How the Lyme disease bacterium moves and navigates
Understanding Unique Aspects of Motility and Chemotaxis in Borrelia burgdorferi
['FUNDING_R01'] · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · NIH-11306555
This project explores how the Lyme disease bacterium moves and senses its surroundings to help prevent and treat infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (RICHMOND, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11306555 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Scientists want to learn how Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, moves through ticks and people and how it senses signals in its environment. They will combine genetic and biochemical experiments with high-resolution imaging like cryo-electron tomography and crystallography to identify and visualize the proteins that control the bacterium's unusual flagella. Laboratory work and animal models will be used to link specific movement mechanisms to invasion, spread, tissue targeting, and immune evasion. The aim is to turn basic discoveries about movement and sensing into ideas for stopping infection or limiting disease spread.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with confirmed Lyme disease or those frequently exposed to tick bites could be relevant for future studies or for donating samples tied to this research.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to Borrelia infection or with chronic symptoms not caused by Lyme bacteria are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal targets to block the bacterium's movement or sensing and lead to new ways to prevent or treat Lyme disease.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have identified unusual features of spirochete motility, but detailed molecular mechanisms and high-resolution structures remain largely novel and unresolved.
Where this research is happening
RICHMOND, UNITED STATES
- VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY — RICHMOND, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: LI, CHUNHAO CHRIS — VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: LI, CHUNHAO CHRIS
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.