Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R03AI187066-02
B. burgdorferi interactions with the blood-CSF barrier: Development of a 3D choroid plexus organoid
Recipient
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
Award Amount
$70,500.00
Ceiling
$70,500.00
Awarded
November 26, 2025
Identifier
5R03AI187066-02
This NIH-funded project develops a 3D human choroid plexus organoid model to study how B. burgdorferi invades the CNS, aiming to identify bacterial factors involved in Lyme disease neuroinvasion and impact on the blood-CSF barrier.
Description
The proposed project aims to understand how infection by B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, invades the central nervous system (CNS). Using a human choroid plexus organoid system, the research will examine bacterial factors contributing to CNS neuroinflammation and pathology. The study addresses the NIH Strategic Plan for Tickborne Disease Research by developing a model to study interactions between B. burgdorferi genospecies and the choroid plexus, identify bacterial factors necessary for CNS invasion, and assess the impact on blood-CSF barrier integrity.