How the Lyme disease bacteria uses a chemical messenger to cause disease
Official title: Impact of the Borrelia burgdorferi adenylate cyclase cyaB at the host-pathogen interface
Funded at Kansas State University · NIH-11336283 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how the Lyme disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) uses a chemical signal to thrive inside people, which could lead to new ways to prevent or treat infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kansas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhattan, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $227,064 |
| NIH project number | 2P20GM130448-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336283 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals at risk of Lyme disease or with early Lyme symptoms who may benefit from future therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by Lyme disease or those not engaged in related clinical development may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Lyme disease can cause years of pain and fatigue, and there is no human vaccine yet. This grant focuses on a bacterial enzyme called cyaB that makes a signaling molecule (cAMP) and helps the bacteria adapt to the human host. By looking at what happens downstream of cyaB in both the bacteria and human cells, researchers hope to map the signals that drive infection and virulence. The work involves studying bacterial and human cell interactions to identify potential targets for therapies or vaccines. The goal is to illuminate how cAMP signaling contributes to Lyme disease, with the aim of reducing illness in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new targets for vaccines or treatments to prevent or lessen Lyme disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows cyaB influences virulence, supporting potential for impactful follow-on therapies, though exact downstream targets remain to be fully defined.
Where this research is happening
-
Kansas State University
Manhattan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ante, Vanessa M — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Ante, Vanessa M
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.