Acadia University gets $1.2M to develop new tick repellents

Acadia University's Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre received $1.2 million in provincial funding plus $455,000 from the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to research tick-borne disease prevention, breed ticks locally, and develop repellents. The lab will study what tick species exist in Nova Scotia, what pathogens they carry, and how they respond to repellents.

The lab's work is still in early stages; translation of lab findings into practical repellents and widespread use will require further development and testing.