Investigating how a virus affects Lyme disease bacteria
Official title: Phage-mediated horizontal gene transfer in Borrelia burgdorferi
Funded at Montana State University - Bozeman · NIH-11191306 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a specific virus helps Lyme disease bacteria share genes, which could make them stronger and help them spread, and it's for anyone interested in understanding more about how Lyme disease is passed from animals to humans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Montana State University - Bozeman NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bozeman, United States) |
| Project start | July 25, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $526,875 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI173045-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191306 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease or are at risk of infection due to tick exposure.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have Lyme disease or are not exposed to ticks may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the role of a specific virus, known as ϕBB-1, in the transmission of Lyme disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The study aims to explore how this virus facilitates the transfer of genetic material between different strains of the bacteria, which may help them survive and spread. By examining the mechanisms of this viral interaction, researchers hope to uncover new insights into how Lyme disease persists in its animal hosts and how it can be transmitted to humans. The research will involve laboratory experiments to measure gene transfer in tick vectors, which are crucial for the life cycle of the bacteria.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing and treating Lyme disease.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific role of the ϕBB-1 phage in Borrelia burgdorferi has not been extensively studied, similar approaches in understanding viral interactions with bacteria have shown promise in other contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Secor, Patrick R — Montana State University - Bozeman
- Study coordinator: Secor, Patrick R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Sex- and hormone-aware computer model of cartilage metabolism and drug effects
A scientist team will build and test a computer model that predicts how cartilage cells metabolize, produce matrix, and respond to drugs, with a focus on differences between men and women and how hormones affect these processes.
-
How Staphylococcus aureus’s Hlb protein helps it evade human immune cells
Researchers are studying how a toxin in MRSA changes the bacteria’s ability to dodge human neutrophils, potentially revealing new ways to prevent or treat infections.
-
Translatomic changes in aging heart: ribosome players
A study to understand how aging changes the heart at the molecular level by looking at ribosomes and initiation factors in heart cells.
-
Understanding why some orthobunyaviruses hurt the brain and others don’t
Researchers are studying how certain brain-invading viruses in the California serogroup cause meningitis and brain disease, so we can learn what makes some viruses more dangerous than others.
-
Lyssavirus glycoprotein fusion and receptor binding revealed at the structural level
This grant uses lyssavirus proteins to map how viral surface proteins fuse with cells and bind receptors, which helps us understand how rabies-related viruses infect hosts.
-
Brucella brain infection: how it gets into the brain and how the immune system helps or hinders
A mouse study is testing how Brucella bacteria reach the brain and how immune signals and T cells affect brain infection and inflammation.
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.