How Lyme disease bacteria control infection
Regulatory Pathways in Borrelial Pathogenesis
This work looks at how the bacteria that cause Lyme disease change their genes when moving between ticks and people, to help find new ways to prevent or treat infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11140397 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, to understand how it switches genes on and off during transmission from ticks into mammals. They focus on a regulator called BosR that controls many infection-related genes and helps activate a gene cascade important for survival in mice and likely humans. Lab experiments test how BosR binds DNA and small non-coding RNAs, and mouse models are used to see which gene changes affect infection. This is mainly laboratory and animal research aimed at identifying targets for future vaccines or therapies rather than testing treatments in people right now.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had Lyme disease or who live in areas where Lyme is common and want to support research or be considered for future trials would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments for active Lyme disease are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused work in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for vaccines or drugs that prevent or shorten Lyme disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research established that BosR and the RpoS pathway are important for B. burgdorferi infectivity, but the RNA-binding role described here is novel and less tested.
Where this research is happening
College Station, United States
- Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr — College Station, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Skare, Jon T — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Skare, Jon T
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 below.