Bay Area Lyme Foundation opens applications for 2026 Emerging Leader Awards and research grants

(Press-News.org) PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif., October 22, 2025 - Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading sponsor of Lyme disease research in the US, today announced its call for applicants from academia and the private sector for the 2026 Emerging Leader Awards (ELA). These annual awards recognize innovative researchers advancing novel approaches in tick-borne disease diagnostics and treatments, while embodying the future of research leadership in this critical field. 

 

In 2026, Bay Area Lyme Foundation will award two $150,000 ELA grants: 

Lyme Disease Award will support creative approaches to advancing diagnostics and/or therapeutics for Lyme disease, continuing the legacy started more than a decade ago. 

Tick-borne Pathogen Award is a new grant to support research on non-Borrelia tick-borne pathogens/infections occurring in the US, with preference for bacterial and parasitic pathogens. Projects may address co-infections in combination with Borrelia burgdorferi or as stand-alone investigations. Viral infections (e.g., Powassan virus, Heartland virus) are excluded from this category. 

 

Applications are due by February 15, 2026, at 11:59pm PT. Eligible applicants include academic and private-sector researchers at the post-doctoral through associate professor level (or equivalent in industry), including those new to Lyme and tick-borne disease research. All applicants are encouraged to request samples from the Lyme Disease Biobank.  

 

Applicants must demonstrate scientific leadership, a strong supporting rationale, and the ability to generate proof of concept within 12–24 months. While diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are of particular interest, all areas of research relevant to patients will be considered. Submissions require a research proposal and at least one supporting letter from a supervisor or Principal Investigator. 

 

The full criteria and application can be found at: https://www.bayarealyme.org/our-research/emerging-leader-award/. Awardees will be announced at LymeAid in May 2026. 

 

“The purpose of the Emerging Leader Awards is to encourage promising scientists to pursue innovative, high-risk, high-reward research that could transform the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases,” said Katariina Tuovinen, research grant director at Bay Area Lyme Foundation. “By adding a second grant dedicated to co-infections—particularly bacterial and parasitic—we hope to accelerate progress not just for Lyme patients, but for the many others affected by tick-borne illnesses in the US.” 

 

Since the inception of the Emerging Leader Award in 2014, this annual program has granted $2.8M, catalyzing research breakthroughs, leading to improved diagnostics and therapeutic approaches, and enabling awardees to secure follow-on funding from institutions such as the NIH. Past recipients have come from institutions including Brandeis University, Harvard University, MIT, Boston Children’s Hospital, Tufts University, Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University, Stanford University School of Medicine, and University of California San Francisco. 

 

The most recent ELA winner, Chao Wang, PhD, associate professor in the School of Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering (ECEE) and the Biodesign Center for Molecular Design & Biomimetics at Arizona State University (ASU), received the award to evaluate a unique diagnostic that uses gold nanoparticles and has been proven in other infectious diseases. His project focuses on the development of a fast, low-cost, and easy-to-use test for Lyme called Nano2RED-LD. 

 

Please direct any questions about the ELA application process to the foundation at award@bayarealyme.org or call 650.530.2439. If you would like more information or have questions about Bay Area Lyme Foundation research funding outside of the ELA program, please visit www.bayarealyme.org/our-research/grant-process/. 

 

About Lyme disease 
The most common vector-borne infectious disease in the US, Lyme disease is a potentially disabling infection caused by bacteria transmitted through the bite of an infected tick to people and pets, and can be potentially passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn baby. If caught early, most cases of Lyme disease can be effectively treated, but it is commonly misdiagnosed due to a lack of awareness and inaccurate diagnostic tests. There are more than 620,000 new cases of Lyme disease each year, according to Bay Area Lyme Foundation estimates. As a result of the difficulty in diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, up to two million Americans may be suffering from the impact of its debilitating long-term symptoms and complications. 

 

About Bay Area Lyme Foundation 
Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a national organization committed to making Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure, is the leading public charity sponsor of innovative Lyme disease research in the US. A 501c3 organization based in Silicon Valley, Bay Area Lyme Foundation collaborates with world-class scientists and institutions to accelerate medical breakthroughs for Lyme disease. It is also dedicated to providing reliable, fact-based information so that prevention and the importance of early treatment are common knowledge. Historically, a pivotal donation from the LaureL STEM fund covered all overhead costs through 2024. In 2023, a Bay Area Lyme Endowment was formed, which allows for 100% of all donor contributions to the Bay Area Lyme Foundation to go directly to research and prevention programs in perpetuity. For more information about Lyme disease or to get involved, visit www.bayarealyme.org or call us at 650-530-2439. 

 

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Media Contact: 
Tara DiMilia 
Phone: 908-369-7168 
Tara.DiMilia@tmstrat.com

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