In this powerful episode, Tick Boot Camp Podcast interviews Dr. Karolina Praskeviciute (“Dr. Pras”), a multilingual, European-trained medical doctor who has lived in Lithuania, Hong Kong, London, and the United States, traveled to 89 countries, and now uses her global experience to understand chronic illness from a unique vantage point.
Dr. Pras shares her deeply personal story of lifelong unexplained symptoms, childhood mold exposure, a bull’s-eye rash at age 15, and a medical system unequipped to recognize chronic tick-borne illness. After a devastating case of early COVID-19 in February 2020, her immune system collapsed, triggering full-blown Lyme disease, Babesia, Bartonella, tick-borne relapsing fever, MCAS, and Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).
This conversation bridges both sides of medicine—Western and functional—and explores how chronic illness forced Dr. Pras to reevaluate everything she learned as a third-generation physician. She now brings a rare, dual perspective as both clinician and patient.
She describes an independent childhood surrounded by nature—but also living in a poorly insulated home with significant hidden mold that triggered early allergies, stomach pain, nosebleeds, and metallic taste.
<h4>➤ Medical school awakening: Why Western medicine failed her symptoms</h4>Despite coming from a family of doctors, she noticed early on that conventional medicine couldn’t explain many of her symptoms—and she witnessed firsthand how chronic illness is minimized, dismissed, or mislabeled.
<h4>➤ The first tick bite at 15 & the bull’s-eye rash ignored by doctors</h4>Despite developing textbook erythema migrans, pediatricians refused treatment. Her mother initiated a short doxycycline course on her own—far too short to prevent chronic Lyme.
<h4>➤ Traveling the world & accumulating exposures</h4>After living and working across continents, she now believes different strains, microbes, and environmental factors layered into the perfect storm.
<h4>➤ Long COVID as the breaking point</h4>Like many chronically ill patients, COVID destabilized everything:
massive immune dysregulation
nonstop inflammation
MCAS flares
worsening neurological symptoms
Lyme and Babesia fully activating
Her CIRS diagnosis revealed why she never recovered even after leaving mold exposure—and why immune dysfunction made Lyme treatment far more complex.
<h4>➤ Her diagnostic breakthrough with IGeneX</h4>After repeated false-negative Western blots, specialty testing finally uncovered:
Lyme
Babesia
Bartonella
Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF)
Immune activation on FISH testing
Her current regimen includes:
Houttuynia (major reduction in joint pain within 1 week)
Cryptolepis (powerful antimicrobial requiring slow titration)
Custom herbal protocols (single-herb tinctures)
HBOT
INUSpheresis
Light sauna
Gentle lymphatic drainage
Vagus nerve support
Journaling & limbic system retraining
Strict ketogenic diet after a 7-day fast dramatically reduced inflammation
She also discusses the risks of Botox, fillers, tattoos, and skincare toxins for chronically ill patients.
<h4>➤ Nervous system healing as the foundation of recovery</h4>She explains why vagus nerve work and limbic retraining may fail if patients are still in toxin exposure (like mold or endotoxins)—a vital distinction rarely discussed.
<h4>➤ Becoming a doctor who understands chronic illness from both sides</h4>This episode explores:
medical defensiveness
gaslighting vs unhealthy doctor-patient dynamics
why patients must be empowered, not dismissed
why doctors also need compassion and realistic expectations
how her future clinical practice will integrate empathy, functional medicine, and lived experience
“I dismissed my own symptoms because I was trained to believe nothing was wrong unless labs proved it.”
“Mold was the silent force that weakened my system long before Lyme took over.”
“Healing is not linear. Some days it feels like I’m starting over, but I always come back stronger.”
“Doctors have tools—but without a healthy doctor-patient relationship, those tools don’t work.”
“I can help others now because I know when to push and when to pull back. Lived experience matters.”
Instagram: @drkaromd
Email: [email protected] (“consultant” spelled with a K)
Singer-songwriter and Lyme disease advocate Jesse Ruben joins the Tick Boot Camp Podcast for an incredibly honest, emotional, and deeply educational conversation about chronic Lyme disease, identity loss, treatment failure, unconventional healing, relapse, nervous system trauma, and the role of music and community in survival.
Jesse’s journey spans more than a decade and includes misdiagnosis, years of antibiotic treatment, experimental therapies, remission, relapse during the pandemic, gut microbiome restoration, nervous system healing, and ultimately a renewed sense of purpose through advocacy and art.
This episode is essential listening for anyone navigating chronic Lyme disease, supporting someone who is sick, or questioning whether healing is still possible.
Jesse grew up outside Philadelphia, surrounded by music, creativity, and curiosity. While he jokes that his songwriting degree was “a very expensive, useless piece of paper,” the competitive creative environment of music school helped sharpen his storytelling voice.
By his early 20s, Jesse was living in New York City, touring, running marathons, and building momentum as an independent musician. He had just completed his third New York City Marathon, was in peak physical condition, and his career was accelerating—until his health began to unravel.
Jesse’s first red flag appeared when he became short of breath climbing subway stairs, despite being a marathon runner. Soon after, nausea, dizziness, headaches, neurological symptoms, and crushing fatigue followed.
On Christmas Day 2012, Jesse developed what seemed like a flu that never went away. Over the following months, symptoms escalated dramatically:
Severe fatigue that made basic movement impossible
Brain fog and memory loss
Crawling sensations under the skin
Air hunger and dizziness
Anxiety, depression, and mood changes
Weight loss and neurological dysfunction
Despite seeing 15 doctors over nine months, Jesse received conflicting diagnoses ranging from vitamin deficiencies to fibromyalgia and lupus. Every test came back “normal.” Insurance denied coverage. Doctors told him he would “have to live with it.”
During a national tour, Jesse was so debilitated that a friend physically lifted him onto the stage to perform, then carried him back to the van afterward.
Eventually, through relentless self-research, Jesse discovered a symptom list online that finally connected the dots: Lyme disease.
Jesse was ultimately diagnosed at the Morrison Center in New York City, where testing confirmed:
Lyme disease
Babesia
Mycoplasma
His initial treatment path included:
6 months of oral doxycycline
18 months of IV azithromycin
Antiparasitics
Mepron (for Babesia)
Antifungals, antivirals, supplements, and Chinese herbs
Despite years of treatment, nothing produced lasting improvement. Jesse describes his life during this period as being reduced to pill schedules, doctor visits, and survival mode.
After nearly three years with minimal progress, Jesse’s provider, Dr. Gerald (“Jerry”) T. Simons at the Morrison Center, suggested a more experimental approach: chelation combined with ozone therapy.
Jesse underwent IV chelation and ozone therapy multiple times per week for several months.
The results were dramatic.
Nearly all of Jesse’s symptoms resolved, and for the first time, he felt like himself again. Even years later, booster ozone treatments helped stop symptom flares before they escalated.
🔗 Learn more about Dr. Simons and the Morrison Center: https://www.morrisonhealth.com/staff/gerald-t-simons-pa-c/
Jesse entered remission around 2016, but recovery wasn’t simple.
While his body improved, his nervous system remained dysregulated, leaving him:
Angry
Hypervigilant
Emotionally reactive
Afraid symptoms would return
Lyme disease had stolen not only his health but his identity as a musician, partner, and person. Re-entering the world—socially, professionally, and emotionally—was deeply challenging.
Jesse channeled his experience into music that resonated deeply with the Lyme community.
Written from a voice memo recorded at 4:45 a.m. during a rare moment of mental clarity, Monster captures the fear, rage, and disbelief of living in an invisible war within your own body.
🔗 Watch “Monster”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJQKVSA_7Gw
Written after Jesse entered remission, this song is a tribute to the doctors, nurses, friends, and strangers who carried him through the darkest years.
It has since surpassed tens of millions of streams worldwide.
🔗 Watch “This Is Why I Need You”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4NgsbkyeJs
Jesse co-founded Generation Lyme, now the largest provider of online Lyme disease support meetups in the world.
For more than six years, Jesse has hosted weekly meetups, helping newly diagnosed patients find community, guidance, and hope.
🔗 Listen to the Tick Boot Camp Generation Lyme episode: https://tickbootcamp.com/episode-250-generation-lyme-an-interview-with-brooke-stoddard-jennifer-hoffmann-jesse-ruben-and-haley-dibiase/
In 2021, Jesse relapsed after contracting Giardia, likely due to immune vulnerability from years of antibiotics and chronic illness.
Symptoms persisted for years and included:
Severe GI dysfunction
Weight loss
Neurological symptoms
Vision changes
Heightened anxiety and isolation
Traditional GI doctors labeled it IBS, offering no real solutions.
Desperate for answers, Jesse pursued Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) through the Purety Clinic.
FMT helped:
Restore gut microbiome diversity
Improve sleep
Reduce inflammation
Stabilize nervous system responses
🔗 Learn more about FMT at Purety Clinic: https://www.puretyclinic.com/fecal-transplant
Despite physical improvement, Jesse’s nervous system remained stuck in fight-or-flight. In late 2024, he began IV ketamine therapy at the Atlanta Ketamine Center.
The impact was profound.
Ketamine helped Jesse:
Regulate his nervous system
Release years of stored trauma
Rebuild emotional safety
Restore gratitude for life
Heal his marriage
Reconnect with creativity
🔗 Atlanta Ketamine Center: https://atlantaketaminecenter.com/
Jesse describes ketamine as “30 years of therapy in 90 minutes” and credits it with saving his marriage, career, and life.
Today, Jesse is:
Releasing new music
Touring through intimate house concerts
Continuing Lyme advocacy
Hosting Generation Lyme meetups
Building a future with his wife
Prioritizing joy, creativity, and presence
He no longer measures success by fame—but by impact, connection, and purpose.
Jesse Ruben’s story is a powerful reminder that chronic Lyme disease is real, recovery is nonlinear, and healing often requires addressing infection, gut health, and the nervous system together.
Most importantly, his journey proves that even after years of suffering, life can still expand, soften, and become meaningful again.
🎧 Listen to the full episode now🎶 Explore Jesse’s music and advocacy🤝 Share this episode with someone who needs hope
You are not alone—and healing is still possible.
In this episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast, Dr. Eric D. Gordon — globally recognized expert in Lyme disease, ME/CFS, mold toxicity, MCAS, mitochondrial dysfunction, and complex chronic illness — explains why chronic illness is never caused by a single factor and why recovery requires a strategic “order of operations.”
Recorded after meeting at Project Lab Coat during NYFW, this conversation dives into chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, why some people stay sick for years, why certain treatments backfire, how metabolomics reveals dysfunction that standard tests miss, and the future of individualized chronic illness care.
Medical Director, Gordon Medical Associates, and President, Gordon Medical Research Center
Dr. Gordon has 45+ years of experience treating the most complex chronic illness cases. He specializes in:
Lyme disease and tick-borne infections
ME/CFS and post-infectious illness
Mold and mycotoxin exposure
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)
Autoimmune disease
Environmental illness
Mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic collapse
He co-authored the landmark 2016 PNAS metabolomics study with Dr. Robert Naviaux, which reshaped global understanding of ME/CFS and chronic inflammatory diseases.
How Dr. Gordon became one of the world’s leading chronic illness clinicians
Why patient belief and validation are foundational to healing
Why chronic illness cases don’t fit conventional medical models
Why herbs often worsen symptoms in MCAS or inflamed patients
When pharmaceuticals help stabilize sensitive patients
How chronic inflammation blocks trace mineral absorption
The link between minerals, B vitamins, mitochondria, and NAD/NADH
When detoxification helps — and when it causes more harm
How childhood infections and environment shape lifelong immunity
The massive impact of modern microbiome disruption
Mold illness as the “great derailer” of Lyme treatment
Why genetics like MTHFR and HLA are not destiny
Why some people heal from Lyme without treatment
How metabolomics and AI will usher in precision medicine
What actually keeps people sick — accumulated compensations, not the tick bite
What intuitive patients get right (and wrong) about their symptoms
0:02 – Meeting Dr. Gordon at Project Labcoat
1:08 – Who he is and how he entered complex illness medicine
2:30 – Realizing conventional medicine fails chronic patients
5:45 – Why chronic illness doesn’t fit standard algorithms
8:10 – Herbs vs antibiotics: what most people misunderstand
11:28 – Inflammation and why sensitive patients react to everything
13:45 – MCAS and immune overactivation
16:25 – Why herbal formulas can trigger flares
19:30 – Pharmaceuticals that calm inflammation
20:50 – Trace minerals, mitochondrial function, and NAD pathways
23:55 – Why standard labs can’t see cellular dysfunction
26:10 – How childhood immune experiences shape resilience
28:40 – Environmental changes and microbiome decline
30:30 – Shoes, posture, fascia, lymphatics
36:35 – Structural healing and hypersensitive patients
41:20 – Founding Gordon Medical Associates
43:00 – Early discoveries with Lyme disease patients
48:30 – Detoxification, herbal protocols, and mold models
52:10 – Mold’s ability to halt all progress
55:30 – Why mold affects some family members and not others
57:20 – How food supply antibiotics disrupt immunity
59:50 – Genetics are possibilities, not fate
1:03:20 – Why some people recover after a tick bite and others don’t
1:07:00 – How AI and metabolomics will transform treatment
1:10:40 – Genes vs environment
1:13:30 – Chronic illness requires many small steps
1:16:00 – How to work with Dr. Gordon
1:18:30 – Final message of hope
“Chronic illness is not caused by one thing — and it’s never healed by one thing.”
“Herbs depend on your body’s ability to modulate inflammation. If you can’t dampen the fire, herbs feel like gasoline.”
“Genetics are not destiny. They’re possibilities.”
“Mold makes every other treatment look like it’s failing.”
“You can absolutely get well — but there is no single magic bullet.”
If this episode brought you clarity or hope, please share it with someone navigating chronic Lyme, mold illness, MCAS, or ME/CFS.
Subscribe and leave a review to help more people find this conversation and believe that healing is possible.
This special episode of the [Tick Boot Camp Podcast](https://tickbootcamp.com/podcast/) was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek, Executive Director of AlzPI, the conversation continues the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI)—including Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections—within the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology research community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to highlight leading scientists connecting microbes, immune dysregulation, and neurodegenerative disease. This episode features Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” Bradshaw, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, whose research investigates how past infections leave lasting imprints on the brain’s immune system and influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Elizabeth M. Bradshaw, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Principal Investigator, Bradshaw Laboratory – Neuroimmunology and Genetics of Alzheimer’s
Dr. Bradshaw’s laboratory focuses on the immune system’s role in neurodegeneration, particularly how infection and inflammation alter brain immunity and predispose individuals to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Her work builds on large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that identified immune-related genetic variants linked to Alzheimer’s susceptibility, suggesting that subtle changes in immune function—not just neuronal factors—may underlie disease onset.
Her team is exploring how pathogens such as HSV-1 (Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1) interact with the brain’s immune cells, known as microglia, and how these infections can “reprogram” immune responses long after the pathogen is cleared.
Dr. Bradshaw explains how her research bridges genetics, immunology, and infectious disease to better understand Alzheimer’s. Through GWAS data, her team found that many of the genes linked to Alzheimer’s risk involve immune pathways rather than neuronal signaling. This discovery redirected the field’s attention toward how immune cells respond to pathogens and environmental stressors across a lifetime.
Using human-derived microglia-like cells created from blood monocytes, her team observes how infections reshape immune cell metabolism and memory. By infecting these microglia-like cells with Alzheimer’s-associated pathogens like HSV-1, they study how genetic background and infection history determine immune cell behavior.
The findings suggest that past infections may epigenetically and metabolically train microglia—changing how they respond to aging, stress, and amyloid buildup. Even when the infection has resolved, these “reprogrammed” immune cells can remain altered for decades, silently increasing the brain’s vulnerability to neurodegeneration.
Dr. Bradshaw emphasizes that understanding how infections rewire the brain’s immune landscape could transform early intervention strategies. Identifying combinations of genetic risk factors and pathogen exposures may enable targeted prevention or immune-modulating treatments long before symptoms appear.
“Microglia remember. Even after the pathogen is gone, they carry its imprint—responding differently decades later when the brain faces new challenges.” — Dr. Elizabeth Bradshaw
Dr. Bradshaw’s work reframes Alzheimer’s disease as a neuroimmune condition shaped by infection and host genetics. Her research highlights how microbial exposures, immune history, and inflammation converge to influence cognitive decline. By integrating infection biology with genetics and immunology, her team is redefining how scientists and clinicians view the root causes of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
This work strengthens the growing case that the immune system’s “memory” of infection may be one of the most important and overlooked factors in brain health and aging.
This interview was recorded at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium, held October 3, 2025, at Ohio University in Dublin, Ohio. The event brought together more than 20 leading researchers exploring how microbes, the microbiome, and immune dysregulation contribute to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and infection-associated chronic illness (IACI).
Tick Boot Camp partnered with Ali Moresco and Nikki Schultek to share these conversations and connect chronic Lyme, infection, and neurodegenerative research communities.
Listen to Tick Boot Camp Podcast episodes, including Episode 406: Pathobiome – An Interview with Nikki Schultek and Episode 101: The Young Gun – An Interview with Alex (Ali) Moresco discussed in this interview.
This special episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek, Executive Director of AlzPI, this series expands the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI)—including Lyme and other tick-borne infections—to the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology research community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to showcase scientists exploring the microbial and immune mechanisms behind neurodegeneration. This episode features Dr. Janice Bush, a PhD candidate at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, whose research under world-renowned Bartonella expert Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt investigates how Bartonella bacteria alter gene expression in the brain’s immune cells.
Dr. Janice Bush began her career in veterinary medicine, where she observed a striking overlap between illnesses in pets and their human owners—particularly those linked to vector-borne infections like Bartonella.
Now completing her PhD under Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt, she focuses on Bartonella henselae, the bacterium behind Cat Scratch Disease, and its ability to infect human microglial cells—the brain’s resident immune defenders.
Her presentation, “Bartonella-Infected Human Microglial Cells: Transcriptional Changes Associated with Chronic Neurologic Disorders,” revealed how this stealth pathogen triggers widespread gene dysregulation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric symptoms, and neurodegenerative processes.
Dr. Bush explains how Bartonella infection reprograms human microglia, the brain’s innate immune cells, leading to hundreds of genes being upregulated or suppressed—affecting energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, cell signaling, and immune communication. These cellular changes mirror those observed in chronic neurological and psychiatric disorders, providing a potential mechanistic link between infection and long-term neurodegeneration.
She describes Bartonella’s sophisticated immune evasion strategy, including its ability to hijack cellular machinery and increase production of interleukin-10 (IL-10)—an anti-inflammatory cytokine that suppresses immune response, allowing the bacteria to persist undetected. This mechanism may explain why patients experience cyclic flares and remissions, and why Bartonella can linger silently for years.
Dr. Bush’s findings suggest that even short-term infections can produce measurable transcriptional changes in brain immune cells within 48 hours. If such infections persist for months or years, they may set the stage for neurodegenerative disease, particularly when combined with other pathogens or environmental factors.
“If one intracellular pathogen can cause this many changes in two days, imagine what happens over months or years. Bartonella may be the spark that primes the brain for neurodegeneration.” — Dr. Janice Bush
Dr. Bush’s research offers a groundbreaking look at how a common, underrecognized infection may drive neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Her work bridges veterinary medicine, infectious disease, and neurology—revealing how pathogens once dismissed as minor or self-limiting may alter the brain’s immune landscape.
By demonstrating that Bartonella can infect and manipulate microglial cells, she provides critical biological evidence linking vector-borne disease and cognitive decline, paving the way for future diagnostic and therapeutic innovation.
This interview was recorded at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium, held October 3, 2025, at Ohio University in Dublin, Ohio. The event gathered more than 20 leading researchers exploring how microbes, the microbiome, and immune dysregulation contribute to Alzheimer’s, dementia, and infection-associated chronic illness (IACI).
The Tick Boot Camp Podcast, in partnership with Ali Moresco and Nikki Schultek, documented these conversations to connect the chronic Lyme, infectious disease, and Alzheimer’s research communities. This episode is part of Tick Boot Camp’s AlzPI collaboration series.
This special episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek (Executive Director, AlzPI), the conversation advances the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI)—including Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections—within the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to amplify voices connecting tick-borne illness, microbes, and cognitive decline. This episode features Nicole Bell—author, entrepreneur, and CEO of Galaxy Diagnostics—whose memoir What Lurks in the Woods documents her late husband Russ’s misdiagnosed tick-borne illness and their search for answers.
At the Symposium, Nicole presented “When the brain pathobiome becomes personal,” sharing her family’s journey and new findings from Russ’s donated brain: laboratory evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Babesia otocoli (a species long thought to be deer-restricted) in brain tissue—data now being prepared for publication. Researchers also noted elevated heavy metals (lead, mercury), underscoring how polymicrobial infection plus toxic exposures may converge to drive neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s-like decline.
Nicole details how repeated “normal” neurology workups masked a complex pathobiome process. She explains why standard two-tier Lyme serology can miss true infection, how direct detection can change care, and why patients should consider Bartonella and Babesia alongside Lyme. She outlines hallmark Bartonella clues—including striæ that resemble stretch marks (often more visible after hot showers), neuropsychiatric manifestations (irritability, anxiety, OCD, tics), ocular and joint involvement—and highlights non-tick vectors (notably fleas and household cats) that expand risk beyond forest exposure.
Nicole advocates for building a diagnostic toolkit that combines serology with sensitive direct tests to clarify which pathogens are active—critical because Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia require different treatment paradigms. Looking forward, she envisions comprehensive screening panels for midlife cognitive changes that integrate pathogen load, host immune signatures, and toxin status, enabling earlier, targeted interventions.
“Everyone wants a simple A→B. But the toughest chronic conditions are subtle and multifactorial. Accurate data, direct detection, and a clinician who will go on the journey with you can change everything.” — Nicole Bell
Nicole’s story humanizes the science: polymicrobial infection + toxins + host factors can look “psychiatric” or “idiopathic” until modern testing reveals the underlying pathobiome. Her advocacy pushes medicine toward precision diagnostics, earlier detection, and pathogen-informed care that may prevent years of decline.
Recorded at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium on October 3, 2025, at Ohio University (Dublin, Ohio). The meeting convened global experts investigating how microbes, the microbiome, and immune responses contribute to Alzheimer’s, dementia, PANS/PANDAS, and other infection-associated chronic illnesses (IACI). This episode is part of a Tick Boot Camp series connecting chronic Lyme research with cutting-edge brain-immune science.
This special episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek, Executive Director of AlzPI, the conversation brings the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI)—including Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections—to the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology research community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to highlight leading scientists connecting infection, immune dysfunction, and cognitive decline. This episode features Dr. Sean Miller, a neuroscientist and co-investigator in the Logan Lab with a primary appointment at Yale School of Medicine, who is developing ways to non-invasively detect Alzheimer’s-like pathology through the eye.
Dr. Sean Miller completed pre-doctoral work at Harvard Medical School, earned his PhD from Johns Hopkins University, and completed post-doctoral training at Stanford University. His research focuses on neurodegeneration, neuroglia, and early diagnostic strategies for Alzheimer’s and related diseases.
At the AlzPI & PCOM Symposium, Dr. Miller presented evidence showing that SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection can accelerate Alzheimer’s-like pathology and that these changes can be detected non-invasively through retinal imaging. His findings suggest that amyloid-beta, a protein long associated with Alzheimer’s disease, may also serve as part of the brain’s antimicrobial defense system—trapping pathogens like a mesh or biofilm, but leading to damaging plaque buildup when overproduced.
Dr. Miller describes how the COVID-19 virus can act as an infectious trigger for neuroinflammation and amyloid buildup, how the eye provides a unique window into the brain, and why early detection is essential to preventing neuron death. He shares how his lab’s AI-enhanced retinal imaging research at Yale Eye Center is identifying amyloid and tau deposits in patients with long COVID-related brain fog—opening the possibility of routine eye exams doubling as early Alzheimer’s screening tools.
He explains potential therapeutic strategies, such as limiting amyloid production during infection flare-ups and enhancing clearance mechanisms afterward to reduce chronic plaque formation. The conversation also explores his scientific journey—from designing Alzheimer’s drugs at Harvard and Johns Hopkins to realizing the need for early disease detection during his postdoc at Stanford—and how the pandemic inspired his focus on infection-induced neurodegeneration.
“We believe neurons are exposed to pathogens in the central nervous system and respond by secreting amyloid-beta to trap them. Excessive plaque buildup from repeated or severe infections may be what drives long-term neurodegeneration.” — Dr. Sean Miller
Dr. Miller’s research connects infectious disease, ophthalmology, and neurology, providing a revolutionary new method to screen for early Alzheimer’s-like changes non-invasively through the human eye. His work suggests that infections like COVID-19 may trigger the same protective—but damaging—immune responses implicated in chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and infection-associated cognitive decline.
The interview took place at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium, held on October 3, 2025, at Ohio University in Dublin, Ohio. The event brought together more than 20 global researchers exploring how microbes, the microbiome, and the immune response contribute to Alzheimer’s, dementia, PANS/PANDAS, and infection-associated chronic illnesses (IACI).
Tick Boot Camp partnered with Ali Moresco and Nikki Schultek to share the voices of researchers advancing the field of infection-associated chronic illness. This episode is part of a multi-part Tick Boot Camp series highlighting how pathobiome and microbiome science are transforming the understanding of Lyme disease, infection, and neurodegeneration.
Learn more about the Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI)
Listen to Tick Boot Camp Podcast episodes, including Episode 406: Pathobiome – An Interview with Nikki Schultek and Episode 101: The Young Gun – An Interview with Alex (Ali) Moresco discussed in this interview.
This special episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek, Executive Director of AlzPI, the conversation brings the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI), like Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, to the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology research community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to highlight scientists whose work connects tick-borne illness, microbes, and cognitive decline. This episode features Dr. Brian J. Balin, an internationally recognized neuroscientist whose research has redefined the role of infection in contributing to Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Balin directs the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging and the Adolph and Rose Levis Foundation Laboratory for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at PCOM. With a PhD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, he has devoted nearly three decades to understanding how chronic infection and inflammation trigger neurodegeneration.
His pioneering discovery that the respiratory bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae infects brain tissue helped establish the Pathogen Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease. His continuing work explores how tick-borne microbes — including Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Bartonella, and Babesia — interact with other pathogens to drive neuroinflammation and cognitive decline.
“Infection is part of the exposome — an environmental insult that shapes our health over a lifetime. Recognizing that is key to truly understanding and preventing Alzheimer’s disease.” — Dr. Brian J. Balin
Dr. Balin’s research bridges the worlds of neurology and infectious disease, offering a framework that could revolutionize how Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative conditions are diagnosed and treated. By recognizing that microbes — including those transmitted by ticks — can initiate neuroinflammation and cognitive decline, his work provides hope for millions living with infection-associated chronic illness.
The interview took place at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium, October 3, 2025, Ohio University in Dublin, Ohio. The Symposium brought together more than 20 experts exploring how microbes, the microbiome, and the host immune response contribute to neurological and psychiatric diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and PANS/PANDAS.
Tick Boot Camp partnered with Ali Moresco and Nikki Schultek to document and share the voices of scientists advancing research on infection-associated chronic illness (IACI). This episode is part of a special series showcasing how pathobiome and microbiome science is changing our understanding of chronic Lyme and neurodegenerative disease.
This special episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast was recorded live at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and PCOM Symposium in collaboration with Pathobiome Perspectives. Hosted by Ali Moresco in partnership with Nikki Schultek, Executive Director of AlzPI, the conversation brings the Tick Boot Camp mission of exploring infection-associated chronic illness (IACI)—like Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections—to the global Alzheimer’s and neuroimmunology research community.
Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen partnered with Ali and Nikki to highlight scientists whose work connects tick-borne illness, microbes, and cognitive decline. This episode features Yuri Kim, RN, Lead Clinical Research Nurse for the MAESTRO Study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who is leading pioneering work to measure and understand “brain fog” in infection-associated chronic illness.
Yuri Kim is the Lead Clinical Research Nurse for the MAESTRO Study, the largest clinical study ever conducted at MIT, led by Dr. Michal “Mikki” Caspi Tal, immunologist and immunoengineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The MAESTRO Study investigates infection-associated chronic illnesses (IACI) such as chronic Lyme disease and aims to objectively measure and understand one of the most debilitating and misunderstood symptoms—brain fog.
Yuri has conducted more than 170 participant study visits and integrates patient narratives with advanced neurocognitive, immune, and molecular profiling. Her background includes experience as a trauma ER nurse and clinical research manager on neurodegenerative and rare diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and amyloidosis.
“Brain fog isn’t just a symptom—it’s a phenomenon interconnected with multiple systems. We’re trying to narrow the gap between what patients report and what we can measure.” — Yuri Kim
Yuri Kim’s work at MIT bridges patient experience and advanced science to address one of the most misunderstood symptoms in infection-associated chronic illness: brain fog. Her research within the MAESTRO Study, under the leadership of Dr. Michal “Mikki” Caspi Tal, is generating objective evidence that validates patient experiences and reveals how chronic infection and immune dysregulation can cause measurable cognitive and physiological changes.
By studying infection-associated brain fog in Lyme disease and other chronic conditions, Yuri and the MAESTRO team are helping to shape a new era of diagnostics and care for people living with long-term, infection-driven illness.
The interview took place at the 2nd Annual Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative (AlzPI) and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Symposium, held on October 3, 2025, at Ohio University in Dublin, Ohio. The Symposium brought together more than 20 international experts investigating how microbes, the microbiome, and the host immune response contribute to neurological and psychiatric conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and PANS/PANDAS.
Tick Boot Camp partnered with Ali Moresco and Nikki Schultek to capture and share the voices of scientists advancing research on infection-associated chronic illness (IACI). This episode is part of a special Tick Boot Camp series spotlighting how pathobiome and microbiome science are transforming the understanding of chronic Lyme, cognitive dysfunction, and neurodegeneration.
In this powerful episode of the Tick Boot Camp Podcast, international DJ and artist duo Z3LLA — Julia “Juj” Seeley and Kiana Tebyani — share how chronic illness, creativity, and friendship became the foundation of their success.
After years of unexplained symptoms, Juj was diagnosed with Lyme disease, Bartonella, Babesia, mold toxicity, POTS, SIBO, celiac disease, and later catamenial epilepsy. Despite life-altering health challenges, she and her best friend Kiana have built Z3LLA into one of the most exciting names in house music — with their single “Why Should I?” reaching #1 on the US Dance Radio Charts and performances alongside Disco Lines, Galantis, and Bijou.
Together, Juj and Kiana discuss performing through flare-ups, collapsing backstage, navigating the medical system, and the emotional toll of chasing dreams while managing invisible illness. From ER visits and red-light therapy to steroid crashes and spiritual breakthroughs, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, vulnerability, and using art as advocacy.
Z3LLA is an award-winning artist/DJ duo composed of Julia “Juj” Seeley and Kiana Tebyani, two vocalists, songwriters, and producers redefining what it means to thrive as women in electronic music. Known for their infectious energy and empowering message, Z3LLA’s breakout single “Why Should I?” hit #1 on the US Dance Radio Charts, with spins on SiriusXM BPM, Music Choice, and Evolution Radio. They’ve shared the stage with Disco Lines, Galantis, and Bijou, earned the Level Future of Dance Award from Nexus Radio, and performed at Miami Music Week and beyond. With an authentic blend of vulnerability and power, Z3LLA is not just creating music — they’re building a movement.
Follow Z3LLA: 🎧 Spotify | 📸 Instagram | 🎵 Apple Music | 🌐 YouTube