The Freehold Area Tick-borne Diseases Program has been on the forefront of efforts to understand and prevent Lyme disease and other emerging tick-borne illness for over 15 years. First funded in 1991 through grants from the CDC and New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, initial research emphasis was placed on the ecology of Lyme disease, including the geographic and seasonal distribution of vector ticks, tick-host associations, and tick habitats. These studies formed the basis for development of various components of an integrated tick management strategy that includes preparation and distribution of educational materials, risk assessment, habitat management, and the use of habitat- and host-targeted tick control methods.

Senior scientists within the Program have 40 years of combined experience in tick-borne disease research and over 50 publications in the scientific literature. Although Lyme disease will continue to receive top priority, the future research goals of the Program are to more accurately identify the risk of other tick-borne diseases and to develop novel tick control technologies.