Nicoletta Faraone, an associate professor of chemistry, is fulfilling her dream by overseeing the establishment of the Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre at Acadia University. The center will focus on breeding ticks, testing repellents, and studying tick-borne diseases, aiming to address public health concerns, especially in Nova Scotia, where the tick population is notably high.
The facility, set to be the first of its kind in Canada, will ensure disease-free ticks for research purposes. Currently, there is only one known tick-breeding facility in North America, located at Oklahoma State University, which sells ticks for $5 each. The new research center at Acadia is expected to open in the spring, with plans to build up tick stocks and commence research activities within a year.
Luís Anholeto, a post-doctoral fellow in the chemistry department, will serve as the lab manager at the center. Anholeto emphasized the importance of working with local tick strains to make research findings relevant to Canadian public health, including blacklegged and dog ticks.
Despite initial funding setbacks, a major donation of $755,000 from donors in Ontario, Peter and Susan Gordon, has propelled the project forward. Faraone expressed gratitude for the financial support, highlighting the belief in scientific endeavors. The goal is to eventually employ three full-time staff at the tick research center and achieve financial sustainability by selling ticks within five years.
Anholeto, enthusiastic about the opportunity, aims to leverage the facility to explore innovative solutions for preventing the spread of tick-borne diseases. His passion for protecting humans from these diseases is a driving force behind his work with ticks.