Mapping immune responses to Lyme disease bacteria
Official title: Innovations in Functional B Cell Epitope Discovery for Lyme Disease
Funded at Nysdoh/health Research, INC. · NIH-11215874 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain parts of the Lyme disease bacteria can help our immune system recognize and fight it better, which could lead to better vaccines and treatments for people with Lyme disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nysdoh/health Research, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Menands, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2024 |
| Project end | September 15, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $1,809,220 |
| NIH project number | 75N93024C00069-0-9999-1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11215874 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who have been diagnosed with Lyme disease or are at high risk of exposure to Lyme disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have Lyme disease or are not at risk of exposure may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on identifying specific parts of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that trigger immune responses in humans. By creating detailed maps of B cell epitopes, which are the parts of the bacteria recognized by the immune system, the research aims to improve the development of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tests for Lyme disease. This work is particularly important given the high incidence of Lyme disease in the United States, with hundreds of thousands of new cases each year. The approach involves advanced techniques to analyze the surface proteins of the bacteria and their interactions with human immune cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective vaccines and treatments for Lyme disease, ultimately reducing the incidence and severity of the infection.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in mapping immune responses to other infectious diseases, suggesting that this approach could be effective for Lyme disease as well.
Where this research is happening
-
Nysdoh/health Research, INC.
Menands, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mantis, Nicholas — Nysdoh/health Research, INC.
- Study coordinator: Mantis, Nicholas
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.