Acadia researcher wins national award for tick repellent discovery

From the Springboard Content Lab and Acadia University Newsroom

Springboard Atlantic congratulates our member, Acadia University and researcher Dr. Nicoletta Faraone on winning a prestigious national innovation award.

Faraone, an Associate Professor in the Chemistry Department, has been recognized with a national Mitacs Award for Outstanding Innovation for her groundbreaking work developing Canada’s first all-natural, long-lasting fabric spray tick repellent.

Dr. Faraone’s lab in Acadia’s Chemistry department leads a research program to better understand how ticks interact with their environment and how we can safely protect ourselves against them. The award, presented at a ceremony at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, celebrates Canadian researchers whose discoveries are driving innovation and improving lives across the country.

“It’s truly important that we have access to funding and support from organizations like Mitacs that invest in ideas and students, and support new discoveries that will help humanity. Mitacs really opened up possibilities for research that I didn’t know were possible.  As researchers, we need that strong belief in what we are doing in order to answer important questions.”

– Dr. Nicoletta Faraone, Acadia University researcher

Tick research centre to open in 2026

Earlier this year, Acadia announced the founding of the Canadian Tick Research and Innovation Centre (CTRIC), which is slated to open in 2026, under Dr. Faraone’s direction. The centre was supported by a $755,000 donation from Susan and Peter Gordon of Ontario.

The Centre brings together researchers with expertise in chemistry, entomology and climate science; students; and industry partners. Together, they will tackle the growing challenge of tick-borne diseases, which are on the rise across Nova Scotia and across the country.

Working with Nova Scotia–based AtlanTick Repellent Products, Dr. Faraone’s team discovered that certain essential oils impair ticks’ ability to smell, effectively blocking them from locating hosts such as humans and pets. This finding led to the development of a first-of-its-kind fabric spray repellent, which will be available ahead of the 2026 tick season.

“Our best protection against Lyme disease and other vector-borne diseases comes from first understanding how ticks respond to repellents and then discovering the formulations that work best to reduce the likelihood of a human encounter.”

– Dr. Faraone

The all-natural spray repels ticks for up to a week and offers an alternative to synthetic chemical repellents, reducing health and environmental concerns.

Building a foundation for tick research

In addition to repellent development, Dr. Faraone’s team is exploring how climate change influences tick populations and behaviour, as well as the potential of naturally occurring Nova Scotian fungi to act as biocontrol agents against ticks. These projects form the foundation of CTRIC’s mission to create sustainable, evidence-based solutions that protect human and animal health.

Mitacs, in a press release announcing the national winners, praised researchers like Dr. Faraone for “demonstrating what’s possible when we invest in ideas, talent, and innovation,” said Mitacs CEO Dr. Stephen Lucas.

Dr. Faraone is one of 11 researchers across Canada to receive a 2025 Mitacs Award, selected from thousands of projects for their potential to create real-world social and economic impact.

Acadia University is a member of the Springboard Network of 19 post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada. Our mission is to grow the regional economy through industry/community collaborations and through the commercialization of research.