Monica E. Embers

Monica E. Embers is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University, serving as Director of Vector-Borne Disease Research at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. Her research focuses on Lyme disease and tick-borne pathogens, particularly antibiotic efficacy, bacterial persistence, and diagnostic advancements. She holds a PhD from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine and completed postdoctoral work at Tulane. Dr. Embers leads studies using nonhuman primate models to investigate Borrelia burgdorferi infection dynamics, including treatment outcomes and immune responses. Key research themes include understanding spirochete survival mechanisms, developing novel therapies, and improving diagnostic tools for persistent infections. Her work addresses unresolved questions in Lyme disease pathogenesis and clinical management.

Education: B.S. Biology/Chemistry (McPherson College), PhD Microbiology and Immunology (Penn State College of Medicine), Postdoctoral training at Tulane National Primate Research Center.

Research interests include: antibiotic resistance in Borrelia, tick saliva interactions, Lyme disease diagnostics, and the role of Bartonella in tick-borne infections. She collaborates on multi-antigen diagnostic assays and explores immunological responses to tick-borne pathogens. Recent studies highlight the persistence of Borrelia post-antibiotics and the failure of monotherapy in curing infections.

Publications span over 60 peer-reviewed articles, with recent focus on antibiotic combination therapies, Borrelia detection methods, and the immunomodulatory effects of tick saliva. Her work contributes to Lyme disease subfields like persister biology, biofilm formation, and post-treatment syndromes.