Understanding the Immune System in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome
Official title: Immunology of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome
Funded at Tufts University Boston · NIH-11184322 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to understand how the immune system behaves differently in people who continue to have symptoms after Lyme disease treatment compared to those who fully recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tufts University Boston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,013,656 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI181934-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184322 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is for individuals who have been treated for Lyme disease and either continue to experience symptoms or have fully recovered.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose symptoms are not related to Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
We are exploring why some individuals continue to experience symptoms even after receiving treatment for Lyme disease, a condition known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS). It is thought that the immune system might play a key role in these ongoing symptoms, similar to what is observed in conditions like fibromyalgia or other long-term effects following infections. Our approach involves comparing immune responses and the cellular makeup of blood samples from patients with PTLDS against those who have fully recovered from Lyme disease. By using advanced methods to examine proteins and gene expression, we hope to pinpoint specific immune system changes that are linked to the persistence of symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat the persistent symptoms of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have suggested immune system activation and auto-antibodies in PTLDS, but consistent findings and specific mechanisms are still being sought.
Where this research is happening
-
Tufts University Boston
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Linden T — Tufts University Boston
- Study coordinator: Hu, Linden T
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.