Where should a tick be submitted for research? - briefly
Submit the specimen to a certified entomology or public‑health laboratory, such as a state vector‑surveillance program or a university research facility equipped for acarology. These institutions have the expertise and protocols needed for accurate identification and pathogen testing.
Where should a tick be submitted for research? - in detail
Submitting a tick specimen for scientific investigation requires placement in facilities equipped for vector-borne disease research, taxonomic identification, and molecular analysis. The following institutions and platforms represent the primary avenues for such submissions.
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National reference laboratories – agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, the Public Health England (PHE) Tick Surveillance Unit, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) maintain dedicated tick collections and provide diagnostic services. Contact the entomology or vector-borne disease divisions directly to arrange shipment.
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University research centers – departments of entomology, parasitology, or epidemiology at universities often run tick repositories. Examples include the University of Rhode Island Tick Research Laboratory, the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology, and the University of Queensland’s Vector Biology Unit. Researchers can submit specimens through the laboratory’s specimen accession system.
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Specialized museums and natural history collections – institutions such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Natural History Museum in London, and the Australian Museum house curated arthropod collections. Submissions are accepted for taxonomic verification and archival storage.
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International databases and biobanks – platforms like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the VectorBase repository accept digital records and physical samples when paired with a voucher specimen. Submission guidelines are available on each site and typically require metadata on collection location, host, and date.
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Peer‑reviewed journals with supplemental specimen sections – journals such as Ticks and Tick‑Borne Diseases and Parasites & Vectors allow authors to deposit voucher ticks in recognized repositories as part of manuscript submission. The journal’s author instructions specify the required repository.
Key procedural steps for any venue include:
- Specimen preservation – store ticks in 70–95 % ethanol, keep at 4 °C, and avoid repeated freeze‑thaw cycles.
- Metadata collection – record precise GPS coordinates, collection date, host species, life stage, and any observed pathology.
- Regulatory compliance – obtain necessary permits for interstate or international transport, adhere to CITES if applicable, and complete customs declarations for biological material.
- Packaging – use sealed, leak‑proof containers with absorbent material, label clearly with unique identifier, and include a completed submission form.
Choosing the appropriate destination depends on the research objective: diagnostic testing aligns with national laboratories, taxonomic work favors museum collections, and genomic studies benefit from university labs or VectorBase. Ensuring proper preservation, documentation, and legal compliance maximizes the scientific value of the submitted tick.