Research & Science

Scientific Advisory Board

Our Scientific Advisory Board reviews every grant we fund and every piece of educational content we publish. Scientific integrity is not a claim we make — it is a practice we maintain.

Project Lyme's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is the backbone of our scientific credibility. Every research grant we fund is reviewed and recommended by the SAB. Every educational resource on this site is reviewed for scientific accuracy. The SAB ensures that our work meets the highest standards of evidence-based medicine.

Role of the Scientific Advisory Board

  • Review all incoming research grant applications and make funding recommendations
  • Review and approve educational content for scientific accuracy and appropriate nuance
  • Advise Project Lyme leadership on emerging research priorities and scientific developments
  • Ensure our editorial and research programs are consistent with current scientific consensus while acknowledging genuine uncertainty
  • Connect Project Lyme with the broader scientific and clinical community

Board Members

Dr. Sarah Chen, MD, PhD
Chair, SAB
Infectious disease specialist and Lyme disease researcher at Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on novel biomarker-based diagnostics for early tick-borne disease detection.
Dr. Michael Torres, MD
Neurology
Neurologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine specializing in neuro-infectious diseases. Research focus: neuroinflammatory mechanisms in post-treatment Lyme disease.
Dr. Patricia Williams, PhD
Immunology
Immunologist at Tufts Medical Center researching immune dysregulation in chronic tick-borne disease. Principal investigator on multiple Project Lyme-funded studies.
Dr. Robert Nakamura, MD
Epidemiology
Epidemiologist and public health researcher at the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases. Expert in tick-borne disease surveillance and geographic distribution trends.
Dr. Amara Okafor, PhD
Microbiology
Microbiologist at UCSF studying Borrelia pathogenesis, bacterial persistence mechanisms, and the gut microbiome interactions associated with antibiotic treatment outcomes.

Our Editorial & Review Standards

For more information on how we ensure scientific accuracy across all Project Lyme educational content, see our Editorial & Medical Review Policy.