A WestConn professor has been appointed to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services subcommittee.  Biologist Neeta Connally will serve on the group, which was formed to provide expertise to inform the agency and Congress about effective means to monitor and prevent tick transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.  The Working Group was established as part of the 21st Century Cures Act to also identify research needs and priorities in this area.  Connally heads a federally funded research study at WCSU of tick-borne disease prevention.  Connally's laboratory at WCSU is investigating strategies through tick and rodent control to prevent tick transmission of diseases at residential sites in western Connecticut.