Dr Lidia Chitimia-Dobler is a parasitologist at the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany with expertise on ticks. Her specific interests include morphology and genetics of ticks and prevalence of ticks with tick-borne pathogens specifically in German and African ticks, as well as in exotic imported ticks into Germany. Moreover, she is a world re-known specialist in the identification of fossil ticks from Burmese amber, which is relevant for the understanding of tick origin and evolution. Her research on a better understanding of tick diversity will lead to a better understanding on drivers for changes on the interaction of tick-host-environment and transmission of tick-borne pathogens. She has years of experience in fieldwork, collecting ticks from vegetation and wild and farm animals. Her main research interest on tick-borne diseases (especially tick-borne encephalitis and Rickettsia spp.) is in the field of epidemiology in a one health context.  

Susan Little, is Regents Professor and the Krull-Ewing Professor in Veterinary Parasitology at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University where she is active in veterinary parasitology teaching and oversees a research program that focuses on zoonotic parasites, ticks, and tick-borne diseases. Dr. Little earned a BS in Biology from Cornell University, a DVM from Virginia Tech, and a PhD in veterinary parasitology from the University of Georgia. She is a diplomate in parasitology through the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists, past-president of both the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists and the Companion Animal Parasite Council, and currently serves as co-Director of the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology. Dr. Little is an outstanding teacher and has received two excellence in teaching awards from the national Student American Veterinary Medical Association. In 2017 Dr. Little received the Distinguished Veterinary Parasitologist Award from the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists.