The Artificial Feeding Platform: A Game-Changer in Tick Biology

Researchers at the University of Melbourne's Melbourne Veterinary School have unveiled a groundbreaking artificial feeding system that mimics human and animal skin, enabling bush ticks to feed and reproduce entirely in the lab without live hosts. This innovation addresses long-standing challenges in studying hard ticks like the Asian longhorned tick, scientifically known as Haemaphysalis longicornis, a parthenogenetic species that reproduces without males and poses significant risks to livestock and potentially humans in Australia.

The platform uses a thin silicone membrane coated with defibrinated cattle blood—blood from which the clotting protein fibrin has been removed—to replicate the warmth, texture, and nutrient flow of natural skin. Ticks attach to the membrane surface, pierce through with their short hypostomes (mouthparts), and engorge over 2 to 7 days, mirroring on-host feeding times. In six experiments with field-collected Australian females, 67% attached successfully, and 74% of those engorged to a mean weight of 161 mg, producing egg masses averaging 67 mg with 98% hatch rates.

This host-free method not only standardizes conditions but also opens doors to precise investigations into tick physiology, gut microbiome shifts during feeding, and vector-pathogen interactions.

How the System Overcomes Traditional Barriers

Historically, tick research relied on live animal models like sheep, cattle, or mice, introducing variables such as host immune responses, grooming behaviors, and inconsistent attachment rates. These factors made experiments labor-intensive, costly, and ethically fraught, especially under tightening animal welfare regulations. The University of Melbourne team optimized membrane thickness and blood temperature to suit H. longicornis's anatomical limitations—short mouthparts and low mobility—achieving bloodmeal-to-egg conversion efficiencies up to 60%, rivaling natural reproduction.

• Step 1: Prepare defibrinated cattle blood maintained at 37°C to simulate body heat.
• Step 2: Place ticks on the silicone membrane over a blood reservoir.
• Step 3: Monitor attachment (within hours) and engorgement (days).
• Step 4: Collect engorged females for oviposition studies; larvae hatch viably.

Lead researcher Dr. Abdul Ghafar highlights: "As climate change reshapes tick distributions, this system supports integrated One Health research on vectors critical to animal and human health."

Understanding the Bush Tick Threat in Australia

Haemaphysalis longicornis, dubbed the bush tick or Asian longhorned tick, invaded Australia from East Asia and now infests much of the east coast, thriving in bushland and pastures. It primarily vectors Theileria orientalis, a protozoan parasite causing bovine anaemia and massive cattle production losses—estimated in millions annually. Emerging concerns include its saliva triggering alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy, and potential for other pathogens like viruses or bacteria via co-feeding with native ticks.

Australia faces rising tick encounters, with Sunshine Coast hospitals reporting 75 bite cases in November 2025 alone amid warmer, wetter conditions favoring tick survival. While paralysis ticks (Ixodes holocyclus) dominate human cases (thousands yearly, causing paralysis and allergies), bush ticks amplify veterinary burdens. A 2025 Senate inquiry underscored diagnostic and treatment gaps for tick-borne diseases (TBDs), highlighting the need for better research tools.

Research Team and Collaborative Expertise

Dr. Abdul Ghafar, a veterinary parasitologist at Melbourne Veterinary School, spearheaded development, drawing on prior in vitro systems for other ticks. Co-supervisor Professor Abdul Jabbar specializes in molecular parasitology, while international collaborator Professor Ard Nijhof from Freie Universität Berlin brought expertise in tick vector biology. Their work, funded partly by Australian Research Council initiatives, exemplifies university-led innovation addressing national biosecurity challenges.

This project aligns with UniMelb's strengths in veterinary biosciences, where researchers explore anti-tick vaccines and microbial controls. For aspiring scientists, opportunities abound in higher-ed research jobs tackling zoonoses.

Key Advantages: Ethical, Efficient, and Scalable

The platform slashes ethical concerns by eliminating animal hosts, complying with 3Rs principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement). It minimizes variability—engorgement weight correlated strongly with fecundity (r=0.82)—enabling reliable data for statistical power unattainable in vivo. High-throughput potential suits screening thousands of compounds for acaricides or vaccines, accelerating discoveries.

Professor Nijhof notes: "Animal models risk variability from immune responses and grooming."

Unlocking Pathogen Transmission Studies

With full reproductive cycles, the system allows doping blood with pathogens to trace acquisition, gut colonization, and saliva transmission—crucial for TBDs like theileriosis. Future work could model co-infections or microbiome roles in vector competence. In Australia, where TBDs cost livestock billions, this could pinpoint intervention points.Read the full study

Economic Impacts and Livestock Protection

H. longicornis drives Theileria orientalis outbreaks, with anaemia outbreaks decimating herds. The platform enables vaccine trials targeting tick salivary proteins or gut microbes, potentially slashing chemical acaricide use amid resistance rises. For beef and dairy sectors—key to rural economies—this means healthier cattle and reduced losses.

Explore academic jobs in Australia or higher-ed jobs in veterinary parasitology.

Human Health Ramifications: Alpha-Gal and Beyond

Bush tick saliva contains alpha-gal, sensitizing humans to red meat allergies, with cases rising alongside invasions. The system could test anti-saliva interventions. While Lyme borreliosis remains controversial in Australia, tools like this bolster surveillance for emerging zoonoses.

Future Outlook: Scalable Solutions for Global Challenges

As ticks expand with warming climates, UniMelb's platform sets a blueprint for other species. Integrations with CRISPR for gene knockdowns or AI-driven feeding analytics loom. Professor Jabbar envisions: "Standardized platforms for vaccine discovery."

Photo by Andrey K on Unsplash

Career Pathways in Tick and Vector Research

This breakthrough underscores demand for experts in parasitology and bioengineering. UniMelb and similar institutions offer PhDs, postdocs, and faculty roles. Check research jobs, university jobs, higher-ed career advice, and rate my professor for insights. For recruiters, explore recruitment services.