Fallon, Brian

Brian A. Fallon, MD, MPH 
Conference Director
Professor of Psychiatry
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons
Director, Columbia Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center
Director, Ctr. Study of Neuroinflammatory Disorders/Biobehavioral Medicine
Columbia University
New York State Psychiatric Institute New York, NY

Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center

Clinical Trials: Biologic & Clinical Measures of Change

Brian A. Fallon, MD, MPH. Dr. Fallon is director of the Lyme & Tick-borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University Medical Center where he leads a team focused on biomarkers, diagnostics and treatment of persistent symptoms despite standard antibiotic therapy. His team’s current work includes epidemiology, diagnostics, coinfections, brain imaging, and treatment studies. In collaboration with Dr. Michael Benros in Denmark, a nation-wide cohort study is underway to assess whether Lyme disease confers an increased risk of psychiatric disorders. In collaboration with Dr. Landa at Columbia, a neuroimaging study is underway to determine whether ongoing pain in patients with Lyme disease is due to hyper-activated pain pathways. In collaboration with Dr. Molins at the CDC and Dr. Naviaux at UCSD, a metabolomics study is underway to understand better the metabolic pathways associated with persistent symptoms.  In collaboration with Dr. Embers at Tulane, a post-mortem Lyme and Dementia study is underway to examine whether Bb infection can be found in human brains. Dr. Fallon with Dr. Jennifer Sotsky is the author of “Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide” (Columbia University Press, 2018).

Conference Lecture Summary: 

This talk will review biologic and clinical measures that have been used in Lyme disease clinical trials in the past and describe new biologic and clinical measures that should be considered for future clinical trials.  Results from a multi-site validation study of the Global Symptom Questionnaire will be presented.