PolyBio Research Foundation
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A 501(c)3 transforming the study of infection-associated chronic disease
At PolyBio, we believe that chronic inflammatory diseases are not mysterious or hopeless. The opposite is true: we can use new tools to study pathogen activity, environmental exposures, microbiome imbalances, neuroinflammation, gene changes, and other issues in patients with such conditions. PolyBio brings together some of the brightest minds in science to research these topics in a proactive and open-minded fashion. PolyBio was founded by three scientists with complementary expertise (neuroscience, microbiology & genetics). We conceptualize research projects that identify root cause drivers of these conditions, and build teams to make the projects a reality.
Dr. Amy Proal, PolyBio Scientific Director, recently joined “Lab Visits” to discuss the process of commercializing and gaining regulatory approval for Long COVID diagnostics. She explained how PolyBio is building a diagnostic incubator program to connect promising early-stage diagnostic teams with guidance and expertise in regulatory strategy, FDA approval, reimbursement, and other key areas of development.
Said Proal, “Our focus now really is taking what we’re learning from the academic research, and making it work in the real world. And that’s because our goal, ultimately, as a foundation, is to get treatments to patients as rapidly as possible.”
Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/keGF2_MKnpo?si=PPa82JrmVo_-Dc_L
09/28/2026
Breaking: PolyBio Funds Spatial Metabolomic Mapping of Long COVID Tissues
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Medford, MA — September 28, 2026 — PolyBio Research Foundation has funded a new project using advanced mass spectrometry imaging to map metabolic and mitochondrial abnormalities directly within tissues from people with Long COVID. The study aims to uncover localized changes in energy production, lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and other biochemical pathways that may contribute to Long COVID symptoms and disease progression.
The project is led by Elizabeth K. Neumann, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Davis, in collaboration with Timothy J. Henrich, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease and Molecular Imaging at the University of California, San Francisco.
The team will apply matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, or MALDI MSI, to colorectal tissue, bone marrow, muscle, cerebrospinal fluid, and paired blood or plasma samples collected through the UCSF LIINC cohort and other PolyBio-supported studies. Samples will include those from people with Long COVID, carefully matched individuals who fully recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, and participants in certain interventional clinical trials.
Long COVID has been associated with abnormalities in energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, lipid regulation, and oxidative stress. However, most metabolomic studies analyze molecules extracted from blood or homogenized tissue. These approaches can identify broad biochemical differences but eliminate the spatial information needed to determine where abnormalities occur, which cells and tissue structures are affected, and whether distinct metabolic changes coexist within the same samples.
MALDI MSI addresses this limitation by measuring large numbers of molecular species directly within intact tissue sections. A chemical matrix is applied to the tissue and stimulated with a laser, allowing hundreds of lipids and metabolites to be identified by mass spectrometry and mapped back to their original locations.
“Metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction are increasingly implicated in Long COVID, but we still have a limited understanding of how these abnormalities manifest within affected tissues,” said Amy Proal, PhD, President and Research Director of PolyBio Research Foundation. “This technology will allow the team to identify localized biochemical changes that may be missed when an entire tissue sample is analyzed in bulk. The resulting maps could reveal important pathways driving symptoms and point toward new biomarkers and treatment targets.”
The investigators expect to detect approximately 200 distinct lipids and 150 metabolites in each tissue sample. Because the approach is label-free and does not require researchers to select a limited set of molecular targets in advance, it can generate an unbiased view of the biochemical pathways altered in Long COVID.
The MALDI MSI findings will also be integrated with spatial multiomic analyses performed on adjacent tissue sections. These analyses include measurements of immune activity, host responses, and single- and double-stranded SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This complementary information will help the investigators interpret the metabolic findings within a broader biological context and determine how altered biochemical pathways relate to other features of Long COVID pathology.
The Neumann laboratory has previously demonstrated the power of this approach by using MALDI trapped-ion mobility mass spectrometry imaging to localize low-abundance polystyrene particles across mouse tissues while simultaneously identifying organ-specific changes in lipid metabolism. The study detected distinct molecular alterations in the stomach, liver, and heart, showing that the technology can connect tissue exposures with surrounding biochemical changes.
In the new Long COVID study, the investigators will additionally examine whether MALDI MSI can detect and characterize extracellular vesicles in paired plasma and cerebrospinal fluid samples. Extracellular vesicles are small membrane-bound particles released by cells that carry proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and other molecular cargo into accessible biofluids.
By comparing tissue-level metabolic abnormalities with extracellular vesicle signals in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, the researchers may identify accessible biomarkers that reflect mitochondrial or metabolic dysfunction occurring within less accessible tissues. Such biomarkers could ultimately help distinguish biological subgroups of Long COVID, identify patients most likely to benefit from specific therapies, and monitor treatment responses during clinical trials.
The project advances PolyBio’s broader strategy of combining direct tissue analysis with next-generation biofluid diagnostics.
Read more on the study's background: https://polybio.org/polybio-funds-spatial-metabolomic-mapping-of-long-covid-tissues/
09/25/2026
Breaking: Steve and Judy Pagliuca, Governor Maura Healey Accelerate Major Effort to Deliver Treatments for Long COVID
👉🏻$15 million raised by a coalition of donors to advance diagnostics and clinical trials for Long COVID; with the infrastructure expanding into chronic Lyme disease
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BOSTON, MA — September 24, 2026 — PolyBio Research Foundation has raised $15 million for its Long COVID Cure Initiative (LCCI), the organization announced at a September 15 gathering co-hosted by Steve and Judy Pagliuca and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey at The ’Quin House in Boston. The initiative is also expanding its work to bring treatments to patients with chronic Lyme disease.
The gathering brought together philanthropists, scientists, patients, and biotechnology leaders to hear about key Long COVID research findings with the potential to inform new diagnostics and treatments, and PolyBio’s strategy for translating those discoveries into validated tests and clinical trials.
The donor coalition includes Todd Park (co-founder of Devoted Health and former U.S. Chief Technology Officer), Amy Geng, Steve and Judy Pagliuca, and other supporters. The $15 million total includes funds raised at the event.
The Initiative will support the development of a Long COVID clinical trials network designed to accelerate the evaluation of promising treatments and bring effective therapies to patients. The network will focus on mechanistic clinical trials that measure changes in underlying patient biology and investigate combination treatment strategies.
“Long COVID has touched our family personally, so we understand that behind every statistic is a person whose health, independence, or career has been completely disrupted,” said Steve Pagliuca at the event. “The urgent challenge now is turning scientific discoveries into tools and treatments that reach patients.”
“Congratulations to everyone—raising $15 million to accelerate the development of treatments for Long COVID is a remarkable achievement,” said Governor Healey. “I’m especially grateful to Steve and Judy Pagliuca for their leadership and generosity in helping move this critical work forward. To everyone living with Long COVID: we see you, we hear you, and we are committed to making sure you have the treatments and support you deserve.”
More than 18 million people in the United States are living with Long COVID. Patients can experience debilitating symptoms across multiple body systems, while Long COVID clinics remain overwhelmed and access to care can involve lengthy waits.
The clinical research infrastructure developed through LCCI is also being expanded to include patients with chronic Lyme disease and other infection-associated chronic conditions.
*Please note that COVID protections were prominent at the event. Germicidal far-UVC lights loaned to PolyBio via the OSLUV project were installed across the event space. LEVOIT Smart Air HEPA filters were also placed throughout the entire room. All guests were asked to take a COVID rapid antigen test and confirm negative status before the event. COVID tests and N95 masks were also available at the door to the venue.
Full article: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/steve-and-judy-pagliuca-and-governor-maura-healey-accelerate-major-effort-to-deliver-treatments-for-long-covid-302889845.html?tc=eml_cleartime
Learn more about the Long COVID Cure Initiative: https://polybio.org/lcci/
Calling all ME/CFS and chronic Lyme disease patients living in the U.S.—we are recruiting a final few patients for a decentralized trial of the enzyme Lumbrokinase!
Lumbrokinase is an over-the-counter medication that breaks down fibrin, a molecule involved in clotting that can sometimes accumulate in the lungs or within microclots in patients with IACIs.
If you’ve been diagnosed with ME/CFS or chronic Lyme disease (PTLD), apply now to see if you’re eligible to participate. If accepted, the trial team will send the Lumbrokinase directly to your home (U.S. only). You will be required to track your symptoms via questionnaires as a part of the trial.
Interested in participating? Email [email protected] to apply for this open-label trial.
Participants should:
-be 18 years or older
-live in the United States
-have a formal diagnosis from a physician of ME/CFS or Post-Treatment Lyme disease (PTLD)
09/18/2026
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PolyBio Research Foundation publishes a newsletter every month with access to our latest articles, summaries of research findings, and exciting interviews with partner researchers.
Join the list now ahead of our September launch: polybio.org/newsletter/
Drawing on expertise in engineering and microfluidics, Dr. Shannon Stott and her team developed a microfluidic chip that uses laboratory-produced ACE2 receptors to capture SARS-CoV-2 viral particles from biofluids.
Initially evaluated using blood samples from individuals with acute COVID-19, the "Herringbone" chip demonstrated the ability to detect viral loads as low as three viral copies per milliliter of blood.
The technology is now being evaluated in Long COVID biofluids as a potential method for detecting persistent SARS-CoV-2. Dr. Stott's team has received a second round of samples from the LIINC collaborative, advancing validation efforts as part of PolyBio's VIPER Diagnostics program.
As part of the study, quality control samples will be run using contrived samples that are spiked with known concentrations of inactivated viral particles.
For Long COVID samples processed, the team will also evaluate if there is any correlation between clinical symptoms and virus levels; while also being evaluated against other SARS-CoV-2-detecting technologies within the VIPER program.
Watch Dr. Stott’s full presentation from PolyBio’s Spring 2026 symposium: https://youtu.be/tD5gWVEjudQ?t=10667&si=d93orPi3-0KH4kzx
Study background: https://polybio.org/projects/microfluidic-capture-to-identify-potential-viral-particles-in-long-covid-blood/
Learn more about PolyBio’s VIPER program: https://polybio.org/viper/
In a recent episode of PolyBio’s “Lab Visits,” Dr. David Putrino outlined an ongoing Long COVID clinical trial of low-dose rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor with numerous impacts on immune and mitochondrial function, taking place at Mt. Sinai’s CoRE clinic.
“Before starting this trial, not only did we speak with a lot of experts who had been trialing low-dose rapamycin in other populations, but we also spoke to patients who had figured it out on their own,” said Putrino. “That led us to very slowly tapering up the dose.”
“It’s this… interesting drug that has a lot of different functions, that seems to have the capability to address many of the physiological issues that are occurring in people with IACCIs day-to-day.”
The trial is currently divided into two phases: a randomized, controlled phase; and an open-label phase. Even if assigned to placebo initially, all participants will receive the option to trial the drug during the later open-label phase.
This trial of low-dose rapamycin is actively recruiting a few final participants with Long COVID. A recent expansion to the trial from Vitalik Buterin’s Balvi Fund provides an opportunity to severe Long COVID patients to participate via at-home visits.
Participants should:
-be 18 years or older
-have a diagnosis of Long COVID
-live in the NYC area & be prepared for in-person clinic visits, if able
Email [email protected] to sign up now. If you are a severe and homebound patient, mention this to the trial team—they may be able to conduct at-home visits, depending on availability.
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Full interview with Dr. David Putrino: https://youtu.be/QY1AlLVSMQE?si=SHN3gTNF_6IgTtv6
Media Enriched with Newly Synthesized Antibodies (MENSA) is a novel detection assay for persistent infections currently integrated into several PolyBio-supported Long COVID clinical trials.
By isolating plasmablasts from blood samples—cells that form new antibodies in response to active infections—MENSA provides researchers a window into which pathogens the immune system is currently responding to.
When compared to standard serology tests, the tool is on track to serving as a reliable and targeted detection method for active SARS-CoV-2, EBV, CMV, and more.
MENSA’s potential applications are vast—it’s currently being tested as an “immune snapshot” of these key viruses implicated in Long COVID, ME/CFS, and other infection-associated chronic illnesses.
Leading its development is Emory University’s Dr. Francis Eun Lee. Said Dr. Lee: “What we find is that in serum, there’s no difference that we can see from the COVID-recovered and Long COVID [individuals]. But you can see in MENSA that it’s very different.”
From early data using MENSA, “about 42% were positive in the Long COVID group for SARS-CoV-2. And you can see the herpesviruses were picking up another 60%.”
Accounting for patients in which both persistent viruses were detected, these early findings totalled 70% of LC participants demonstrating an active, chronic infection detected by MENSA.
Notably, MENSA is being tested for its ability to identify responders to repurposed antiviral medications within Long COVID clinical trials at Mount Sinai’s CoRE clinic in New York City.
Used longitudinally over the study period, the assay has been able to detect changes to active SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody production for several trial participants.
Further, awaiting unblinded data, MENSA results will be compared to other biological assays for Long COVID used in this trial that are simultaneously under development within PolyBio’s VIPER Biomarkers program.
Watch Dr. Lee’s full presentation: https://youtu.be/tD5gWVEjudQ?si=dOGwmIMffq3YI697
MENSA study background: https://polybio.org/projects/mensa-virus-immune-snapshot-testing-to-identify-long-covid-clinical-trial-responders/
Learn more about the VIPER diagnostics program: https://polybio.org/viper/
Dr. Michael VanElzakker, Co-Founder of PolyBio Research Foundation, recently discussed the biological basis of brain fog on Technology Networks’ Teach Me in 10 podcast.
Explaining how peripheral infections, immune activation, and the central nervous system interact, VanElzakker said: “When [the vagus nerve] detects cytokines that are being produced locally to that infection… it sends a signal up your brain.”
“Let’s say you have the flu or strep throat…. Very different pathogens, but it’s got this sort of shared response, that includes in it brain fog.”
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/-_0127u3Ta8?si=hsy0_S39LXMNNVBM
The Biochip Antigen and RNA Assay (BARA) is a new ultrasenstive platform being developed by Dr. Eduardo Reategui’s Ohio State University laboratory—capable of capturing intact virions, as well as extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) in accessible biofluids.
Now, with the support of PolyBio, BARA is being investigated for its detection of persistent SARS-CoV-2 viral and immune signatures in Long COVID. The platform is actively being tested on 150 cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples from Long COVID patients and matched controls to help map viral persistence and its tissues of origin.
EVPs provide a unique window into ongoing disease activity because they preserve and transport molecular signals from infected or dysregulated tissues. This makes them a powerful tool for detecting how-level viral persistence and determining how infection-associated signals propagate through the body.
By integrating EVP-based viral detection with host response profiling, the PolyBio-supported project establishes a scalable framework for measuring disease biology in accessible biofluids, with the potential to accelerate the development of diagnostics and precision therapies for Long COVID.
Watch Dr. Eduardo Reategui’s full presentation from the PolyBio Spring Symposium here: https://youtu.be/tD5gWVEjudQ?t=18921&si=qvSGmE6l9TQLXkbP
Full project summary: https://polybio.org/projects/decoding-viral-persistence-signals-in-biofluids-using-single-particle-evp-analysis/
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