Welcome to the Städele Laboratory
Laboratory of
Tick Neurophysiology
EXPLORING THE SENSORY WORLD OF TICKS
Understanding how ticks sense their environment, find hosts, and make behavioral decisions.
At the Städele Laboratory, we investigate the sensory and neuronal mechanisms underlying host-seeking behavior and host preference in ticks. By combining neurophysiological, anatomical, and behavioral approaches, we aim to uncover how these remarkable animals perceive and interact with their environment.
OUR RESEARCH
Our work focuses on understanding how sensory information guides tick behavior, from the detection of environmental cues to the neuronal processes underlying host selection.
WHY TICKS?
Ticks are more than just vectors of infectious diseases. Their remarkable ability to detect and locate hosts makes them fascinating organisms for studying sensory processing and behavior.
Understanding how ticks navigate their sensory world not only addresses fundamental questions in neuroscience but may also inspire new approaches to tick control.
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WHAT'S TICKING?
News from the TickLab
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Curious about what's happening in the TickLab? Catch up on the latest news, research updates, and adventures from the TickLab Gang!
OUR RESEARCH AIMS
We aim to answer critical questions about the neurobiology of ticks:
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Host-Seeking Behavior: What does host-seeking look like in ticks, and how do they locate hosts?
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Feeding-sight Decision: How does a tick decide for a biting-spot on the host?
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Sensory Cues: What host-emitted cues do ticks rely on, and how do they detect them?
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Sensory Organs: What sensory organs do ticks have, and how are these organs structured to detect environmental stimuli?
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Nervous System Anatomy: What does the tick nervous system look like, and how is it organized?
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Signal Processing: How are sensory signals integrated and processed within the tick brain?
By addressing these questions, we hope to uncover critical insights into ticks' sensory neurobiology, laying the foundation for innovative strategies to control tick populations and reduce the spread of tick-borne diseases.
OUR METHODS
