Dr Michail Kotsyfakis

Research Professor at IMBB-FORTH, Greece

Michail Kotsyfakis, PhD (University of Crete, 2004), is a Research Professor at IMBB-FORTH, Greece. After postdoctoral training at NIAID/NIH (USA), he led in 2009 the Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors at the Czech Academy of Sciences before joining IMBB-FORTH in 2023. He has supervised PhD theses, mentored postdocs, and secured major funding from the EU, Human Frontiers Science Program, EMBO, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and Czech Science Foundation. He coordinates ResTick and studies tick–host molecular interactions to clarify disease transmission and develop tick-derived therapies for immune and haemostatic disorders.

Summary of ResTick

ResTick addresses the growing threat of ticks as disease vectors in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever. Climate change is reshaping tick populations, pathogen transmission, and ecosystem dynamics, making early intervention essential. The initiative combines molecular ecology, epidemiology, veterinary science, and diagnostic assay development to better understand tick species, pathogens, and their interactions. By establishing baseline data, ResTick is creating early warning and monitoring systems, while developing affordable, user-friendly diagnostic tools and point-of-care devices. Advanced statistical approaches and predictive modelling are used to forecast tick abundance and disease prevalence. Integrating these findings into One Health strategies will enhance public health preparedness, support sustainable livestock farming, and promote economic resilience in the region. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-border cooperation, ResTick seeks to generate practical solutions, safeguard health systems, and strengthen societal responses to tick-borne diseases in a changing climate.

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