As health systems head into 2026 with renewed emphasis on early diagnostics, a UK-based study is gaining traction in the precision medicine community. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Oxford BioDynamics have developed a potential diagnostic blood test for  myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a condition long lacking any definitive lab-based biomarker.

The team identified a distinctive epigenetic signature, 3D genomic folds that reliably distinguished ME/CFS patients from healthy controls. In the initial study involving 47 patients and 61 controls, the test demonstrated 92% sensitivity and 98% specificity, offering early proof-of-concept that the condition can be detected through objective biological markers. If further validated, this could mark the first diagnostic tool for ME/CFS that goes beyond subjective symptom reporting.

According to the University of East Anglia, the researchers analysed over 850,000 genomic sites and discovered consistent DNA folding patterns unique to ME/CFS. Lead researcher Prof Dmitry Pshezhetskiy from UEA’s Norwich Medical School noted that the test could also pave the way for diagnosing long Covid, which presents with overlapping symptoms.

Although published in late 2025, the findings are highly relevant now as researchers call for multi-centre validation trials in larger and more diverse populations. Questions remain around cost, scalability, and whether the test can differentiate ME/CFS from other complex fatigue-related illnesses. But as the NHS and UK research institutions intensify their focus on underserved and hard-to-diagnose conditions, the study is already helping shape 2026 priorities in bioinformatics, diagnostics, and patient equity.

With further research to confirm its accuracy and specificity, an epigenetic blood test could eventually transform ME/CFS care by enabling earlier diagnosis and legitimising this often misunderstood condition. An eventual diagnosis for ME/CFS could not only enable earlier and more accurate treatment but also validate the experiences of thousands of patients who face stigma due to the lack of diagnostic clarity.

This aligns closely with Med4Nexus themes around early diagnosis, immune-related chronic conditions, and the advancement of multi-omics in lab medicine.