Research
The LDF has funded over $500,000 in research since 1988. This includes research grants to outside investigators (extramural) and funds used for internal research programs (intramural). Over 60 scientific publications have resulted from this funding and an additional hundred publications have appeared in the LDF's Journal of Spirochetal & Tickborne Diseases. Simply funding research is not enough. The LDF facilitates research presentions (conferences) and publications (journals).

 

LDF Facilitates Research

- Scientific conferences, medical lectures, and poster presentations allow researchers the opportunity to present and debate the latest findings, forge new collaborations, and secure funding.
- The Journal of Spirochetal and Tick-borne Diseases provides an avenue for researchers to publish the latest science, debate research, and review historically important but out-of-circulation literature.
- Internet posting of the JSTD and Medical Conferences makes the latest research findings accessible to scientists, healthcare professionals, and the public. JSTD internet articles receive about 7,000 views a month.
- LDF funds medically-accredited summaries of its conference presentations which awarded CMEs to 500 additional physicians.
- LDF worldwide networks help scientists and clinicians find collaborators. Conducts & Funds Research through grant programs.

 

Grant Review Process

Step 1. Research Review Committee
James Miller, PhD, Scientific Review Chairman, coordinates the evaluation and scoring of all proposals. Dr. Miller, a world-renowned researcher, has over 30 years of experience reviewing grant submissions for federal agencies. This peer-review process ensures that critical steps in the investigative process are met, increasing the likelihood of a successful outcome. Dr. Miller has an extensive worldwide network of experts who can review any type of research
proposal and Dr. Miller has expertise in reviewing progress reports to ensure proper use of the grant funds.

Step 2. Selection Committee
This committee of patients and scientists make final funding decisions based on the recommendations by the scientific reviewers and needs of the healthcare provider and patient communities.

Grant Funding Options
- Project Grants: Specific project funding is available. Preference is given to smaller grant requests (e.g. $20,000) for scientifically important research.
- Salary Grants: Grants to cover salaries usually fund multiple projects. This is especially beneficial in the development of new researchers.

Donors of $20,000 or more can designate funds to their choice of approved proposals. Also, the LDF will solicit specific project proposals, when the donation is enough to cover the desired grant activity. All grants must be approved by the Research Review Committee. All projects must be initiated and completed within the time frame of the funding. The LDF does not fund overhead nor indirect costs. Resulting publications include the funded individual's name as an author, credit to the LDF for funding, and give preference to the JSTD for publication rights.

Research Grants have included
- Improved tests
- Vaccines
- LD in pregnancy
- Pathogenesis of LD
- Tick testing
- LD in dogs
- LD in cats
- Neurologic LD
- Tick diseases in North America
- New Borrelia in lone star ticks

Internal Research

- Pregnancy Registry - A multi-year registry for women diagnosed with Lyme disease during their pregnancy & examining the outcomes of both mothers and babies after
treatment.
- Physician Preferences in Diagnosis & Treatment
- Poster presentations and a major publication.
- Cost of Lyme Disease to Society - A major research collaboration with the Society of Actuaries and New York University School of Business.

 

LDF collecting first infected ticksfound in Fairfied County, CT

 


Supporting research by the Armed Forces since 1989. 

     
     LDF Grant-related Publications
    1. Anderson JF, DA Miller, JE Post, RC Johnson, LA Magnarelli, TG Andrealis. Isolation of Leptospira interrogans serovar grippotyphosa from the skin of a dog. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 1993. 203:1550-1551.
    2. Barbour AG, D Fish. The biological and social phenomenon of Lyme disease. Science. 1993. 260:1610-1616.
    3. Bosler EM, RD Evans, EM Schneider. Biopsy of canine ear tissue for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi following Ixodes dammini feeding. FEMS Microbiol. 1992. 78(2-3):317-319.
    4. Bosler EM, RD Evans, EM Schneider, RB LeFebrve. Experimental Borrelia burgdorferi infection and temporal immune responses in dogs. VI International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis. 1994. Bologna, Italy. Abstract P042M.
    5. Edwards JF, MD Gibson, MT Omran, CR Young. Proctitis and colitis in cats experimentally infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Annual Meeting of American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Dec 8, 1993. San Antonio, Texas. Abstract/Poster.
    6. Evans RD, EM Bosler, F Orthel, JL Robertson, EM Schneider, RB LeFebrve, MD Graham. Canine Lyme borreliosis I. Gross clinical observations of laboratory beagles following exposure to ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Journal of Spirochetal and Tick-borne Diseases. 1995. 2(2):28- 33.
    7. Evans RD, JL Robertson, MD Graham, EM Bosler, RB LeFebrve, EM Schneider. Canine Lyme borreliosis II. Minimal lesions in tisues of laboratory beagles following infection by exposure to Ixodid ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Journal Spirochetal and Tick-borne Diseases. 1995. 2(2):33-37.
    8. Feder BM, RJ Joseph, SD Moroff, EM Schneider, EM Bosler. Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in canine cerebrospinal fluid. Proceedings of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. May 1991. New Orleans, LA.
    9. Feir D, CR Santanello, B Li, Ch Xie, E Masters, R Marconi, G Weil. Evidence supporting the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Missouri. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1994. 51(4):475-482.
    10. Gebbia, JA, EM Bosler, RD Evans, EM Schneider. Acquired resistance in dogs to repeated infestation with Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidiae) reduces tick viability and reproductive success. Jour. Exp. Appl. Acarol. 1995. 19(10):593-605.
    11. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, K Palma, JF Edwards, JA Rawlings. Lyme disease in an experimental cat model. In: Lyme Borreliosis (NATO Asi Series A: Life Sciences. Axford JS, Rees DHE (eds.), Plenum Press, New York, 1994. 260:187-199.
    12. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, et al. Lyme disease in an experimental cat model. International Journal of Angiology. 1995. 4:155-159.
    13. Gibson MD, MT Omran, CR Young. Experimental feline Lyme borreliosis as a model for testing Borrelia burgdorferi vaccines in immunobiology of proteins and peptides. In: Lyme Borreliosis, MZ Atassi and GS Bixler Jr. (eds), Plenum Press, New York, 1995.
    14. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, et al. Borrelia burgdorferi infection in cats. JAVMA. 1993. 202:1786.
    15. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, K Palma, J Rawlings. Lyme disease in an experimental cat model. Ann Rheum Dis. 1993. 52:408. Abstract/Poster.
    16. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, K Palma, JA Rawlings. Lyme Disease in an experimental cat model. Special International Symposium on Lyme Borreliosis - International College of Angiology. July 3-10, 1993. Copenhagen,
    Denmark. Abstract/Poster.
    17. Gibson MD, CR Young, MT Omran, K Palma, and JA Rawlings. Lyme disease in an experimental cat model. Second European Symposium on Lyme Borreliosis. May 19-20, 1993. London, United Kingdom. Abstract/Poster.
    18. Gibson MD, MT Omran, CR Young, JA Rawlings, C David, K Palma. Lyme disease in experimental animals using Borrelia burgdorferi isolate 532 obtained from 5 cat fleas. Xth Texas Immunology Conference. Nov 13-15,1992. Richardson,Tx. Poster.
     
     LDF RESEARCH
    19. Gibson MD, MT Omran, CR Young, et al. Lyme disease in a domestic cat model. Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Ectoparasites of Pets. April 2-4, 1995. College Station, Texas. Abstract/Poster.
    20. Liegner KB, MH Ziska, MD Agricola, JD Hubbard, MS Klempner, PK Coyle, ME Bayer, and PH Duray. Fatal chronic meningoencehpalomyelitis (CMEM) with massive hydrocephalus, in a New York state patient with evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) exposure. International Conf. on Lyme Borreliosis. 1994. Bologna, Italy. Abstract Po41T.
    21. Mandel NS, EM Schneider, EM Bosler, EG Senker. Intrathecal production of Borrelia burgdorferi specific antibodies in a dog with central nervous system Lyme borreliosis. The Compendium on Continuing Education for Veterinarian. 1993. 15(4):581-589.
    22. Mandel NS, EG Senker, EM Bosler, EM Schneider. Intrathecal production of Borrelia burgdorferi-specific antibodies in a dog with central nervous system Lyme borreliosis. Small Animal: Compendium. 1993. 15:581-586.
    23. Omran MT. Humoral and histopathologic responses to Borrelia burgdorferi in a feline model. College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University. 1995.PhD Dissertation.
    24. Omran MT, Cr Young, MD Gibson, DJ Oestmann. Feline Lyme borreliosis. In: Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine 3. JR August editor. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1997. 23-30.
    25. Rawlings JA, GJ Teltow. Prevalence of Borrelia (Spirochaetaceae) spirochetes in Texas ticks. J Med Entomol. 1994. 31(2):297-301.
    26. Sadziene A, PA Thompson, and AG Barbour. In vitro inhibition of B. burgdorferi growth by antibodies. Journal of Infectious Diseases. 1993. 167: 165-72.
    27. Vanderhoof IT, K Vanderhoof-Forschner. Lyme disease: The cost to society. Contingencies. 1993. 5(1):42-48.
    28. Whitmire W, C Garon. Specific and nonspecific responses of murine B cells to membrane blebs of Borrelia burgdorferi. Infection and Immunity. 1993. 61:1460-1467.
    29. Ziska MH, ST Donta, FC Demarest. Physician preferences in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in the United States. Infection. 1996. 24(2): 82-86.
    30. Ziska MH, FC Demarest, ST Donta. Physician preferences in Lyme borreliosis treatment in the US Symposium on the Therapy and Prophylaxis for Lyme Borreliosis. 1995. Portoroz, Slovenia. Abs. P12.
    31. Ziska MH, T Giovanello, MJ Johnson, J Baly. Disseminated Lyme disease and pregnancy. IX Annual International Conference on Lyme Borreliosis & other Tick-borne Disorders. 1996. Mass. USA.
     
    Clinical Infectious Diseases - LDF Supplement
    1. Aberer E, F Koszik, M Silberer. Why is chronic Lyme borreliosis chronic? Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl
    1): S64-70.
    2. Barthold SW, S Feng, LK Bockenstedt, E Fikrig, K Feen. Protective and arthritis-resolving activity in sera
    of mice infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S9-17.
    3. Bosler EM. Introduction. 1997. Clin Infect Dis. 25(suppl 1): S1-2.
    4. Donta ST. Tetracycline therapy for chronic Lyme disease. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S52-56.
    5. Dorward DW, ER Fischer, DM Brooks. Invasion and cytopathic killing of human lymphocytes by spirochetes
    causing Lyme disease. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S2-8.
    6. Dumler SJ. Is human granulocytic ehrlichiosis a new Lyme disease? Review and comparison of clinical,
    laboratory, epidemiological, and some biological features. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S43-47.
    7. Fallon BA, S Das, JJ Plutchok, F. Tager, K Liegner, R Van Heertum. Functional brain imaging and
    neuropsychological testing in Lyme disease. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S57-63.
    8. Lubke LL, CF Garon. The antimicrobial agent melittin exhibits powerful in vitro inhibitory effects on the
    Lyme disease spirochete. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S48-51.
    9. Meurice F, D Parenti, D Fu, DS Krause. Specific issues in the design and implementation of an efficacy
    trial for a Lyme disease vaccine. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S71-75.
    10. Pavia CS, GP Wormser, Gary Norman. Activity of sera from patients with Lyme disease against Borrelia
    burgdorferi. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S25-30.
    11. Persing DH. The cold zone: A curious convergence of tick-transmitted diseases. Clin Infect Dis. 1997.
    25(suppl 1):S35-42.
    12. Tilton RC, MN Sand, M Manak. The Western immunoblot for Lyme disease: Determination of Sensitivity,
    specificity, and interpretive criteria with use of commercially available performance panels. Clin Infect Dis.
    1997. 25(suppl 1): S31-34.
    13. Weis JJ, L. Yang, KP Seiler, RM Silver. Pathological manifestations in murine Lyme disease: Association
    with tissue invasion and spirochete persistence. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25(suppl 1): S18-24.


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