Lyme disease often goes undetected because early symptoms resemble flu-like illness.
Teen innovators from Lambert High School created a CRISPR-based screening tool.
CRISPR can detect specific genetic material rapidly.
Lyme affects an estimated 476,000 people annually in the U.S.
A group of teenage students has gained attention for designing an innovative tool intended to detect Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness that often goes undiagnosed for weeks or months. Their work, recently featured in media coverage, may represent a meaningful step toward earlier, more accessible diagnosis.
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted through the bite of infected ticks. Early symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, headache, and a characteristic skin rash may be mild or misinterpreted as flu or other illnesses. If undiagnosed or untreated, the infection can progress to serious complications, including joint pain, neurological problems, and cardiac issues.
Because the disease’s early symptoms overlap with those of many common ailments, late or missed diagnosis is common, which can delay treatment and worsen health outcomes. That’s why accessible, accurate, and rapid detection tools are key in managing Lyme disease effectively.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year in the United States.
According to a recent media report, several teenage students developed a novel tool aimed at screening for Lyme disease. The tool’s design reportedly allows for rapid and early detection, potentially much sooner than current standard methods permit.
The students from Lambert High School in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., took their project to the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, known as iGEM, in Paris, France. Their team used CRISPR-based methods in a laboratory at the high school to design the test. The project leaders this year included team captains Sean Lee and Avani Karthik.
CRISPR is a gene-editing technology that can identify specific genetic sequences, which makes it useful for developing rapid diagnostic tools.
In lab simulations using blood serum, the students reported proof of concept that the test could detect markers of infection as early as two days after infection, considerably earlier than many current antibody-based tests.
The initiative highlights:
The potential for innovative citizen-led science to contribute to public health challenges.
The importance of early diagnosis tools in diseases like Lyme, where early treatment greatly improves outcomes.
Growing interest in simplified, accessible diagnostics which may lower barriers to testing (cost, access, awareness).
If validated in formal clinical studies, such tools could complement existing diagnostic methods and help reduce underdiagnosis.
Current standard diagnostic tests for Lyme disease have limitations:
Early-stage tests, particularly antibody-based assays, may give false negatives, because antibodies may not have developed yet.
Diagnosis often relies on clinical presentation plus patient history which can be ambiguous, especially in early or mild cases.
Many people with Lyme live in rural or resource-limited settings where access to specialized tests may be limited.
These challenges make innovations in early detection particularly valuable.
The student-designed tool may provide a proof-of-concept for more accessible Lyme screening. However, before such a tool can be widely adopted, several steps are needed:
Rigorous clinical validation - Testing in large, diverse populations to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, false positive/negative rates.
Regulatory approval - In many countries, diagnostic tools need certification or approval before clinical use.
Integration with clinical workflows - Ensuring that doctors and public health systems can incorporate screening tools alongside standard diagnostic and treatment protocols.
Awareness and accessibility - Educating the public and healthcare providers about new testing options, especially in Lyme-endemic or high-risk areas.
Observers from the scientific community at iGEM expressed cautious interest in the students’ results. Some established scientists described the work as promising as a proof of concept while emphasizing that further testing on human blood and careful peer review are necessary before clinical claims can be made.
The Lambert team’s work won recognition at iGEM; they placed in the high school top 10 and received an award for best software tool, though they did not win the grand prize.
If these steps are met, citizen science innovations like the student tool could help fill critical gaps in public health.
A group of teenage students has introduced a potentially promising Lyme disease detection tool, setting a strong example of how innovation can come from unexpected corners. While further clinical validation is essential, the concept highlights the critical need for better, faster, more accessible diagnostics for tick-borne diseases.
If successful, such tools could transform how we detect and manage Lyme disease.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “How Many People Get Lyme Disease?” Updated 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/
Jinek, Martin, et al. “A Programmable Dual-RNA–Guided DNA Endonuclease in Adaptive Bacterial Immunity.” Science 337, no. 6096 (2012): 816–821.
(Rh/TL/MSM)
