How Lyme bacteria interact with the brain's spinal-fluid barrier (choroid plexus)
Official title: B. burgdorferi interactions with the blood-CSF barrier: Development of a 3D choroid plexus organoid
Funded at University of North Dakota · NIH-11232285 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a lab-grown 3D model of the brain's choroid plexus to see how Lyme bacteria might damage the spinal-fluid barrier in people with neurological Lyme symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Dakota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Grand Forks, United States) |
| Project start | November 15, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $70,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R03AI187066-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11232285 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients now, but people with Lyme disease and ongoing neurologic symptoms could be candidates for future related studies or for donating samples.
✕Less likely to help
Because this is a lab-based project, it will not provide direct treatment or immediate clinical benefit to patients.
What this research studies
Researchers will create a 3D "mini-organ" of the choroid plexus from human cells to mimic the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier. They will expose this organoid to Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, and monitor barrier integrity, inflammatory signals, and bacterial interactions. The team will use gene expression, protein markers of tight junctions, and imaging to detect damage or bacterial entry. Results will be compared with prior mouse data to better reflect human-specific responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could clarify how Lyme bacteria enter or damage the brain and point to ways to prevent or treat neurological symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cell and mouse studies have shown B. burgdorferi can trigger inflammation and alter choroid plexus barrier genes, and the 3D organoid approach builds on that work while being relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brissette, Catherine Ayn — University of North Dakota
- Study coordinator: Brissette, Catherine Ayn
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.