Understanding how Lyme disease bacteria adapt to hosts at the genetic level
Official title: Functional and Mechanistic Studies of the Role of Lp17-encoded Factors in Host Adaptation by the Lyme Disease Spirochete
Funded at Washington State University · NIH-11370011 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how the Lyme disease bacterium changes its genes to thrive in ticks and mammals, to uncover how it causes infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pullman, United States) |
| Project start | July 12, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $382,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI175072-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370011 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals at risk for Lyme disease or with Lyme disease could benefit from future therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without Lyme disease or exposure to ticks may not directly benefit from this specific study.
What this research studies
This project looks at specific genetic elements (lp17) in Borrelia burgdorferi to see how gene copy number and regulatory RNA influence the bacterium’s ability to adapt to host tissues during infection. Researchers will examine mechanisms that control plasmid balance and how these changes affect gene dosage and tissue colonization in the host. The work will also explore how the regulatory RNA SR0726 functions during infection to drive these adaptations. The study combines molecular approaches with infection models to connect genetic changes to real-world host interactions. The findings could clarify key steps the bacterium uses to survive and spread in a mammalian host.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Discoveries could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat Lyme disease by targeting bacterial adaptation mechanisms.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown that lp17 genes and regulatory RNAs influence Borrelia biology, supporting the potential relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington State University
Pullman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bankhead, Troy Michael — Washington State University
- Study coordinator: Bankhead, Troy Michael
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
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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.