Understanding How Lyme Disease Bacteria Infect People
Regulatory Network of the Lyme Disease Pathogen
This project aims to understand how the bacteria that cause Lyme disease control their genes to infect humans after leaving ticks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11088925 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Lyme disease is a serious illness spread by ticks, and the bacteria that cause it, Borrelia burgdorferi, must change how they behave to survive inside both ticks and people. This research focuses on a key control system within the bacteria, called the RpoS pathway, which helps the bacteria infect humans. We want to learn more about how a specific protein, BosR, helps regulate this pathway, which could reveal new ways to stop the infection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This basic science research does not directly involve patients, but future studies building on this knowledge may seek individuals with Lyme disease or those at risk.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment or diagnostic improvements for Lyme disease will not directly benefit from this foundational research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat Lyme disease by targeting how the bacteria cause infection.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work by this researcher and others has identified the RpoS pathway as central to Lyme disease infection, and this project builds on those established findings with a novel hypothesis about a specific regulator.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, X. Frank — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Yang, X. Frank
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.