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Whittemore Peterson Institute

Whittemore Peterson Institute
AbbreviationWPI
Founded2005; 20 years ago (2005)
FounderAnnette Whittemore, Harvey Whittemore, and Daniel Peterson
TypeCharitable foundation and research institute
20-5904991[1]
Legal status501(c)(3)[1]
PurposeResearch and treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, atypical multiple sclerosis, and autism
Location
Coordinates39°32′45″N 119°49′10″W / 39.545873°N 119.819565°W / 39.545873; -119.819565
Annette Whittmore
Research director
Vincent Lombardi
SubsidiariesWP Biotechnologies[2]
Revenue$562,771[2] (2018)
Expenses$495,744[2] (2018)
Employees6[2] (2018)
Volunteers15[2] (2018)
Websitewww.wpi.ngo

Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit[3] medical research institute dedicated to scientific discovery surrounding complex neuroimmune diseases including chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other similarly presenting illnesses.[4] Founded in 2005, it is currently located within the Center for Molecular Medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno. It was founded in 2005.[5]

Whittemore Peterson Institute is a research institute and charitable foundation[6] known for its claims[7] that the retrovirus xenotropic murine leukemia virus–related virus (XMRV) is associated with and may cause CFS and a variety of additional diseases. A report by WPI scientists of an association between CFS and XMRV[8][9][10] was forcibly retracted by the journal Science[11] when the results could not be replicated,[12][13][14][15] and it was discovered that XMRV was a laboratory-created recombinant of two mouse viruses.[7][16][17][18] Amid allegations of sloppiness and scientific misconduct,[19] WPI personnel criticised the methods and motives of other scientists, implying that the negative results were part of a "cover-up" or a "bias against this disease (CFS)".[20][21]

WPI was created by the parents of a CFS patient, Annette and Harvey Whittemore,[22] and by Daniel Peterson, an early researcher of the illness.[23] Peterson left WPI in 2010 due to concerns related to the XMRV research.[20] The institute is affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno.[24] Judy Mikovits joined as research director in 2006,[22] but was terminated by WPI in October 2011 for not turning her work over to another scientist[25] while also coming under investigation for alleged manipulation of data in her publications related to XMRV.[26] WPI moved to the newly constructed Center for Molecular Medicine in August 2010.[27]

  1. ^ a b "Whittemore Peterson Institute". Tax Exempt Organization Search Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt Income Tax". Whittemore Peterson Institute. Internal Revenue Service. December 31, 2018.
  3. ^ "Whittemore Peterson Institute - GuideStar Profile".
  4. ^ "About Us". Whittemore Peterson Institute.
  5. ^ "Summer 2008 | Nevada Silver & Blue". 15 July 2008.
  6. ^ "Whittemore Peterson Institute Forneuro Immune Diseases". Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  7. ^ a b Tsouderos, Trine (6 May 2011). "New study on potential link between XMRV and chronic fatigue syndrome finds, again, nothing". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Science100115 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference RGJ20100113 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Lombardi VC, Ruscetti FW, Das Gupta J, et al. (October 2009). "Detection of an infectious retrovirus, XMRV, in blood cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome". Science. 326 (5952): 585–9. Bibcode:2009Sci...326..585L. doi:10.1126/science.1179052. PMC 3073172. PMID 19815723. (Retracted, see doi:10.1126/science.334.6063.1636-a, PMID 22194552,  Retraction Watch)
  11. ^ Alberts, B (2011). "Retraction". Science. 334 (6063): 1636. Bibcode:2011Sci...334.1636A. doi:10.1126/science.334.6063.1636-a. PMID 22194552.
  12. ^ Menéndez-Arias L (January 2011). "Evidence and controversies on the role of XMRV in prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome". Rev. Med. Virol. 21 (1): 3–17. doi:10.1002/rmv.673. PMID 21294212. S2CID 45289501.
  13. ^ Weiss, Robin A (2010). "A cautionary tale of virus and disease". BMC Biology. 8: 124. doi:10.1186/1741-7007-8-124. PMC 2946284. PMID 20920148.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Economist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Guardian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Delviks-Frankenberry, K; Cingöz, O; Coffin, JM; Pathak, VK (2012). "Recombinant origin, contamination, and de-discovery of XMRV". Current Opinion in Virology. 2 (4): 499–507. doi:10.1016/j.coviro.2012.06.009. PMC 3426297. PMID 22818188.
  17. ^ Smith RA (December 2010). "Contamination of clinical specimens with MLV-encoding nucleic acids: implications for XMRV and other candidate human retroviruses" (PDF). Retrovirology. 7 (1): 112. doi:10.1186/1742-4690-7-112. PMC 3022688. PMID 21171980.
  18. ^ Cohen, J. (2011). "More Negative Data for Link Between Mouse Virus and Human Disease". Science. 331 (6022): 1253–1254. Bibcode:2011Sci...331.1253C. doi:10.1126/science.331.6022.1253. PMID 21393520.
  19. ^ Tsouderos, Trine (2011-11-22). "Covering the stunning fall of Judy Mikovits, researcher of XMRV and chronic fatigue". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing, Inc. Retrieved 2013-06-02.
  20. ^ a b Callaway, Ewen (14 March 2011). "Virology: Fighting for a cause". Nature. 471 (7338): 282–85. Bibcode:2011Natur.471..282C. doi:10.1038/471282a. PMID 21412308.
  21. ^ Tsouderos, Trine (17 March 2011). "Research casts doubt on theory of cause of chronic fatigue". Chicago Tribune.
  22. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NYT11102009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ Hamilton, Jon (8 October 2009). "Virus Linked To Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". NPR. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT12102009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ "Scientist Who Led XMRV Research Team Let Go". Wall Street Journal. October 3, 2011.
  26. ^ "Manipulation alleged in paper linking virus, chronic fatigue syndrome". Chicago Tribune. October 3, 2011.
  27. ^ Powers, Lenita (17 August 2010). "New UNR center to aid in fight against numerous afflictions". Reno Gazette. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
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