Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University
Assessment of Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) antagonists as possible therapeutic supplements in Lyme neuroborreliosis
Dr. Parthasarathy’s project is focused on the development of novel therapeutic modalities for Lyme neuroborreliosis. Specifically, she will evaluate fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitors as possible therapeutic approaches. She plans to study how FGFR may mediate the neuroinflammation caused by B. burgdorferi in the central nervous system and whether inhibitors of the FGFR pathway could serve as a supplemental therapy in acute Lyme neuroborreliosis.
Dr. Geetha Parthasarathy is a Research Scientist at Tulane University. Her current research focus is Lyme neuroborreliosis where she seeks to understand the pathogenesis behind glial and neuronal cell death as caused by B. burgdorferi. She earned her BS and MSc degrees from Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India, her PhD in Microbiology from Michigan State University and completed Postdoctoral fellowship work at Johns Hopkins University.