April 23, 2025--Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) is proud to announce that Dr. Brandon Jutras, a GLA grantee and researcher at Northwestern University, has published two pivotal studies in Science Translational Medicine, which were selected for the journal’s cover, highlighting the significance and innovation of the work.
The twin studies were published online today. In the first study, Dr. Jutras and his team demonstrate that fragments of the Borrelia burgdorferi cell wall, called peptidoglycan, can persist in the livers of mice and in the joints of patients with Lyme arthritis. These bacterial remnants may act as a trigger for continued inflammation even after the infection has been treated.
In the second study, the researchers explore the use of piperacillin, a beta-lactam antibiotic, as a novel therapeutic strategy in Lyme disease. While piperacillin was highly effective at killing B. burgdorferi in both in vitro models and mice, it was shown to cause less disruption to the gut microbiome than other commonly used antibiotics, an important advantage in reducing unintended harm to beneficial bacteria.
“The new publications represent a significant step forward in Lyme disease research, at a time when the geographic range of Lyme disease–transmitting ticks is expanding and more individuals are at risk of both acute infection and long-term complications” said GLA’s Chief Scientific Officer, Armin Alaedini, PhD. “Dr. Jutras’s research provides important insights into how bacterial remnants may contribute to persistent inflammation and points to promising new directions for both diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.”
GLA’s funding of these studies is part of its ongoing mission to advance innovative, high-impact science that can transform outcomes for the millions affected by Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
About Global Lyme Alliance:
Global Lyme Alliance is the leading Lyme disease nonprofit dedicated to fighting Lyme disease through research, awareness, and patient support.
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Publications:
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adr9091
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adr2955
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