Interview with Ian Lipkin

Early this month, a research team from Columbia University's Center for Infection and Immunity (CII) published a paper called “Heightened innate immunity may trigger chronic inflammation, fatigue and post- exertional malaise in ME/CFS,” in the journal npj Metabolic Health and Disease. The senior investigator, Dr. W. Ian Lipkin, is director of the center and a professor of epidemiology and neurology at Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health. The center temporarily lost its federal funding during the recent--but since-resolved--stand-off between the university and the Trump Administration. For the recent study, the investigators analyzed blood samples from 56 ME/CFS patients and 52 controls, both before and after exercise. According to Columbia’s news release, “In ME/CFS patients, they [the investigators] observed disruptions in interconnected pathological processes that are often observed in chronic inflammatory conditions, suggesting a state of metabolic dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and tissue damage, potentially triggering a systemic inflammatory response. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing therapeutic strategies targeting multiple aspects of the disease process.” I recently spoke with Dr. Lipkin about the study, his earlier work on what was then being called chronic fatigue syndrome, the role of chronic inflammation, ongoing research projects, and the prospects for effective treatments. (The connection on Dr. Lipkin’s side was not great, and at one point he moved to another location, which was somewhat better; thanks to Anil van der Zee for his editing skills.) The paper can be read here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4432...