Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded Stony Brook University $436,605 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 4, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2028. This R21 Project Grant supports research investigating the capacity of the Haemaphysalis longicornis (longhorned tick) to acquire and transmit Babesia microti, an emerging vector-borne pathogen causing babesiosis in humans. The research addresses a critical public health gap by determining whether this invasive tick species serves as a competent vector for Babesia microti transmission, given its rapid spread in endemic regions such as Long Island, New York, and its potential to co-feed with the known primary vector, Ixodes scapularis.

The research deliverables include experimental studies employing a customized artificial membrane feeding system to evaluate Haemaphysalis longicornis acquisition and transmission of Babesia microti, with measurements of transstadial and transovarial transmission efficiencies, parasitic burdens in organ tissues, and transmission capacity to sterile blood reservoirs. The study will include parallel investigations using laboratory-reared Ixodes scapularis ticks as control specimens to establish comparative vectorial competence data. These research products will provide essential scientific evidence regarding emerging tick-borne pathogen transmission dynamics and support informed public health interventions for managing babesiosis risk in the United States.