Editing tick genes to stop them spreading disease
Official title: Germline Transformation of Ticks
Funded at University of Nevada Reno · NIH-11321599 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using CRISPR gene-editing in ticks to create changes that could one day reduce tick-borne infections in people and losses in cattle.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Reno NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Reno, United States) |
| Project start | May 11, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $652,336 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI172943-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11321599 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who experience repeated tick bites, have a history of Lyme or other tick-borne illnesses, and livestock owners affected by tick infestations would be most likely to benefit from downstream applications.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with health issues unrelated to tick-borne diseases or agricultural pests are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This lab project uses CRISPR and newly developed embryo-injection techniques to try to make genetic changes in ticks that are passed to their offspring. The team has already developed protocols to inject tick eggs and produced the first gene knockouts, and now aims to achieve stable, heritable gene insertions. Work is done on tick embryos and molecular tools rather than on patients. If these genetic methods work, they could enable strategies to lower tick populations or block the pathogens ticks transmit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enable new ways to reduce Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections in people and decrease economic losses from ticks in livestock.
How similar studies have gone: Related work has produced gene knockouts in ticks and improved injection methods, but stable heritable gene insertions in ticks have not yet been achieved.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Reno
Reno, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gulia-Nuss, Monika — University of Nevada Reno
- Study coordinator: Gulia-Nuss, Monika
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.