Scientists expose volunteers to tick bites to unlock vaccine secrets
NCT ID NCT05036707
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at how healthy people's skin and immune system respond to tick bites. Researchers will place clean, lab-bred ticks on volunteers' skin and take small skin samples and blood to track changes. The goal is to understand tick resistance and help design future vaccines against tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this research could help scientists develop vaccines that prevent tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with only 60 healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to everyone. The goal is to understand immune responses, not to test a treatment.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
RECRUITINGBethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
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