Associate Professor, Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center

Dr. Embers’ research program regarding Borrelia burgdorferi and Lyme disease is designed around two major foci: (1) antibiotic efficacy against Lyme disease; and (2) immunodiagnosis for B. burgdorferi infection and cure. The first research goal is to examine, using xenodiagnosis, the efficacy of antibiotic treatment during disseminated B. burgdorferi infection.  The second goal is to develop a quantitative multi-antigen test that expands detection limits and helps to distinguish persistent infection from clinical cure.  By studying the natural course of infection, her group hopes to facilitate a better understanding of the clinical quandaries of human Lyme disease, including effective diagnosis and treatment.