The Tick Borne Disease Research Lab

Research in our lab at the University of North Texas HSC has two main themes: host-microbiome interactions and vector-borne diseases. In the former, we are investigating the roles of the microbiome in health and disease in a number of systems including the gut (IBS) and lung (pneumonia), as well as the changes within the microbiome during times of stress and infection. Basic research is then applied to investigate mechanisms for modulating the microbiome community and the use of natural and genetically engineered probiotic bacteria for the treatment of diseases such as PKU. Vector-borne disease research in the laboratory focuses on pathogens associated with ticks (e.g. Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp.) and triatomines (vectors of the parasite causing Chagas disease), and studies of the vector’s microbiome in an effort to identify factors that may influence their capacity to transmit disease. Our lab also conducts pathogen screening of ticks for the Texas Department of State Health Services