Tick-Borne Disease Prevalence
Australia East Coast · DSCATT · ME/CFS · MMA · Senate Inquiry 2025
Est. Annual DSCATT
24,000+/yr
↑ More than breast cancer · LDAA
MMA Rate (AU)
113/100k
↑ Highest globally · NACE 2025
MMA Annual Growth
40%
↑ Since 2020 · tick-exposure proxy
ME/CFS (AU Estimate)
250k+
Includes post-viral, post-tick triggers
East Coast Risk Zones · Click hotspot
Ixodes holocyclus responsible for >95% of bites in Australia · Click hotspots for regional intelligence
Disease Burden Comparison · Australia
DSCATT/ME/CFS (est.)~24,000/yr
Breast Cancer (new)~21,000/yr
Q Fever (notifiable)~700/yr
HIV/AIDS (new)~1,200/yr
Source: LDAA Statistics · AIHW 2024 · NNDSS
MMA Growth Trend 2020–2025
+40%/yr · Highest global MMA rate · NACE Senate Inquiry 2025
Hippocampus Volume — ME/CFS vs Healthy (7T MRI 2025)
Griffith NCNED · 7 Tesla MRI · Thapaliya et al. PLOS ONE 2025 · Hippocampal neuroinflammation marker
Tick Activity Calendar · Australian East Coast
Peak (Jul–Nov)
Moderate
Low (year-round risk)
Primary Vector
I. holocyclus
>95% of all bites · east coast
Q Fever Annual
700cases
Notifiable · underreported · rural
Q Fever → ME/CFS
10–15%
Develop post-infectious ME/CFS
Saliva Diagnostic
Patent
NCNED provisional patent 2022 · AU 2022902253
National Pathogen Distribution
QLD & NSW coast: R. australis · Q Fever (rural) · Ixodes holocyclus primary vector
TAS (Flinders Is.): Rickettsia honei · distinct spotted fever
SA: R. honei spillover · Q Fever in Eyre Peninsula
Northern AU: Ehrlichia confirmed dogs 2020 · human risk under assessment · Haemaphysalis longicornis invasive spread
All states: MMA/alpha-gal · 113/100k · year-round
TAS (Flinders Is.): Rickettsia honei · distinct spotted fever
SA: R. honei spillover · Q Fever in Eyre Peninsula
Northern AU: Ehrlichia confirmed dogs 2020 · human risk under assessment · Haemaphysalis longicornis invasive spread
All states: MMA/alpha-gal · 113/100k · year-round
NHMRC Research Funding 2022–2026
NHMRC-funded NCNED grant generated:
• 7 publications (2022–2024)
• 5 national/international conference presentations
• Provisional patent: saliva-based ion channel diagnostic
• Leveraged $506,000 AUD additional grants
• Drug repurposing screen using iPSC technology (muscle + cortical networks)
• International reach: >12 million people via media
• 7 publications (2022–2024)
• 5 national/international conference presentations
• Provisional patent: saliva-based ion channel diagnostic
• Leveraged $506,000 AUD additional grants
• Drug repurposing screen using iPSC technology (muscle + cortical networks)
• International reach: >12 million people via media
Source: NHMRC Annual Progress Report 2024
2025 Senate Inquiry — Core Mandates
Epidemiology
National prevalence survey — no validated figure exists
Pathogen ID
Local ticks → human transmission studies + overseas diagnostic review
Reform
GRADE guidelines replace DSCATT pathway; rename condition; fund patient-centred care
Global Lyme Seroprevalence
14.5%
↑ World population ever infected · BMJ Global Health 2022
Lyme Doubling Rate
2×
↑ Prevalence doubled 2010–2021 vs prior decade
Known TBD Globally
27+
Pathogens · all underdiagnosed · WHO
CCHF Case Fatality
40%
↑ Crimean-Congo HF · ~15,000/yr globally
Top 5 Lyme Burden Countries 2024 (BlueDot)
🇵🇱 PolandHighest burden · broad surveillance
🇺🇸 United States~476,000 diagnoses/yr (CDC est.)
🇨🇿 Czech RepublicHigh density · Ixodes ricinus
🇱🇹 LithuaniaHigh per-capita TBD burden
🇩🇪 GermanyTBE + Lyme dual burden
Source: BlueDot Global TBD Report, June 2025 · provisional 2024 data
Global Vaccine Pipeline 2026
| Disease | Vaccine | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| Lyme (OspA) | VLA15 (Pfizer/Valneva) | Phase 3 VALOR trial ongoing |
| Lyme (mRNA) | mRNA-1975/1982 (Moderna) | Phase 1/2 |
| TBE | FSME-IMMUN/Encepur | Approved EU/AS |
| Q Fever | Q-VAX (AU) | Approved Australia only |
| ME/CFS | None | No vaccine · TRPM3 target |
Source: IDSA Clinician Brief 2026 · doi:10.1038/s41541-022-00429-5
Climate Change Driver
Warming is expanding tick habitat globally. Switzerland: tick-suitable area grew from ~16% (2009) to >25% by 2024. TBE cases rose from 112 (2014) to 436 (2024) — 4× in a decade. Australia: east coast tick range expanding southward and into higher altitudes. Climate-tick nexus is a funded 2026 research priority internationally.
Shared TRPM3 Endpoint
Post-infectious ME/CFS follows multiple global triggers: Borrelia (Lyme), Coxiella (Q Fever), SARS-CoV-2 (Long COVID), EBV, enterovirus. Griffith University 2026 confirmed TRPM3 NK cell dysfunction as the shared cellular endpoint across these diverse triggers — a unifying mechanism with global translational significance beyond Australia.
IACFS/ME 2025 Conference Key Themes
The IACFS/ME 2025 conference confirmed: neuroinflammation and autonomic nervous system abnormalities precede other ME/CFS pathology. LDN restored TRPM3 in 9 Long COVID patients — TRPM3 currents matched healthy controls post-treatment. Multi-system vicious cycle identified: immune → autonomic → circulatory → endocrine → energy metabolism. Source: Medscape, Nov 2025.
Lyme Confirmed (UK)
3,000+/yr
↑ Lab-confirmed · UKHSA · significant under-count
Borrelia in Ticks (UK)
8–15%
Ixodes ricinus · England & Wales · 2021–2023
ME/CFS Prevalence
250k+
↑ Estimated UK patients
NICE Guideline Shift
2021
↓ GET removed · pacing mandated
UK Research Institutions — Relevant to NanaLens
UKHSA Medical Entomology & Zoonoses: National tick surveillance — model for AU system
LSHTM: Global Lyme epidemiology meta-analyses · tick ecology modeling
Oxford Univ. / DecodeME: World's largest ME/CFS genetic study (2022) — 17,000+ participants
NICE/NHS England: ME/CFS guideline framework — directly informs AU GRADE reform
LSHTM: Global Lyme epidemiology meta-analyses · tick ecology modeling
Oxford Univ. / DecodeME: World's largest ME/CFS genetic study (2022) — 17,000+ participants
NICE/NHS England: ME/CFS guideline framework — directly informs AU GRADE reform
UKHSA Borrelia Surveillance 2025 — Key Finding
Published July 2025 in Ticks & Tick-Borne Diseases (doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2025.102523): Borrelia prevalence in questing I. ricinus at recreational areas across England & Wales, 2021–2023. This study provides the surveillance methodology template that Australia's 2025 Senate Inquiry recommended implementing nationally. Direct comparison: UK has validated surveillance; Australia has none.
Lyme Diagnoses (CDC est.)
476k/yr
↑ ~10× official surveillance reports
ME/CFS Prevalence
3.3M+
↑ CDC estimate · significantly underfunded
Lyme Doubled
2×
↑ 2010–2021 · BMJ Global Health meta-analysis
CDMRP TBD Fund
FY26
↑ Congressional funding · high-impact research mandate
US Research — Direct Relevance to NanaLens
NIH RECOVER Initiative: Largest post-COVID/ME/CFS research program globally — TRPM3 intersection
CDC Lyme surveillance: 10× under-reporting parallels AU DSCATT undercounting — methodology reference
Open Medicine Foundation: ME/CFS precision medicine — metabolomics + proteomics data relevant to AU research design
CDMRP FY2026: Tick-Borne Disease Research Program — potential collaboration funding for AU researchers
CDC Lyme surveillance: 10× under-reporting parallels AU DSCATT undercounting — methodology reference
Open Medicine Foundation: ME/CFS precision medicine — metabolomics + proteomics data relevant to AU research design
CDMRP FY2026: Tick-Borne Disease Research Program — potential collaboration funding for AU researchers
US vs AU Diagnostic Comparison
| Factor | USA | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| B. burgdorferi | Endemic confirmed | Not confirmed endemic |
| Serology | Two-tier ELISA/WB | No validated local test |
| Test access | Standard clinical | Overseas labs (patient cost) |
| TRPM3 test | Research only | NCNED provisional patent |
| Vaccine | VLA15 Phase 3 | Q-VAX only |
TBE Cases EU/EEA 2022
3,500+
↑ 14% increase · ECDC Annual Report
TBE Notification Rate
0.81/100k
EU/EEA 2022 · male:female 1.5:1
Swiss TBE Cases
436
↑ 2024 vs 112 in 2014 · 4× in a decade
Tick Habitat Expanded
>25%
↑ Switzerland territory suitable · was 16% (2009)
ECDC Surveillance Model — What AU Lacks
Europe: standardised TBD surveillance across 20+ countries; annual ECDC epidemiological reports; national vaccination programs (TBE vaccine widely used in Austria, Germany, Czech Republic); validated two-tier Lyme serology; TBE notifiable in all EU/EEA countries.
Australia (2026): NO standardised surveillance; NO validated domestic serology; DSCATT NOT notifiable; 2025 Senate Inquiry recommended building this infrastructure urgently. NanaLens is a data infrastructure prototype for this purpose.
Australia (2026): NO standardised surveillance; NO validated domestic serology; DSCATT NOT notifiable; 2025 Senate Inquiry recommended building this infrastructure urgently. NanaLens is a data infrastructure prototype for this purpose.
European vs Australian TBD — Key Differences
EU dual burden: Lyme (bacterial) AND TBE (viral) — Australia has NO TBE
EU vector: Ixodes ricinus (does NOT carry TBE in AU context)
AU vector: Ixodes holocyclus — unique evolutionary lineage — 130M yr isolation since Gondwana
EU vaccine: TBE vaccine widely used; Lyme VLA15 in Phase 3
AU vaccine: Q-VAX only; no Lyme/DSCATT vaccine in development
EU vector: Ixodes ricinus (does NOT carry TBE in AU context)
AU vector: Ixodes holocyclus — unique evolutionary lineage — 130M yr isolation since Gondwana
EU vaccine: TBE vaccine widely used; Lyme VLA15 in Phase 3
AU vaccine: Q-VAX only; no Lyme/DSCATT vaccine in development
Pathogens, Vectors & DSCATT
Australian confirmed endemic species · Lyme-like illness · Diagnostic landscape · 17 human-biting tick species
Primary Vector — Ixodes holocyclus
Ixodes holocyclus — The Australian Paralysis Tick
Responsible for >95% of tick bites in Australia. Found along the east coast in coastal and hinterland scrub from North Queensland to eastern Victoria. Unique evolutionary lineage — 130–135 million years of Gondwanan isolation has produced a tick fauna phylogenetically distinct from Northern Hemisphere species. This isolation may explain why classical diagnostic serology fails: AU tick pathogens are related to, yet distinct from, known northern hemisphere tick-borne pathogens.
>95% of bitesEast Coast130M yr evolutionary isolation
Source: Frontiers Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2019 · PMC6360175 · "Human Tick-Borne Diseases in Australia" · Charles Perkins Centre / Univ. Sydney
DSCATT — Clinical Definition & Status
Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks
Australia's official clinical term since 2018, replacing contested "Lyme-like illness" and "Chronic Lyme Disease." Used for patients with persistent debilitating symptoms following tick exposure where a definitive pathogen-based diagnosis cannot be established. The 2025 Senate Inquiry recommended renaming to reduce stigma. The true scale is difficult to estimate because: (1) no appropriate case definition exists; (2) tick-borne infections are not notifiable (except Q Fever); (3) data on tick bites and sequelae are not systematically collected.
Stigma under reviewDiagnosis of exclusion2025 Senate Inquiry
Source: PMC9694322 · "Troublesome Ticks Research Protocol" · Frontiers Microbiology
All Known/Suspected Human-Pathogenic Tick-Borne Agents · Australia
| Pathogen | Disease | Distribution | Vector | Mechanism | ME/CFS Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rickettsia australis | Queensland Tick Typhus | QLD, NSW coast | I. holocyclus | Obligate intracellular → endothelial invasion, vasculitis | Post-infectious fatigue |
| Rickettsia honei | Flinders Island Spotted Fever | Flinders Is., TAS, SA | B. hydrosauri, I. tasmani | Spotted fever group → vasculitis pathway | Chronic fatigue documented |
| Coxiella burnetii | Q Fever / Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome | Nationwide (livestock) | Aerosol + ticks | Macrophage persistence → chronic Q fever | 10–15% → ME/CFS criteria |
| Alpha-gal / Tick glycan | Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA) | East coast · highest globally | I. holocyclus saliva | IgE sensitisation → α-1,3-galactose | Immune dysregulation |
| Borrelia spp. | Lyme-like illness (DSCATT) | Under investigation | Unknown | B. burgdorferi NOT confirmed endemic; novel species under metagenomic study | Active 2025 mandate |
| Ehrlichia canis / minasensis | Ehrlichiosis | Northern AU (confirmed 2020) | R. sanguineus | Confirmed dogs; human risk under assessment | Emerging concern |
| Bartonella spp. | Cat scratch disease / novel tick | Possible tick vector AU | Unknown in AU | Facultative intracellular · vascular lesions | Under investigation |
| Anaplasma spp. | Anaplasmosis | Possible AU | Ixodes spp. | Obligate intracellular · neutrophil tropism | Emerging research |
Sources: Frontiers Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2019 · PMC6360175 · Australian CDC 2025 · Senate Inquiry 2025 · PMC9694322
The Diagnostic Gap Timeline
PRESENTATION
Patient presents with fatigue, PEM, joint pain, cognitive symptoms following tick bite
TESTING
No validated Australian test exists. Standard serology: often negative or cross-reactive. Patients fund overseas labs personally (USA, Germany).
DIAGNOSIS
DSCATT applied by exclusion. Frequent patient disbelief. Average diagnostic delay: years. Stigma documented by Senate Inquiry 2025.
2026 OPPORTUNITY
TRPM3 biomarker (Griffith 2026) + saliva-based ion channel diagnostic (NCNED provisional patent AU 2022902253) may provide Australia's first objective ME/CFS diagnostic pathway.
Q Fever → ME/CFS: Australia's Strongest Documented Link
Coxiella burnetii is the most robustly documented Australian post-infectious ME/CFS trigger. The Dubbo studies (Marmion 2000–2009) followed cohorts for 10+ years, confirming 10–15% develop Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome meeting full ME/CFS diagnostic criteria.
~700 notifiable cases/year — significant under-count; aerosol transmission from livestock
Q-VAX: Only AU tick-borne disease vaccine — recommended for occupational risk groups (abattoir, livestock, veterinary workers)
Post-Q fever: Identical TRPM3 NK cell dysfunction profile to ME/CFS (Griffith NCNED 2024)
Chronic Q fever: Endocarditis in immunocompromised — distinct from Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome
TRPM3 Ion Channel Mechanism
Griffith University NCNED · Jan 2026 · Frontiers in Medicine · doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1703924
The Stuck Door — Cellular Basis of ME/CFS & Post-Tick Immune Failure
Prof. Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik · Dr Etianne Sasso · NCNED Griffith (QLD) + UWA (WA) · January 2026
Study Participants
78
36 ME/CFS · 42 healthy controls
Independent Labs
2
Gold Coast (QLD) + UWA Perth (WA) · 4,000+ km
Result
p<0.05
Significant · location-independent · reproducible
Method — Whole-Cell Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology
Glass micropipette seals to a single NK cell membrane — measures ionic current at picoampere (10⁻¹² A) precision. TRPM3 currents stimulated with pregnenolone sulphate (PregS). Freshly isolated NK cells from both cohorts assessed. Result was identical across labs — this is biology, not methodology artifact.
NCNED Research Timeline — TRPM3 Discovery Pathway
2017
Reduced NK cell cytotoxic activity confirmed in ME/CFS
2019
TRPM3 genetic variants identified in ME/CFS patients
2021
TRPM3 protein expression changes confirmed in NK cells
2022
Functional electrophysiology: channel dysfunction confirmed · Provisional patent filed AU 2022902253
2024
LDN restores TRPM3 in vitro · Long COVID TRPM3 dysfunction confirmed · 7T MRI hippocampal volume study · Neurochemical imbalance (Am. J. Medicine)
2026
LANDMARK: Large multi-site study (n=78) confirms TRPM3 as robust location-independent biomarker · Frontiers in Medicine doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1703924
2026+
iPSC drug screening (cortical networks + muscle cells) · $438k NHMRC 7T MRI longitudinal grant · Saliva-based diagnostic development
LDN / NTX Therapeutic Data
In vitro 2024 (n=9 Long COVID): LDN restored TRPM3 channel function — post-treatment currents matched healthy controls. Medscape Nov 2025, IACFS/ME conference.
LDN dose: 1–5mg sub-therapeutic · widely reported patient benefit · mechanism: TRPM3 agonism + anti-neuroinflammatory
Gap: No Phase II/III RCT in Australian DSCATT/ME/CFS cohorts yet. TRPM3 as pharmacodynamic biomarker for trial design is a critical 2026 research opportunity.
7T MRI Neuroimaging Findings (Griffith 2025)
Hippocampal volume: Significantly larger in ME/CFS AND Long COVID vs healthy controls (PLOS ONE 2025). Similar hippocampal volume between ME/CFS and Long COVID — striking brain similarities confirming shared pathology.
Neurochemicals (Am. J. Medicine 2024): Significantly elevated neurochemical levels in both conditions vs controls. Levels correlated with cognitive impairment, unrefreshing sleep, pain, and physical limitation. Suggests neuroinflammatory basis for cognitive dysfunction.
$438k NHMRC grant for longitudinal 7T MRI study of ME/CFS progression over 3 years — Assoc. Prof. Leighton Barnden CIA
iPSC Drug Screening Program (Active 2025)
NHMRC-funded program using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from ME/CFS patients to generate:
• Cortical networks (10/16 complete 2024)
• Skeletal muscle cells for mitochondrial function study
Drug repurposing screen using gene expression signature — targeting off-patent drugs with known safety profiles for rapid progression to clinical trials.
Source: NHMRC Annual Progress Report 2024
Symptom Intelligence Matrix
ME/CFS · DSCATT · PEM · Cardinal indicators · Frequency · Cellular mechanisms
Cardinal Symptom — Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM)
The defining criterion for ME/CFS diagnosis
PEM is a pathological worsening of ALL symptoms following minimal physical or cognitive exertion — typically with a 24–72 hour delay. It is NOT ordinary fatigue, NOT deconditioning. It clinically distinguishes ME/CFS from all other fatigue conditions. Directly linked to TRPM3-impaired Ca²⁺ signalling: muscles, neurons, and immune cells cannot recover because calcium-dependent energy and repair mechanisms are compromised at the cellular level. Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) is CONTRAINDICATED — formally removed from NICE guidelines 2021.
100% of diagnoses24–72hr delayCanadian Consensus Criteria requirementNICE 2021: GET contraindicated
Symptom Frequency · Australian DSCATT/ME/CFS Cohorts
Profound fatigue97%
Post-exertional malaise95%
Cognitive dysfunction88%
Sleep disturbance (unrefreshing)85%
Cardiovascular/POTS (QLD)81%
Musculoskeletal pain79%
Orthostatic intolerance78%
Temperature dysregulation72%
GI dysfunction65%
Source: Sasso et al. 2026 · NCNED Griffith + UWA multi-site
"Brain Fog" → Neurocognitive Dysfunction Reframe
"Brain fog" obscures the clinically documented mechanism: neuroinflammation with measurable neurochemical imbalance. Griffith 7T MRI studies show enlarged hippocampal volume and elevated neurochemicals in ME/CFS, correlating with cognitive symptoms.
Interview Preparation — 36 Critical Questions
Research-backed answers · Citation grounded · University panel level · ME/CFS · TBD · Translational medicine
CATEGORY:
Data Mining & Modelling
Exploratory analysis · Cohort modelling · Prevalence projections · Research design tools
Prevalence Modelling Calculator
Estimate DSCATT/ME/CFS burden in any Australian region based on known incidence parameters. Adjust variables to model different scenarios for your research proposal.
↑ Enter parameters and click Model to generate estimate.
Research Cohort Size Calculator
Estimate required sample size for a TRPM3 biomarker study based on Griffith University\'s validated methodology (effect size from Sasso et al. 2026).
↑ Parameters based on Sasso et al. 2026 (n=78, p<0.05) as validated reference.
Australian Tick Season & ME/CFS Temporal Correlation Explorer
Visualise the temporal relationship between peak tick season (Jul–Nov) and DSCATT presentation lag (~2–8 weeks post-bite). This is foundational data for a prospective surveillance study.
Estimated correlation for research hypothesis generation. Prospective surveillance data needed to validate. This is a core research gap identified by the 2025 Senate Inquiry.
TRPM3 Current vs Symptom Severity (Sasso et al. 2026)
Illustrative correlation from Sasso et al. 2026 multi-site data · doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1703924
ME/CFS Economic Burden Model (Australia)
Estimated · NCNED health economics analysis · Centre for Applied Health Economics collaboration
Proposed NanaLens Study Design — NSW East Coast
T0 (Enrolment)
DSCATT-suspected patients · NSW east coast clinics · baseline TRPM3 NK cell test
Month 3
NanaLens 3-month tracker export · PEM frequency · cognitive scores · biomarker retest
Month 12
Full symptom trajectory vs TRPM3 status · LDN treatment arm (Phase II)
Publication
First AU translational ME/TBD longitudinal dataset · JAMA/Lancet target
Smart Library
Peer-reviewed · Australian-focused 2018–2026 · Senate Inquiry · Global context · Filter by category
Patient Symptom Tracker
Research-grade daily logging · PEM monitoring · Export to CSV · Sheets compatible
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Clinical Note · Pacing Protocol & GET Contraindication
Pacing is the only evidence-based activity management for ME/CFS. Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) is contraindicated — formally removed from NICE guidelines (2021) based on evidence it worsens PEM and long-term function. This tracker supports heart-rate-based pacing: patients stay below anaerobic threshold (~50–60% max HR) to prevent PEM triggering. Data from this tracker is structured for direct import into clinical research databases.
My Notes — Edit Engine
Add personal notes · Tables · Statistics · Links · Citations · Diagrams · Stored in session
Click a tool above to start adding research notes. All notes are preserved during this session and can be exported.
Translational Medicine Bridge
From bench to bedside · NanaLens as infrastructure · Research design · University of Sydney alignment
NanaLens as a Living Microscope — First Principles Architecture
Translational medicine bridges laboratory discovery to clinical benefit. In Australian ME/CFS and DSCATT research, this gap has been profound. The 2026 TRPM3 discovery is a watershed — but it is meaningless without infrastructure to translate it. NanaLens doesn't just store data; it allows the researcher to see patterns through a lens of first principles — connecting the cellular mechanism (TRPM3) to geographic prevalence (East Coast hotspots) to patient symptom trajectories (PEM logging), in real time, across global contexts. The platform is designed for your ongoing research, not just a single interview.
Lab → Clinic Pipeline
1
Biomarker Discovery (Griffith 2026)
TRPM3 dysfunction confirmed in NK cells as consistent, reproducible, location-independent biomarker across two independent Australian labs. Frontiers in Medicine doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1703924
2
Diagnostic Test Scaling
NK cell isolation → TRPM3 current measurement → threshold-based positive/negative output. NCNED provisional patent AU 2022902253 covers saliva-based ion channel platform — lower barrier than blood draw.
3
Clinical Guideline Integration
TRPM3 criteria embedded in GRADE-based DSCATT clinical pathway (2025 Senate Inquiry mandate). Replaces diagnosis-of-exclusion with objective biological confirmation — ending years of patient disbelief.
4
Therapeutic Trials (NTX/LDN)
Phase II/III RCTs using TRPM3 activity as inclusion criterion AND pharmacodynamic biomarker — enabling precision medicine for Australian DSCATT patients. LDN in vitro data from IACFS/ME 2025.
5
NanaLens Patient Data Feedback Loop
Real-world symptom data (PEM frequency, geographic clustering, biomarker status) feeds back into research longitudinally — linking lived experience to cellular mechanism. Australia's first integrated ME/TBD registry.
University of Sydney Research Alignment
The University of Sydney hosts the Charles Perkins Centre (Sydney Medical School) and the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity — both directly relevant. Faculty at UoS contributed to the 2019 Frontiers paper on "Human Tick-Borne Diseases in Australia" (PMC6360175) establishing AU tick taxonomy and pathogen landscape.
The Macquarie University Neuroinflammation Group (collaborating with UoS) provides neuroimmunology infrastructure relevant to the TRPM3/neuroinflammation research direction.
Likely interview question: "How would you validate this platform in a prospective clinical study?"
Model answer: Recruit DSCATT-suspected patients across NSW east coast clinics → baseline TRPM3 NK cell assessment → 12-month NanaLens symptom tracking → correlate symptom trajectory with biomarker status → publish as Australia's first translational ME/TBD longitudinal dataset. Ethics pathway: Sydney Local Health District HREC.
Critical Research Gaps — 2026 Agenda
Epidemiological: No validated national DSCATT prevalence figure exists. NanaLens tracker is prototype registry infrastructure.
Pathogen: Novel Borrelia species in AU ticks unresolved. Metagenomic tick surveys + human seroprevalence urgently needed.
Therapeutic: LDN/NTX RCTs not yet conducted in AU DSCATT/ME/CFS populations. TRPM3 as pharmacodynamic biomarker = ideal Phase II design.
Surveillance: Tick season → DSCATT presentation temporal correlation unstudied prospectively. NanaLens data mining module designed for this.