Our Mission

 

At Bay Area Lyme, our mission is to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure. 

 

Bay Area Lyme Foundation is a national, 501c3 non-profit organization based in Silicon Valley and 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. A pivotal donation from The LaureL STEM Fund covers overhead costs and allows for 100% of all donor contributions to Bay Area Lyme Foundation to go directly to research and prevention programs.

Lyme disease is one of the most common vector-borne infectious diseases in the world. It is found in 65 countries and throughout the United States, with ~500,000 new cases each year in the US alone. And yet, Lyme research is significantly underfunded relative to other comparable diseases. Our goal is to fill that void and accelerate the pace of new drug and diagnostic development in order to alleviate the suffering.

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Our Vision


A world where Lyme disease is easy to diagnose and simple to cure.

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Our Model

Aims to leverage the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of the Bay Area to catalyze new and innovative projects around the country through:

 

Directed funding to dedicated Lyme projects

Bay Area Lyme Foundation is confident that the application of new talent and cutting-edge technologies will have a dramatic impact on finding a cure to a disease that has historically been severely underfunded. To achieve this goal, we work with world-class scientists to collaborate on focused Lyme projects, leveraging learnings from other fields of medicine and research. We also make it a priority to engage the investment and biotech community so that breakthroughs in the laboratory quickly translate to solutions for patients.

Rigorous screening & accountability

Project proposals are carefully screened by our Science Committee, advisory committee, and outside experts.  Proposal review by scientists with subject area expertise helps ensure that dollars granted go to the projects with the greatest potential impact.  Once funded, projects are subject to continuous monitoring and review with additional funding contingent on successful progress.

100% donation impact

Thanks to the generous support of a private donor covering our administrative expenses, 100% of funds raised go directly to research and prevention programs.

Networking & scale

Some of the best work comes from creative collaborations. At Bay Area Lyme, we provide tools and resources to help connect the leaders in the field.  From multidisciplinary conferences and symposiums to scalable solutions like the National Lyme Biorepository, we are committed to creating more leverage and impact in the field.

Community outreach

Prevention is the best way to stop Lyme. A few smart precautions can go a long way to keeping you safe. At Bay Area Lyme, we are committed to providing reliable information about Lyme disease. We are also active in the community, with school programs and information sessions at community events, public service campaigns, and strategic partnerships. We are always looking for new ways to innovate. If you have an idea for an event or community outreach program, contact us!

 

For financial information about our program model, see Financials.

Bay Area Lyme Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity.

All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Our tax identification number is 45-3715012.

Please contact us for a copy of our most recent financial statements and filings.