Although Lyme disease is the most common vector‑borne illness in the United States, it remains one of the hardest to diagnose and treat. That’s why I was struck by a recent 60 Minutes segment featuring a group of Georgia high school students.

Competing in the prestigious iGEM International Synthetic Biology Competition, they won honors for their innovative use of CRISPR gene‑editing technology to design new ways to detect and treat Lyme.

Their achievement is remarkable on its own. But it also points to something larger: the critical need for robust scientific support in our classrooms.

When students are given the tools, mentorship, and encouragement to pursue real‑world problems, they can make contributions that matter far beyond their schools.

These young innovators remind us that breakthroughs don’t only come from research labs and universities. Sometimes they begin in a high school classroom, with students who are both inspired by science and determined to make a difference.

Watch the 60 Minutes video below to see how these students are re-imagining the future of Lyme disease research.

Click here to read a transcript.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, President of LymeDisease.org. She is co-author of Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease and of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.