Amanda D. Loftis

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Amanda D. Loftis is a researcher specializing in tick-borne disease surveillance and molecular diagnostics, with a focus on developing innovative methods for the large-scale detection of pathogens in tick populations. Her work sits at the critical intersection of public health, vector biology, and laboratory technology, addressing the growing need for efficient tools to monitor tick-borne illnesses that pose significant risks to human and animal health. Loftis is perhaps best known for her pioneering contribution to high-throughput tick testing methodologies. Her 2005 paper, "High-Throughput Molecular Testing of Ticks Using a Liquid-Handling Robot," addressed a notable gap in diagnostic protocols by adapting 96-well plate DNA extraction kits — previously limited to blood and tissue samples — for use with tick specimens. By integrating liquid-handling robotics into this workflow, she helped transform what had been a labor-intensive process into a scalable, efficient system capable of processing large numbers of samples with consistency and precision. This work, which has accumulated citations across multiple indexing records, laid important groundwork for modern tick surveillance programs. Her contributions continue to support researchers and public health professionals seeking faster, more reliable tools for monitoring vector-borne pathogens in field-collected specimens.