Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research at Georgetown

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have worked for years to better understand myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a complex and often debilitating illness characterized by profound fatigue, post-exertional malaise, cognitive difficulties, sleep problems and other symptoms.

Research led by James Baraniuk, MD, professor of rheumatology in the Georgetown School of Medicine, has used brain imaging, exercise testing and molecular analysis to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying ME/CFS. By studying how the brain and body respond to exertion and comparing those responses with Gulf War Illness, a condition that shares many symptoms with ME/CFS, Georgetown researchers have identified measurable differences between the disorders and contributed to a growing understanding of their distinct biology.

This work is helping advance efforts to better recognize, diagnose and ultimately treat ME/CFS and other complex, multisymptom illnesses.

Posted: September 1, 2026