -12:30. What does it take to move from a science discovery to a health solution? Beatriz Llamusí Troísi, CSO and Co-founder of ARTHEx Biotech, Spain.

12:30h -13:30. Biobanking workshop. Andrea Ahicart, Jacobo Martinez and Izaskun Garcia, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), Spain.

13:30-14:30. Lunch break

14:30h -15:30. Communicating science through a young researcher’s lens: the power of social media. Guillermo Bargues Navarro, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of the Valencian Community (FISABIO), Spain.

15:30-16:00. Coffee break

16:00-16:10. Integrated microarray-based profiling of coding genes and endogenous retroelements reveals HERV and MALR dysregulation in female long COVID patients. Jesús Ignacio López-Palau, Catholic University of Valencia, Spain.

16:10-16:20. In-vitro Investigation of the Effects of Low-Level-Laser Irradiation on Immune and Endothelial Cells as a Potential Future Treatment for Post-COVID Fatigue. Johanna Rohrhofer, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

16:20-16:30. Effect of ovarian hormones on long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis: an analysis ofprospectively collected digital health app data. Abigail Goodship, Imperial College London, UK.

16:30-16:40. Modelling ME/CFS with iPSCs: Opportunities and Limitations in Epigenetic Disorders. Morgan Gumiel, Catholic University of Valencia, Spain.

16:40-16:50. The Austrian National Reference Center for Post Viral Syndromes: A Strategic Core and Knowledge Hub. Mohammad Khalil, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

16:50-17:00. Care for ME/CFS: Autonomous AI-Driven Clustering of High-Dimensional Data. Matej Milicic, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

17:00-17:10. Evaluating the feasibility of at-home red light therapy in ME/CFS: a fullydecentralised pilot study with exploratory clinical outcomes. Katharine Seton, Quadram Institute Biosciences, UK.

17:10-17:20. Prevalence of fungal infections in ME/CFS and non-ME/CFS Norwegian population. Rosie Young, Quadram Institute Bioscience, UK.

17:20-17:30. Nutri-ME: a PhD proposal. Aline Zamoro Martinez, Wageningen University, Netherlands.

17:30-17:40. Neural and autonomic recovery after submaximal exertion in ME/CFS. A Study Protocol. Max Canet-Vintró, University of Florida, USA.

17:40-17:50. Indole Salvaging in the inflammatory gut microbial metabolism. Wiebke Lohden, Kiel University, Germany.

17:50. Closing of day 1

Note: DICOVER-ME sessions running on day 1 in the EU CONNEXUS room.

Day 2. Thursday, October 8, 2026

9:30h-10:00. Welcome and Participant Registration

10:00-10:45. HORIZON DISCOVER-ME KICK-OFF presentation: Biological evidence and mechanism-based disease classification for the improved diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of ME/CFS. Eva Untersmayr, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

10:45-11:30. VITAL-ME Marie Curie Doctoral Network Validation of Identified biomarkers through Translational Analytical and cLinical assessment for ME/CFS. Rikke Olsen, Aahurs University, Denmark.

11:30-12:00. Coffee break

12:00-13:00. PREDICT-ME Predictive biomarkers of ME/CFS progression and treatment response through clinically-grounded AI. Vassilis Tsakanikas.

13:00-14:00. Lunch break

14:00-14:10. AI-based approach to evaluate high-dimensional datasets for patient stratification in ME/CFS. Bibiana Aigner, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.

14:10-14:20. Network propagation based identification of potential pathogenetic pathways in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Mason Bunyan, Imperial College London, UK.

14:20-14:30. A Network-Based Gene Prioritization Framework to Address Molecular Heterogeneity in ME/CFS. Sveva Bonomi, Università Degli Studi dell’Insubria, Italy / Catholic University of Valencia, Spain.

14:30-14:40. Presenting VIRGIM-ME: Virus infections and reactivation and the gastrointestinal microbiome in ME/CFS. Rik Haagmans, Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands.

14:40-16:00. Speed dating DISCOVER-ME PIs and YE Members.

16:00-16:30. Presentation awards

16:30-17:00. Coffee break

17:00-17:45. Open Forum: Connecting Patients, Researchers, and the Community (PPI activities). Richard Simpson, Invest in ME, UK.

17:45. Official Meeting Closing.

Target audience

Researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals, patient representatives, biobank and data science specialists, industry partners, and young/early-career researchers interested in ME/CFS, Long COVID, post-viral syndromes, translational medicine, and patient-centered research.