"Before now, La Jolla biochemist Dr. Sharon Wampler never spoke publicly about the controversy that plagued her father's battle with Lyme Disease. Sharon's father, Whitfield (W.E.) Wampler, was age 92 when he passed away August of 2016. While it's unknown exactly how long W.E. lived with Lyme, his more severe symptoms-including joint failure and loss of hearing and eyesight-spanned over ten years."

Compiled by Sharon Wampler

Recommended by Sharon Wampler "ABSTRACT Lyme disease (LD) is an increasing public health problem. Current laboratory testing is insensitive in early infection, the stage at which appropriate treatment is most effective in preventing disease sequela. The Lyme Disease Biobank (LDB) collects samples from individuals with symptoms consistent with early LD presenting with or without erythema migrans (EM) or an annular, expanding skin lesion, and uninfected individuals from endemic areas. Samples were collected from 550 participants (298 cases and 252 controls) according to IRB-approved protocols and shipped to a centralized biorepository. Testing was performed to confirm the presence of tick-borne pathogens by real-time PCR, and a subset of samples was tested for Borrelia burgdorferi by culture. Serology using the CDC's standard two-tiered testing algorithm (STTTA) for LD was performed on all samples. LD diagnosis was supported by laboratory testing in 82 cases, including positive STTTA, PCR, culture, or 2 positive ELISA's with EM >5 cm, while the remaining 216 cases had negative laboratory testing results. For the controls, 43 were positive on at least one of the tiers, and 6 were positive by STTTA. This collection highlights and reinforces the known limitations of serologic testing in early LD, with only 29% of individuals presenting with EM >5 cm yielding a positive result using the STTTA. Aliquots of whole blood, serum, and urine from clinically characterized patients with and without LD are available to investigators in academia and industry for evaluation or development of novel diagnostic assays for LD, to continue to improve upon currently available methods."

Recommended by Sharon Wampler "For two decades, Lyme disease has had dueling identities.   A burgeoning epidemic wrought by ticks. A raging controversy over why patients stay sick - and what to do for them.   Now, however, the medical model that spawned the Lyme Wars - enshrined in treatment guidelines that say short-course antibiotics are curative - is yielding to a more nuanced picture.    This new image is of a disease that outwits antibiotics and immune systems; is plagued by diagnostic failures, and is capable of inflicting lasting damage. It is an image that challenges the picture of medical certainty that has long been Lyme."

Recommended by DeAunne "For the first time ever, scientists at the Human Vaccines Project are combining systems biology with artificial intelligence to understand one of the greatest remaining frontiers of human health, the human immune system. Modeled after the transformative Human Genome Project, the Human Vaccines Project is leveraging cutting-edge technologies to decode the human immune system. Our scientists are working to unlock new preventions, diagnostics, and treatments for some of the world's most devastating diseases."

Overview of sessions.

Recommended by Deaunne - "A 25 YEAR JOURNEY BEGINS In 1992, the jeep Richard Hanbury was driving was forced to crash off a bridge in Yemen. He was pronounced clinically dead for 8 minutes and then in a coma for 6 weeks. After waking up, he spent the next 14 months in the hospital.  The doctors gave Richard five years to live due to the extreme chronic nerve damage pain. After a lightbulb moment while watching a film in hospital, he began the journey to save his life. To produce the most lasting pain relief, he experimented with the different neuromodulation patterns and bio-metric sensors which normalized how his brain processed pain signals. Since 1993, Richard Hanbury has been pain-free and has tested his technology with the British Special Air Service, U.S. Air Force, Richard Branson Virgin Challenger flights, and the first Solar Impulse flight around the world."

A large portion of the population is involved in providing unpaid care for a family member. However, not much is known about what caregivers are doing on a daily basis, what services and resources they use, and how they balance caregiving with work and personal life. Researchers at the MIT AgeLab has conducted an exploratory study to learn more about caregivers and the caregiving experience. The research process and results are presented in this website.

"We Design for Good Design thinking is in our genes. For decades, IDEO has pioneered the human-centered design approach to solving complex problems.  In 2010, IDEO asked-how might we open up our method, enabling people everywhere to spark innovation where it's needed most? Our answer: OpenIDEO."

" A memorial service is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on March 15 at Beyster Auditorium on the UCSD campus. "

A message from Sharon: Please support Project Apollo Team as they "Ride Out Lyme to raise funds for Lyme research & to support patients! The 2nd annual event, we raised $10,000 last year. The money is split between BAL to support research and ROL for grants to patients over the age of 26 with financial need. We hope to earmark money raised by ROL La Jolla for San Diego patients in 2021, but this year the money is open to anyone in the US. The mission of Bay Area Lyme "to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure" and we plan to submit a "Measured Lyme" research proposal from Project Apollo in the coming year. Sharon, Mike and Meg will ride as part of the Project Apollo team. Others are welcome! We would love your support as a rider or with donations! To donate to Team Project Apollo visit https://rideoutlyme.salsalabs.org/lajolla2020/t/projectapollo/index.html Let's empower people to realize optimal health!

"What is disulfiram and why is it sparking excitement in Lyme community?"

"FasterCures is an action tank that works to speed and improve the medical research system. 10,000 diseases. 500 treatments. We have work to do."

"BUILDING A FASTER CURE TO EB. By fixing a single mutation, we can change the lives of many. Join us on our venture into cures, your investment will be transformational." Epidermolysis Bullosa is a family of rare genetic disorders that affect the body's largest organ: the skin. Individuals with EB lack critical proteins that bind the skin's two layers together. Without these proteins, the skin tears apart, blisters, and shears off leading to severe pain, disfigurement, and wounds that may never heal.

"CREATE ON YOUR OWN TERMS Start a membership business to develop a direct relationship with your biggest fans and generate predictable, recurring revenue from your creative work."

"The Genomic Kitchen combines genomics, nutrition and culinary skills so you can leverage the power of your genes with food-for a lifetime of great health. The Genomic Kitchen is a system of cooking and eating that directly connects the food you eat with the behavior of your genes. Beyond determining the color of your eyes, genes play an active role throughout life, converting the food you eat into the biochemical reactions that keep you living, breathing and growing"

"shows how people can rewrite the toxic stories they tell themselves. The film reveals how individuals battling addiction, trauma, and depression can change their stories and transcend their pain."

"Intermittent fasting Metabolic switching and different forms of fasting." Resource suggested by Vicky Newman

"Join us January 23-26, 2020 in San Diego! This educational event is a must-attend for anyone wanting to acquire a wide-range of knowledge and expertise for addressing and managing dietary supplement use."