The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Coforma and our subcontracting partners, Luminary Labs, a one-year contract to continue advancing research and treatment of Lyme disease through the LymeX Health+ program. The LymeX Health+ Human-Centered Design for Chronic Disease and Invisible Illness initiative aims to strengthen HHS’s ability to address the challenges of Lyme disease.
Through this engagement, Team Coforma will:
- Update the Human-Centered Design Report on Lyme Disease to incorporate new qualitative research and ensure the findings accurately reflect the lived experiences of patients.
- Facilitate a LymeX Healthathon, a months-long collaborative event that engages participants in designing and refining solutions for Lyme disease, culminating in awards of up to $50,000 for winning teams.
- Support the LymeX Diagnostics Prize: Everyone Included! in partnership with Luminary Labs, creating a parallel track that opens participation to diverse innovators and expands the impact of next-generation Lyme diagnostics, with awards of up to $250,000.
"We are excited to continue working with HHS to elevate the voices and lived experiences of people managing chronic and invisible illnesses,” says Brennan Schloendorn, Health Programs Lead. “By putting patients at the center and collaborating closely with experts, we can help HHS, providers, and patients better understand the challenges of Lyme disease, explore meaningful solutions, and drive innovation that improves detection, treatment, and trust."
This work builds on Coforma’s original Health+ Lyme Disease program, launched in partnership with HHS in 2021, which combined human-centered design research and a Healthathon to generate real-world solutions for people living with Lyme disease. Read more about our work on LymeX here.