Overview

• The peer‑reviewed study in the Journal of Translational Medicine used Oxford BioDynamics’ EpiSwitch platform to detect epigenetic 3D DNA‑folding markers in blood.
• Researchers tested samples from 47 people with severe ME/CFS and 61 healthy controls, reporting 92% sensitivity and 98% specificity.
• Critiques highlight small size and potential confounders, including unmatched age/sex, cases from one biobank versus many controls from the company’s biobank, and severe house‑bound cases compared with healthy active controls.
• Oxford BioDynamics funded and co‑authored the work, and commentators estimate a potential price of about £1,000 if a test reaches clinical use.
• The authors say the markers implicate immune and inflammatory pathways and could guide patient stratification and inform long COVID research if findings are replicated.