Understanding how Lyme Disease Bacteria Adapt to Survive
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-11137610 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how the bacteria that cause Lyme disease change and adapt to successfully live inside both ticks and people.
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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $382,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI175072-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137610 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational laboratory research does not directly involve patient participation, but future clinical applications would benefit individuals at risk for or suffering from Lyme disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by Lyme disease would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which must adapt quickly to survive in both ticks and mammals, including humans. Our goal is to understand how certain genes within these bacteria help them adjust to different environments, allowing them to cause infection. We are particularly interested in how the number of copies of specific genes affects the bacteria's ability to adapt and colonize tissues. By uncovering these mechanisms, we hope to learn more about how Lyme disease establishes itself in the body.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat Lyme disease by targeting the bacteria's ability to adapt and infect.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work from this lab and others has provided initial evidence for the importance of these genetic factors in bacterial adaptation, suggesting a promising direction for this research.
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
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.