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Pictured: Brian Stevenson, Ph.D., displays a preserved tick specimen in his laboratory. Photo by Jeremy Blackburn, UK Research Communications.
University of Kentucky researchers are combating Lyme disease with innovative studies funded by NIH and GLA, addressing its alarming rise in the region.
We’re excited to share a recent story from the University of Kentucky featuring one of our newest grantees, Brian Stevenson, Ph.D. His early-stage research is investigating whether bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, could one day be developed into a potential therapeutic strategy for Lyme disease.
Dr. Stevenson’s work is supported by both GLA and the National Institutes of Health, with each grant supporting complementary but distinct studies. The NIH funding focuses on understanding the basic biology of the bacteria and their viruses and GLA’s grant supports applied research exploring how these insights could inform future therapeutic strategies.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 27, 2026) — There’s a virus within a bacterium within a parasite, and University of Kentucky researchers are figuring out how to make them kill each other.
Brian Stevenson, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics and the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Department of Entomology, is leading two separate but related studies aimed at fighting Lyme disease by turning the bacteria’s own internal systems against itself.
Now entering his 28th year at UK, Stevenson has secured funding from both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) to explore these novel pathways. The dual research approach addresses both the fundamental biology and the potential for new treatments for what Stevenson calls a homegrown problem in Kentucky.
It’s not your imagination
Recent data shows a significant spike in local prevalence. According to research from the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH), reported tick-borne diseases increased by 128% between 2020 and ’23. Most notably, cases of Lyme disease skyrocketed by approximately 275% during that same three-year period. Kentucky now ranks among the top 25 U.S. states with the highest risk for tick-borne illness.
“Lyme disease is here in Kentucky. This is something that is real,” Stevenson said...
Read the full story here: Tick talk: UK researcher targets Lyme disease with 2 grants | UKNow
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