The Lyme community is mourning the loss of Dr. Brandon Lyon Jutras, a tenured Associate Professor of Microbiology‑Immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who passed away unexpectedly on July 28 at the age of 44.

Dr. Jutras dedicated his career to research focused on Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease.

His work helped illuminate how the pathogen behaves inside the body and how its molecular signatures can be detected more reliably — a critical need for patients who often struggle to obtain timely and accurate diagnoses.

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Renowned researcher

Dr. Jutras’ research earned national recognition for its innovation and real‑world potential. In 2021, he received the Bay Area Lyme Foundation’s Emerging Leader Award, a $100,000 grant supporting his work on next‑generation diagnostics. His lab went on to develop a test that uses monoclonal antibodies with immuno‑PCR and lateral flow technology to detect a unique Borrelia biomarker in blood and urine.

That test became one of the most promising diagnostic tools in development for Lyme disease. Under his leadership, the Jutras Lab won all three completed phases of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize — a national competition supported by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation — earning top awards in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2025, his lab advanced to Phase 4, the final stage of the competition, working toward FDA clearance.

Dr. Jutras’ passing is a profound loss for patients, advocates, and the research community. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

The information in this article was taken from an obituary posted by his wife on LinkedIn.