In this special Tick Boot Camp Podcast episode, Dr. Myriah Hinchey (ND) joins Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen from Tick Boot Camp to spotlight the 2025 LymeBytes Symposium, a physician- and patient-focused conference designed to shorten the healing journey for Lyme, mold illness, PANS/PANDAS, Long COVID, and other complex, infection-driven chronic conditions. We dig into why immersive learning accelerates progress, how an intimate format fuels direct access to top clinicians and vendors, and what attendees—both in-person and virtual—will actually experience over two packed days in Fort Lauderdale.

• Exclusive Listener Offer: Use code TBC100 at checkout for $100 off in-person or virtual tickets at shop.lymebytes.com.

• End the isolation: Dr. Hinchey explains how community, validation, and shared learning unlock momentum for both patients and clinicians.
• Immersion = speed: Concentrated exposure to leading experts and technologies helps you discover the next best step faster.
• Bridging the gap: Learn why precision care often requires a team—LLMDs, specialty labs, compounders, targeted supplements, and therapeutic devices—working together.

• Inside the LymeBytes philosophy: Healthy, gluten- and dairy-free meals, beach-side community dinner, structured networking, and vendor access that mirror the lifestyle principles used in treatment.
• Adjunctive therapies on site: Demos and education around hyperbaric oxygen therapy (OxyHealth), infrared/red light, Relax Sauna, Therasage, plus niche supplement brands (e.g., Alight by Dr. Jill Crista, NutraMedix, Lymecore Botanicals) and specialty labs for Lyme, co-infections, and mold.
• Precision testing & interpretation: Why test results (e.g., Western Blots, specialty panels) must be read in clinical context, and how collaboration between vendors and clinicians personalizes care.
• PRP/TruDose spotlight: A primer on platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and how TruDose aims to reset immune function and calm the nervous system using your own platelets—plus a teaser for a future deep-dive episode.
• Virtual experience (no FOMO): Live access to all clinician lectures, slides, full-day recordings to rewatch/scrub, and new vendor mini-interviews so remote attendees don’t miss the expo value.

• Patients & caregivers seeking credible, actionable strategies to shorten recovery time
• Clinicians (conventional, integrative, functional) looking to upgrade protocols for chronic infection and inflammation
• Allies & advocates ready to learn the truth about Lyme and related conditions from top voices in the field
• Anyone who wants direct access to vendors, labs, and tools that often stay off patients’ radars

• Dates: November 14–15, 2025
• Location: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa (Florida)
• Format: Limited-capacity, intimate event (≈180–200 attendees) fostering direct interaction with clinicians, researchers, and vendors
• Perks: Healthy meals (GF/DF), Friday night beach dinner, curated vendor hall, 14.5 CME credits available in person (additional fee)
• Virtual: Live stream + full-day recordings (Day 1 & Day 2), slide access, vendor mini-features
• Register: shop.lymebytes.com
• $100 Off: Use code TBC100 at checkout (in-person or virtual)

• On immersion: “The more volume of opportunities in an immersive environment, the more your internal diagnostic system can sense what resonates—and that’s often your next right step.”
• On community: “Patients and clinicians are often dismissed or isolated. This event builds real connections you can rely on after you go home.”
• On precision: “Chronic cases are outliers—they need specialized testing, targeted supplements, and coordinated care to get unstuck.”

If travel isn’t possible, don’t wait—join virtually to access the same lectures, slides, and full-day recordings. And if you can make it to Florida, come say hi to Rich and the Tick Boot Camp crew in person.

👉 Register now: shop.lymebytes.com | Use code TBC100 for $100 off.

Recorded in person in Central Park, NYC just before Project Lab Coat at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), this Tick Boot Camp Podcast features Dr. Bill Rawls on what helps chronic Lyme patients move from overwhelm to progress. We talk immune-first strategy, why antibiotics often fall short in chronic cases, how to protect the gut, and a stepwise plan that reduces flare risk and builds confidence.

Dr. Rawls explains why stealth microbes like Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia grow slowly and hide in tissues, which is why a quick-fix antibiotic approach often disappoints in chronic illness. We discuss a four-phase healing framework — prehabilitation, assist the immune system, rehabilitation, and maintenance (PARM) — and how a gradual, system-calming on-ramp helps patients tolerate protocols without crashing. We also dig into gut protection, community support, and how AI can speed education and research.

• Why “assist the immune system” beats “kill at all costs” for chronic Lyme
• Stealth microbe biology and why slow growth changes the treatment playbook
• Antibiotic overuse risks including microbiome injury and antibiotic resistance
• Gut and detox support as foundations for energy, sleep, and resilience
• A stepwise entry to treatment that reduces flares and anxiety
• Key herbs with evidence for tick-borne infections and immune modulation
• Community and education as levers for consistency and long-term success
• How AI tools can accelerate research, writing, and practical guidance

• Four phases of recovery: prehab, assist, rehab, maintenance
• Antibiotics in chronic Lyme: may disrupt the gut before meaningfully impacting slow-growing pathogens
• Herbal strategy: sustained pressure over time with immune support
• Gradual on-ramp: calm the nervous system first, then gut and detox, then stronger antimicrobials
• Team sport: combine self-care, educated use of providers, and moderated community support

• Antimicrobial herbs: Japanese knotweed, Chinese skullcap, Cryptolepis, cat’s claw, garlic
• Immune-modulating adaptogens: reishi, cordyceps
• Supportive nutrients: B vitamins, minerals, NAC, glutathione
• Formats: capsules and tinctures were discussed, including products like Advanced Biotic and Biome Boost within larger protocols

• Months 1–2: calm sympathetic overdrive, improve sleep, stabilize
• Months 3–4: protect gut, support detox, keep gentle antimicrobial pressure
• Months 5–6: advance to stronger combinations when the body is ready
• Ongoing: measure progress, maintain gain, prevent backsliding

• “The immune system always wins the game. Your job is to assist it.”
• “Stealth microbes grow slowly and hide in tissues. The strategy has to match the biology.”
• “Education and a supportive community reduce fear and make consistency possible.”

• Watch the video version of this podcast interview on YouTube
• Read our NYFW Recap: Tick Boot Camp models at Project Labcoat and Why it Matters for Lyme Awareness, Research, and Funding

Dr. Geoff Dow, CEO of 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals and former malaria drug developer at Walter Reed, joins the Tick Boot Camp Podcast to unpack the science and strategy behind treating babesiosis.

Drawing parallels to malaria, Dow explains why tafenoquine (brand: Arakoda), FDA-approved for malaria prevention, is being studied for Babesia, how coinfections (Borrelia, Bartonella) complicate care, and why chronic illness needs a different clinical approach.

He previews an upcoming Mount Sinai trial for chronic babesiosis focused on fatigue outcomes and discusses real-world diagnostics using FDA-approved blood donor screening plus PCRs from Galaxy Diagnostics and Mayo Clinic.

The conversation also touches on prophylaxis concepts, immune dysregulation, and building a clearer path from anecdote to evidence for the tick-borne disease community.

Geoff Dow, BSc, MBA, PhD CEO & Board Member, 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals Background: Biotechnology (Perth, Australia), PhD in malaria drug discovery, decade at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, MBA in the U.S. Leads clinical programs exploring tafenoquine for babesiosis.

• Malaria ↔ Babesiosis Parallels: Both are red-blood-cell parasites; acute symptoms driven by red cell destruction. Similar drug targets justify testing some anti-malarials against Babesia.
• Why Tafenoquine (Arakoda): An 8-aminoquinoline that induces oxidative stress in RBCs; distinct mechanism from atovaquone + azithromycin combo (current standard for acute babesiosis), potentially useful for resistance management.
• Chronic vs. Acute Disease: Acute babesiosis in immunocompetent patients often responds to standard care; chronic illness remains under-defined and underserved.
• Coinfections Are Common: Many chronically ill patients present with Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia together; diagnostics and treatment need to acknowledge polymicrobial reality.
• Upcoming Clinical Trial (Mount Sinai):
• Population: Chronic babesiosis with disabling fatigue, plus Babesia symptoms (e.g., air hunger, anemia) and lab evidence in the last 12 months.
• Regimen: 4-day loading dose then 200 mg weekly of tafenoquine for 3 months.
• Outcomes: Patient-reported fatigue (quality-of-life) + monthly molecular testing (FDA blood donor test, Galaxy Diagnostics PCR, Mayo Clinic PCR) during treatment and 3 months post-therapy.
• Goals: Demonstrate symptom improvement, assess eradication signals, and validate accessible diagnostics against an FDA-accepted assay.
• Prophylaxis & Post-Exposure Ideas: Animal data suggest short-course tafenoquine can eradicate early Babesia; human prophylaxis trials face feasibility and regulatory hurdles.
• Diagnostics Gap: Need for standardized, sensitive tools to define chronic babesiosis and track response. This trial also serves as a real-world diagnostic comparison.
• Immune Dysregulation & IACI: Overlap among long COVID, ME/CFS, post-treatment Lyme—shared theme of immune dysregulation with possible persistent antigen stimulation.
• Safety Notes: G6PD deficiency is relevant to 8-aminoquinolines; established safety database exists for malaria prevention dosing—critical as studies expand to babesiosis.

• “You’ve got to put some lines in the sand—run the trial, collect data, and move the field forward.”
• “The best we can do for chronic disease starts with defining it—and validating the diagnostics we use to track it.”
• “8-aminoquinolines offer a different mechanism than current babesiosis standards—key for resistance and combinations.”

• Arakoda (tafenoquine): FDA-approved for malaria prevention; under study for babesiosis.
• Diagnostics: FDA-approved Babesia blood donor screen; Galaxy Diagnostics PCR; Mayo Clinic PCR.
• Organizations & Events: ILADS, Global Lyme Alliance, tick-borne disease conferences.
• Research Partners: Mount Sinai (NYC), Tulane University (Bartonella/Borrelia collaboration).

• Patients with chronic Lyme or chronic babesiosis symptoms (fatigue, air hunger, anemia)
• Clinicians seeking updates on Babesia treatment research and diagnostics
• Caregivers and advocates tracking IACI and immune dysregulation science
• Researchers exploring antimalarial repurposing for tick-borne diseases

• Subscribe to Tick Boot Camp and share this episode with someone navigating chronic tick-borne illness.

In this special Tick Boot Camp Podcast episode recorded live at Project Lab Coat during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), we sit down with Colonel Nicole Malachowski, USAF (Ret.).

Col. Malachowski, the first female pilot of the USAF Thunderbirds and a Lyme patient advocate, walked the runway with us at Project Lab Coat and served as the sole patient representative on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee that authored the landmark report on Lyme infection-associated chronic illness (Lyme IACI).

She shares her perspective on why this recognition is a historic milestone for the Lyme community.

• Why the term Lyme IACI (infection-associated chronic illness) matters and how it creates an inclusive umbrella for persistent symptoms after Lyme infection.
• How the National Academies report represents the first time the U.S. government has officially recognized Lyme IACI.
• What it was like for Col. Malachowski to serve as the sole patient representative on the committee alongside scientists and clinicians.
• Why the report calls for running treatment trials in parallel with biomarker discovery so patients are not left waiting.
• How collaboration with long COVID and ME/CFS communities can accelerate solutions and strengthen advocacy.
• The role of AI and machine learning in analyzing patient data, biobanks, and surveys to identify new diagnostics and repurposed therapies.
• Why visibility at NYFW Project Lab Coat signals growing mainstream recognition of Lyme disease.

Col. Malachowski is a retired U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, the first woman selected to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds, and a National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee. After contracting a tick-borne illness and being medically retired, she became a nationally recognized speaker and advocate for Lyme patients. She served as the sole patient voice on the National Academies committee that authored the landmark report on Lyme IACI, commissioned with support from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

Project Lab Coat was a groundbreaking event held on September 13, 2025, during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The show brought together prominent celebrities, researchers, doctors, and advocates who were invited to walk the runway to spotlight Lyme disease and raise funds for Lyme disease research.

For the first time, the global visibility of NYFW was used to highlight one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the world. Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen, together with Dr. Tal, walked the runway at Project Lab Coat, joining leaders from medicine, science, entertainment, and advocacy. Project Lab Coat demonstrated the power of mainstream platforms to bring awareness, credibility, and resources to the fight against Lyme disease.

• Federal recognition matters – Lyme IACI in a National Academies report marks a turning point in credibility and urgency.
• Patients at the center – clinical trials must include patients from design through reporting.
• Collaboration is key – linking Lyme, long COVID, ME/CFS, and other infection-associated conditions strengthens progress.
• Do both now – pursue biomarkers and cures while also running treatment studies to help patients immediately.
• Technology accelerates hope – AI and machine learning can unlock insights from existing patient data.

• Read the full National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on Lyme IACI
• Read our recap of Project Lab Coat at New York Fashion Week (NYFW)

In this special Tick Boot Camp Podcast episode recorded live at Project Lab Coat during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), we sit down with Dr. Michal “Mikki” Caspi Tal, Principal Scientist in the Department of Biological Engineering at MIT and Associate Scientific Director of the MIT Center for Gynepathology Research.

Dr. Tal is an immunologist and immunoengineer whose groundbreaking research focuses on the connections between infections and chronic diseases, including Lyme disease and long COVID. At her Tal Research Group lab, she studies why some people recover quickly after infection while others develop chronic illness, with a focus on the immune system’s different responses in men and women.

• How Dr. Tal’s lab uses mouse models of chronic Lyme and a large clinical study to take a deeper look at Lyme disease.
• Why some patients make a protective immune response while others develop catastrophic responses like dysautonomia, MCAS, gynecological issues, or clotting disorders.
• How her team is moving beyond “yes/no” antibody tests to create new biomarker diagnostics that can guide treatments.
• Why sex differences matter in chronic illness and why women are more likely to experience long-term symptoms after infection.
• How her research could lead to more personalized treatment approaches for Lyme disease patients by grouping individuals based on immune response patterns.
• What samples (blood, saliva, sweat, tissue) her team is collecting at MIT to uncover new insights into chronic Lyme disease.
• Why this research brings hope to Lyme patients who feel unseen and unheard.

• Principal Scientist, MIT Department of Biological Engineering
• Associate Scientific Director, MIT Center for Gynepathology Research
• Focus areas: Lyme disease, long COVID, chronic inflammatory diseases, sex differences in immune response, predictive diagnostics
• Background: PhD in Immunobiology from Yale (mentored by Dr. Akiko Iwasaki), postdoctoral training at Stanford (Irving Weissman lab), infectious disease research leader at Stanford’s Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.
• Awards: NIH NIAID F31 and F32 Fellowships, Bay Area Lyme Foundation Emerging Leader Award

Project Lab Coat was a groundbreaking event held on September 13, 2025, during New York Fashion Week (NYFW). The show brought together prominent celebrities, researchers, doctors, and advocates who were invited to walk the runway to spotlight Lyme disease and raise funds for Lyme disease research.

For the first time, the global visibility of NYFW was used to highlight one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the world. Tick Boot Camp co-founders Matt Sabatello and Rich Johannesen, together with Dr. Tal, walked the runway at Project Lab Coat, joining leaders from medicine, science, entertainment, and advocacy. Project Lab Coat demonstrated the power of mainstream platforms to bring awareness, credibility, and resources to the fight against Lyme disease.

For too long, chronic Lyme patients have been told their symptoms are “all in their head.” Dr. Tal’s work at MIT proves otherwise by measuring the real biological differences in immune system responses. This research not only validates patients’ experiences but also charts a course toward better diagnostics, clinical trials, and personalized treatments.