Since 2002, I work on Lyme borreliosis and the role of innate immunity at the skin interface during the process of Borrelia transmission. We focused our study on the skin, a key interface in vector-borne diseases. By two models, one in vitro using human primary skin cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts) and one in C3H/HeN mice, we demonstrated the major immunosuppressive role of Ixodes saliva on skin innate immunity. We also showed that the vertebrate host skin is a site of bacteria multiplication and persistence. Now, We collaborate with chemists to detect pathogen proteins in C3H/HeN mouse skin biopsies in early and late infections by different proteomic techniques to develop new diagnosis and vaccines against tick-borne diseases.