Funding Delays Threaten Critical Lyme Disease Research at Johns Hopkins

Research into Lyme disease at Johns Hopkins University faces significant challenges due to delays in federal funding. Despite Maryland reporting some of the highest cases of Lyme disease in the United States, the financial support necessary for ongoing studies is at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, with cases in Maryland nearly doubling since 2020.

The disease, transmitted through bites from black-legged ticks, can initially present with flu-like symptoms. If untreated, it can lead to serious complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system. Nicole Baumgarth, director of the Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases Research and Education Institute at Johns Hopkins, emphasizes the debilitating nature of long-term symptoms, stating, “These long ongoing symptoms can really change some person’s life.”

Push for Renewed Funding

The Kay Hagan Tick Act has been a crucial source of funding for Lyme disease research, providing US$30 million annually from 2021 to 2025 for prevention, early detection, and treatment of tick-borne diseases. This funding enabled groundbreaking clinical trials, including the first-ever human vaccine trial currently being conducted at the MaineHealth Institute for Research.

Lawmakers are now advocating for the reauthorization of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, which would allocate more than $27 million annually through 2030. Named in honor of former North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan, who passed away from a tick-borne disease in 2019, the act is co-sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. As of now, a date for a full Senate vote has not been scheduled.

Impact of Funding Cuts

In 2025, researchers nationwide experienced cuts to federal funding, impacting Lyme disease studies severely. Funding from the Department of Defense for Lyme disease research was eliminated after receiving $7 million in 2024. The March 2025 continuing resolution for government funding included a staggering 57 percent cut to the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), affecting the Tick-Borne Disease Research Program (TBDRP).

In response, Johns Hopkins University joined a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking these funding cuts. The university maintains active grants from the Department of Defense totaling approximately $375 million over several years. Baumgarth shared her frustration over the funding process, stating, “We spent weeks and months writing, and it’s just not being considered,” regarding her grant proposals that aim to identify biomarkers for predicting the development of Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.

Another significant funding source for Baumgarth’s lab is the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is currently experiencing extensive funding delays, further complicating the situation. “That affects, of course, everybody, not just tick-borne illnesses, but that is still our biggest source of funding,” she noted. One grant application under review focuses on the effects of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, on gastrointestinal health.

The unpredictability surrounding grant funding has transformed the research landscape. Baumgarth expressed the challenges researchers face today, stating, “Every researcher that runs a lab is running, in a way, a small business.” She acknowledged that while her lab has not yet had to lay off staff, that situation could change if funding remains uncertain.

Johns Hopkins consistently ranks as the leading recipient of NIH funding, having received approximately $1,022.3 million in fiscal year 2024. In February, the university joined a federal lawsuit against the NIH over cuts to medical research funding that could hinder vital studies.

The increasing incidence of Lyme disease is also linked to climate change, as warmer temperatures and increased moisture create favorable conditions for ticks. Baumgarth pointed out that as the northern hemisphere warms, ticks are expanding their ranges, exacerbating the spread of Lyme disease. By 2023, states like Wisconsin have reported a significant rise in Lyme disease cases, now ranking fifth in the nation for prevalence.

As the situation unfolds, the future of Lyme disease research at Johns Hopkins and nationwide hangs in the balance, underscoring the urgent need for consistent funding and support to combat this growing public health threat.