Tuesday, April 4, 2006

Pharmaceutical Company Sponsors K-State Professor’s Tick Research

By Brennan Engle

Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine has received an $815,000 sponsorship from Merial to fund research on ticks that infest dogs and cats.

The research, to be conducted by Michael Dryden, professor of veterinary parasitology, will help veterinarians and pharmaceutical companies understand more about the biology of ticks and how to prevent them from infesting domestic animals.

Dryden is a world-renowned expert on fleas, having reversed misconceptions about fleas during his 20 years of research. This research led to the inception of Merial's products, Frontline and Frontline Plus.

Zach Mills, executive director of veterinary medical affairs for Merial, is confident that Dryden's new research will allow his company to develop better products to control ticks.

"For us to really develop true preventive programs that will keep ticks from transmitting diseases, we have to understand ticks in the same ways we understand fleas," Mills said. "We know that with Dr. Dryden's drive and capabilities, he will do the same thing for the tick market that he has done with fleas, no doubt."

Dryden's research will focus on the four species that are indigenous to North America: the Lone Star; American Dog; Black Legged, which is a Lyme disease carrier; and Brown Dog ticks.

Last fall, Dryden's flea research received a prestigious recognition from the scientific community when it was voted the most significant advancement in modern veterinary dermatology by a group of veterinary dermatologists.

"Building upon Dr. Dryden's lifelong commitment to external parasite control and his unprecedented success in solving the problems of flea infestations, we look forward to the outcomes that will emerge from this new research opportunity," said Ralph Richardson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. "Without the support from Merial, we simply could not have taken this next important step in the field of veterinary and comparative parasitology."