Ard Nijhof

Univ.-Prof. Ard Nijhof, PhD is a Professor and Head of the Tropical Veterinary Medicine Working Group at the Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine within the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Freie Universität Berlin. His office is located at Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, Room 012, 14163 Berlin, Germany.

Dr. Nijhof's research focuses on parasitology and tropical veterinary medicine with particular emphasis on tick-host-pathogen interactions, vector-borne diseases, and zoonotic infections. His work spans molecular investigations of vector competence, field epidemiology of tick-borne diseases, and development of novel control strategies including anti-tick vaccines. His research integrates laboratory, field, and molecular approaches to understand transmission dynamics of pathogens like Borrelia, Rickettsia, and Theileria species.

Dr. Nijhof has published extensively on tick-borne diseases, with recent work examining decontamination protocols for tick microbiota, Rift Valley fever epidemiology in Uganda, and genetic aspects of arthropod vectors. His publications show consistent output with 6 publications in 2024 and 6 in 2025 (including preprints), demonstrating active ongoing research.

His research has practical applications in disease control and prevention, particularly through projects like ANTIDotE (anti-tick vaccines to prevent tick-borne diseases in Europe). He collaborates internationally with researchers across Europe, Africa, and Asia on vector-borne disease research.

Dr. Nijhof serves as a key member of the Center for Infectious Diseases at Freie Universität Berlin and contributes to scholarly initiatives such as hosting Sudanese veterinarian Khalid Mohammedsalih from Nyala University as a Scholar Rescue Fund fellow.