Mark S. Klempner, M.D.

Associate Provost for Research, Boston University Medical Campus
Conrad Wesselhoeft Professor of Medicine
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Medicine
Professor of Microbiology

Medical School: Cornell University Medical College
Residency training: Massachusetts General Hospital
Fellowship training: Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and National Naval Medical Center.

Dr. Klempner’s research includes investigations into the basic molecular biology and pathogenic mechanisms of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, patient-based clinical research on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and novel molecular methods for detecting, identifying and quantifying microorganisms. Recently his laboratory has cloned and characterized the oligopeptide transport (permease) system in borrelia and is currently investigating how borrelia adapts its nutrient capture to the particular environments that the bacteria encounters (e.g. tick, mouse, human). Using in vitro and in vivo models Dr. Klempner’s laboratory has a longstanding interest in the molecular mechanisms of microbial invasion. His laboratory was the first to determine that the Lyme disease spirochete binds and utilizes host proteases in order to facilitate invasion. The laboratory is also studying the role of matrix metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of Lyme disease. Dr. Klempner’s patient based studies focus in several areas ranging from diagnostic tests to vaccine protection to post-treatment chronic Lyme disease. He has studied novel diagnostic tests for Lyme disease which are based on conserved regions of a variable lipoprotein, participated in the evaluation of the highly effective recombinant OspA Lyme disease vaccine and has been a leader in clinical studies of patients with persisting symptoms following treatment for acute Lyme disease (so called post treatment chronic Lyme disease). With regard to the clinical studies on patients with post-treatment chronic Lyme disease the Klempner team demonstrated that 90 days of antibiotics were not better than placebo and that evidence of persisting borrelial infection could not be found. Recent studies have focused on defining genetic susceptibility to infection with Borrelia burgdorferi and possible relationships of HLA haplotypes with persisting symptoms.

As part of an NIH and NSBRI/NASA funded initiative in collaboration with investigators at the Photonics Center and the Department of Physics his laboratory has begun the development of a novel method for rapid detection and identification of microbial species in environmental and biological specimens. This method, known as surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), is an optical technique that uses scatter from an incident visible or near infrared laser to generate detailed vibrational spectra.

In October 2003, Dr. Klempner became the Principal Investigator of a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to build one of two National Biocontainment Laboratories. Known as the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), these laboratories will study emerging infectious diseases, including re-emerging infectious disease which could be used as agents of bioterror. Dr. Klempner serves as the Director of the NEIDL. The focus of research is on basic and translational studies leading to improved understanding of the pathogenesis of these agents, and development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for these infectious diseases.

Representative Publications

 

  1. Kaplan, R.F. R.P. Trevino, G.M. Johnson, L. Levy, R. Dornbush, L.T. Hu, J. Evans, A. Weinstein, C.H. Schmid, and M.S. Klempner. Cognitive Function in Post-Treatment Lyme Disease: Do Additional Antibiotics Help? Neurology 60:1916-1922, 2003.
  2. Zhao, Z. H. Chang, and M.S. Klempner. Selective Up-regulation of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Human Erythema migrans Skin Lesions of Acute Lyme Disease. J. Infect. Dis. 188:1098-1104, 2003.
  3. Wang, X-G. J.M. Kidder, J.P. Scagliotti, M.S. Klempner, R. Noring and L.T. Hu. Analysis of Differences in the Functional Properties of the Substrate Binding Proteins of the Borrelia burgdorferi Oligopeptide Permease (Opp) Operon. J. Bacteriol. 186:51-60, 2004.
  4. Fleming R., A.R. Marques, M.S. Klempner, C. Schmid, L.G. Dally, D. Martin and M.T. Philipp. Pre- and post-treatment assessment of the C6 test in patients with persistent symptoms and a history of Lyme borreliosis. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 23(8):615-8, 2004.
  5. Klempner, M.S. and D.S. Shapiro. Crossing the Species Barrier: One Small Step To Man, One Giant Leap To Mankind”. N. Engl. J. Med. 350:1171-1172, 2004.
  6. Premasiri, W.R., D. Moir, M. Klempner, N. Krieger, G. Jones, and L.D. Zeigler. Characterization of the Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) of Bacteria. J. Physical Chem. (in press).
  7. Klempner, M.S., G. Wormser, K. Wade, R. Trevino, R. Kaslow, and C.H. Schmid. Lack of an Association Between HLA Class II Markers and Persisting Symptoms After Treatment for Lyme Disease. (submitted).To see additional publications by investigator click on any article and enter last name and initials in Query box.

     

Primary teaching affiliate
of BU School of Medicine