The Center for Human Identification has been directed by the Texas Senate Committee on Administration to lead the state's effort to develop uniform testing of tick-borne illness. In order to achieve this directive, the Tick-Borne Disease Research Laboratory was constructed after receiving dedicated space and equipment, in addition to high throughput instrumentation.

Beginning October 1, 2004, the Tick-Borne Disease Research Laboratory became the testing laboratory for all tick submissions to the Texas Department of State Health Services Zoonosis Control Division.