How the Lyme bacteria get into the brain and spinal cord
Official title: Mechanisms of central nervous system invasion by the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi
Funded at University of South Alabama · NIH-11316982 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will learn how the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi enters the brain and spinal fluid using mouse models to help people with neurologic Lyme disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Alabama NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mobile, United States) |
| Project start | April 8, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $192,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI190212-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11316982 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with a history of Lyme disease who have neurological symptoms (for example, meningitis, facial nerve palsy, neuropathy, or cognitive complaints) would be most relevant to the goals of this work and future clinical follow-ups.
✕Less likely to help
Those without neurologic involvement from Lyme disease or people seeking immediate treatment changes are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic animal research.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, this work uses laboratory mouse models that the team recently showed can harbor Lyme bacteria in the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid. Scientists will compare different mouse strains and examine immune cells, blood vessels, and inflammatory proteins to map how the bacteria cross into the central nervous system. The project aims to create a reproducible mouse model of neuroborreliosis and to identify host and bacterial pathways involved in invasion and early inflammation. Findings are intended to guide future efforts to prevent or treat neurologic complications of Lyme disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal targets to prevent or reduce nervous system infection and inflammation in people with Lyme disease.
How similar studies have gone: Recent mouse findings from this team and others have newly shown meninges and cerebrospinal fluid colonization, but translating these basic findings into human treatments has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Alabama
Mobile, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Casselli, Timothy — University of South Alabama
- Study coordinator: Casselli, Timothy
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding why some people have ongoing symptoms after Lyme disease
A long-term study follows people diagnosed with acute Lyme disease to see who develops persistent symptoms and why, with care from a team of Lyme experts.
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CSF Protein Map in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease
A short study to map proteins in spinal fluid of people who had Lyme disease and still feel sick after standard treatment, to understand what’s going on.
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Lyme disease vaccine research aimed at preventing infection
Researchers are developing a Lyme disease vaccine by studying how the immune system responds to Borrelia burgdorferi and testing vaccine approaches to prevent illness.
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Lyme disease brain health: tracking brain signals and blood clues after treatment
This study follows people with early Lyme disease and compares them to healthy volunteers to see how the brain and blood markers change over a year after starting antibiotics.
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Lyme disease symptoms lingering after treatment may be driven by special bacterial fragments
A human-friendly look at a study exploring why some Lyme patients keep symptoms after antibiotics and whether tiny fragments from the bacteria are to blame.
-
Understanding Lyme disease immune signals to predict recovery after antibiotics
A research project at MIT aims to find immune biomarkers that tell which Lyme patients will recover after standard antibiotics and who might have lasting symptoms.
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.