Patricia Donnellan, MPH
Patricia Donnellan is a researcher who simply sees patterns that other people miss. For twenty-eight years, she was trapped inside a body that didn't work, her life energy completely locked away by a severe chronic illness that mainstream medicine dismissed. Out of pure necessity, she turned her personal health battle into a cutting-edge clinical laboratory. By connecting the biological dots that the medical establishment overlooked, she did what traditional systems couldn't: she unlocked her energy and fully cured her own chronic fatigue.
This breakthrough led to a vital genetic discovery. She identified how the rs5522 genetic variant drives a systemic "cortisol steal," trapping patients in a state of chronic, full-body inflammation and fluid retention.
Today, she directs The Donnellan Institute to bring this open-source science straight to the families and independent clinicians who need it most. Patricia leads this work with a deep commitment to love, empathy, and human connection as transformative forces. A fierce advocate for progressive democracy, she believes we must build healthcare and social structures that actually care for people, rather than extracting profit for a select corporate few.
Research
Spironolactone for ME/CFS in a Patient Homozygous for rs5522 (I180V): A Case Report
https://zenodo.org/records/20017632
This case report documents the successful, long-term reversal of 28-year treatment-resistant ME/CFS, offering a detailed, clinical roadmap for overcoming this condition. It presents a comprehensive, evidence-based argument that chronic inflammation is the core mechanism driving nearly all modern chronic illnesses.
Comparison of transcriptional activation by corticosteroids of human MR (Ile-180) and haplotype (Val-180)
Yoshinao Katsu, Jiawen Zhang, Ya Ao, Patricia Donnellan, Michael E. Baker
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006291X26004535?dgcid=coauthor
The Biochemical Baseline: Proving the Receptor Mechanism
Published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (BBRC), this foundational study establishes the biophysical reality of the rs5522 mineralocorticoid receptor variant. By mapping the receptor’s intense binding affinity, this paper provides the definitive laboratory proof backing the "cortisol steal"—demonstrating exactly how an overactive MR receptor drives cellular-level capture of corticosteroids that directly ignites tissue inflammation and systemic dysregulation.
It's Fluid! Not Fat. Obesity Explained
https://zenodo.org/records/19513840
This groundbreaking framework challenges the conventional, multi-billion-dollar calorie narrative by redefining obesity at its root. Instead of treating weight management as a simple struggle against fat accumulation, this research proves that the core issue is often chronic, tissue-level fluid retention driven by upstream mineralocorticoid receptor overdrive and capillary leaks. By treating the underlying cellular inflammation rather than counting calories, this article exposes why mainstream treatments fail and offers a roadmap to successful weight management.