Gary P. Wormser, M.D.

Vice Chair, MedicineProfessor, Medicine & Medicine - Division of Infectious DiseasesProfessor, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology & Pharmacology School of MedicineProfessor, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology & Pharmacology Biomedical Sciences
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Gary P. Wormser, M.D., leads a top team of experts in the study of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. His interest in infectious diseases dates back to 1981 when he and colleagues wrote the first paper on AIDS to appear in a scientific journal, and he has spoken on the use of smallpox and other deadly viruses as bioterrorist weapons.

Education

  • B.S., University of Pennsylvania
  • M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Residency, Internal Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 
  • Residency, Internal Medicine, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst

Areas of Expertise

  • Infectious Disease
  • Lyme Disease
  • Bio-Threat
  • Medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Microbiology and Immunology
  • Lyme Disease
  • Babesiosis
  • Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
  • Tick-borne Diseases

Honors and Awards

  • 2007, Infectious Diseases Society of America: Citation for Exemplary Service
  • 2000, Best Teacher Award, Medical Residents at Westchester Medical Center 
  • 1999, Dean’s Distinguished Research Award, New York Medical College
  • 1985, 1993, Best Teacher Award, Medical Students at New York Medical College 

Research

Dr. Wormser's principal research interests are Lyme disease, babesiosis, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis, with other research activities in HIV infection, infection control, and investigational antimicrobial agents and vaccine preparations.

Publications

  • Strle F, Maraspin V, Lotrič-Furlan S, et. al. "Lower Frequency of Multiple Erythema Migrans Skin Lesions in Lyme Reinfections, Europe." Emerging infectious diseases, 31(4), (2025) 662-668. doi: 10.3201/eid3104.241329
  • Bourgeois JS, McCarthy JE, Turk S-P, et. al. "Peromyscus leucopus, Mus musculus, and humans have distinct transcriptomic responses to larval Ixodes scapularis bites." Infection and immunity, 93(4), (2025) e0006525. doi: 10.1128/iai.00065-25
  • Laing RA, Foster MJ, Hassani MA, et. al. "Complex exchanges among plasmids and clonal expansion of lineages shape the population structure and virulence of Borrelia burgdorferi." bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, (), (2025) . pii: 2025.01.29.635312. doi: 10.1101/2025.01.29.635312
  • Wormser GP. "Proposal to add a second Christmas holiday in the USA." Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, (), (2025) . doi: 10.1007/s00508-025-02500-2
  • Ogrinc K, Bogovič P, Rojko T, et. al. "Proportion of confirmed Lyme neuroborreliosis cases among patients with suspected early European Lyme neuroborreliosis." Research square, (), (2024) . pii: rs.3.rs-5231881. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5231881/v1
  • Ogrinc K, Bogovič P, Rojko T, et. al. "Proportion of confirmed Lyme neuroborreliosis cases among adult patients with suspected early European Lyme neuroborreliosis." Infection, (), (2025) . doi: 10.1007/s15010-024-02461-0
  • Wormser GP, Zentmaier L, Liveris D, et. al. "Antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Patients with Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis Confirmed by Both Polymerase Chain Reaction and Culture." The American journal of medicine, 138(4), (2025) 669-672. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.11.025
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Memberships and Affiliations

  • Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases
  • Member of AOA