TBD Turku Researchers Secure Research Counsil of Finland Funding for Lyme Disease Studies

Two researchers from the University of Turku, Jani Sormunen and Jukka Hytönen, have been awarded significant funding from the Research Council of Finland for their research on Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. The funding will support their respective projects, which aim to advance our understanding of tick-borne diseases and improve diagnostic methods for Lyme borreliosis.

Jani Sormunen: Exploring Tick-Borrelia Interactions

Jani Sormunen’s Academy Research Fellowship Funding: “Born to be Tick-borne? Examining Changes in Tick Gene Expression and Behavior in Response to Borrelia Infection,” seeks to fill critical knowledge gaps in the interactions between ticks and the Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme borreliosis. The project will investigate how Borrelia infection affects gene expression in four tick species and whether the bacteria can manipulate tick behavior.

Sormunen plans to rear and infect ticks using an Artificial Tick Feeding System (ATFS), and will employ RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to study changes in gene expression. The research, conducted in collaboration with Murdoch University in Australia, aims to produce crucial new data on tick-pathogen interactions and the genetic basis of vector competence. The project may lead to the identification of behaviors that increase human-tick contacts, thereby enhancing our understanding of the disease’s transmission dynamics.

https://research.fi/en/results/funding/81171

Jukka Hytönen: Innovating Diagnostics for Lyme Borreliosis

Jukka Hytönen’s Academy Project, “NoveLyme; From Interdisciplinary Basic Research to Novel Diagnostics for Lyme Borreliosis,” addresses the need for improved diagnostic methods for Lyme borreliosis. Current diagnostics rely heavily on detecting Borrelia-specific antibodies in patient serum and cerebrospinal fluid, a method fraught with challenges and limitations.

The NoveLyme project aims to delve into the basic immunobiology of Lyme borreliosis and identify new laboratory biomarkers that can enhance diagnostic accuracy. By bridging basic research with clinical application, this work has the potential to streamline the way Lyme borreliosis is diagnosed, leading to more accurate and timely treatment for patients.

https://research.fi/en/results/funding/81128