For Researchers
Some of these resources may be especially useful for students, trainees, and professionals at the beginning of their careers. They may also provide additional ideas for experienced scientists.
Journals:
1. Fatigue: Biomedicine, Health, and Behavior
Since 2013, IACFS/ME has published a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal through Taylor and Francis. About half of the articles are about ME/CFS or related disorders while the remainder concern fatigue in other medical conditions or situations (e.g. exercise, occupational, with aging). The journal cover all aspects of fatigue from pathophysiology to public health.
Join IACFS/ME and receive the journal as part of your membership!
2. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This journal focused on ME/CFS and was published from 1995-2007. Since the journal was not Pubmed-indexed, many important articles may be found only by browsing its archives.
3. PubMed and How to Use PubMed
"PubMed® comprises more than 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. Citations may include links to full-text content from PubMed Central and publisher web sites."
Scientific Leadership
1. Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty, Second Edition - Howard Hughes Medical Institute/ Burroughs Wellcome Fund
2. Collaboration and Team Science: From Theory to Practice
Funding Sources and Successful Grantwriting
This list includes governmental, nonprofit, and corporate sources. Although some sources may be located in one country - depending on the specific funder - grants may be made internationally. This not an exhaustive list.
1. US National Institutes of Health Trans-NIH ME/CFS Working Group
This Working Group comprises leadership and program officers from multiple NIH institutes. Visit this website often to find out the latest information, meetings, and grant announcements from NIH regarding ME/CFS. There is a listserv you can join to receive e-mail updates.
SMCI is a US-based patient advocacy organization that provides occasional seed funding for research and operates a patient registry.
OMF funds 5 collaborative research centers internationally and holds occasional research symposiums.
4. United Kingdom Medical Research Council
"The Medical Research Council (MRC) improves the health of people in the UK - and around the world - by supporting excellent science, and training the very best scientists."
5. Canadian Institutes of Health Research
"The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada's federal funding agency for health research."
6. American Association for the Advancement of Science: Where to Search for Funding
7. Inside Philanthropy: Science Funders
8. US Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program
Contrary to its funding source, CMDRP funds all types of medical research, not just those associated with the military. Any medical issues that could affect active/ reserve/ retired members of the military and their dependents are considered. For example, they have provided millions for ovarian cancer and autism research.
9. US Small Business Innovation Research Grants
Does or could your work have have the potential for commercialization? This federal program funds small businesses based in the US. The related Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs supports partnerships between nonprofit research organizations and small businesses.
10. Howard Hughes Medical Institute
One of the world's wealthiest medical foundations, HHMI's unique schema of "People, Not Projects" funds promising and well-established individual researchers. rather than specific projects. There are programs targeting graduate, undergraduate, and post-doctoral researchers as well as groups underrepresented in science and international researchers.
11. US NIH - How to Apply for Grants Guide
12. Secrets to writing a winning grant by Nature
13. US NIH Successful Grant Application Examples
One of the best ways to learn how to write a successful application is to review past successful grant applications. NIH provides several examples of real-life applications at this link. Also, ask your mentors and peers for their input and if they would be willing to share their grant applications with you.
14. US NIH Center for Scientific Review Early Career Reviewer Program
"The program aims to help early career scientists become more competitive as grant applicants through first-hand experience with peer review and to enrich and diversify CSR’s pool of trained reviewers."
Designing Studies
1. US National Institutes of Health Common Data Elements Project for ME/CFS
In 2017 the US NIH convened a group of international clinicians and scientists to agree on a set of surveys, tools, tests, and factors to consider when designing ME/CFS studies. Scientists can use this website to quickly and easily find valid/ reliable measures for ME/CFS. Using similar measures across studies also facilitates comparison of results and future data-sharing.
2. Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research (EQUATOR)
"The EQUATOR (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network is an international initiative that seeks to improve the reliability and value of published health research literature by promoting transparent and accurate reporting and wider use of robust reporting guidelines." Although EQUATOR guidelines are used by major scientific journals and organizations to judge scientific publications, they are also a good website to visit for factors to consider when designing studies.
"ClinicalTrials.gov is a database of privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world." This database is funded by the US government You can both search for ongoing trials as well as register your clinical trials here.
Communication and Science
1. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) User's Guide to the Medical Literature
This is a 25-article series about how to read a variety of article types written over a span of 16 years by evidence-based medicine leaders.
2. American Association for the Advancement of Science Communication Toolkit
Communicating with non-scientists (e.g. funders, politicians, mainstream media) is an important skill.
3. How to Create a Research Poster from New York University
4. Designing effective scientific presentations (i.e. Powerpoint slides) by Dr. Susan K. McConnell (Stanford)
5. Creating a 10-15 Minute Scientific Presentation
6. Communication for Scientists by Nature Publishing Group
An excellent guide with chapters about publishing papers, speaking at meetings, teaching in the classroom, and interacting at conferences.
7. How to Prepare a Manuscript for International Journals - by Dr. Angel Borja, an editor who works with Elsevier
Another way to learn how to write a superb, publishable scientific paper is to read a lot of scientific papers. You can also volunteer to be a peer reviewer for journals and learn about the publication process from the other side.
Networking and Collaboration
1. How to get the most out of attending conferences
2. Scientists gotta network too! The untaught skill that’s crucial for your career
Scientists/ Visitors: Help us improve this page! Is there a resource we have not listed that you find useful? Send us an e-mail at iacfsmeorg@gmail.com or via our Contact Us form. We will consider adding it to this page.