TICK CELL BIOBANK: ASIA OUTPOST

Ticks are vectors of bacteria, protozoa and viruses capable of causing serious and life threatening diseases in humans and animals. Disease transmission occurs through the transfer of pathogen from tick bites to susceptible humans or animals. Research into the prevention and therapeutics of these diseases is greatly assisted by the use of cell culture systems that enable the study of the biology of ticks and the mechanism of tick-borne disease transmission. The Tick Cell Biobank houses a collection of ixodid and argasid tick-derived cell lines of medical and veterinary importance. As the Tick Cell Biobank Asia Outpost, we are part of an international network of laboratories that offer tick cell lines for research and education, with the main biobank situated in the University of Liverpool. The goal of the outpost is to make available the resources and trainings necessary for the use of tick cell cultures to fellow researchers in the Asian region, in which many are from low- or middle-income developing countries, thereby improving the regional capacity for conducting research into tick-borne diseases.

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