When we talk about brain health, most conversations stop at genetics.
But what if that’s only part of the story?
In this episode, I sat down with Nikki Schultek to explore a powerful and often overlooked piece of the puzzle: the role of infections and pathogens in chronic disease, especially when it comes to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s.
This conversation opens the door to a much bigger picture of how the brain is impacted over time.
Beyond Genetics: A More Complete Picture
Genetics can tell us where we may be more vulnerable, but they don’t determine our fate.
What matters just as much, if not more, is how our body interacts with the world around us. The environment we live in, the stress we carry, the nutrients we absorb… and the pathogens we’re exposed to.
Nikki shares how certain infections, many of which are common and often undetected—can quietly influence the brain over time. These aren’t always acute, obvious illnesses. In many cases, they are slow-moving, chronic processes that can impact inflammation, immune function, and overall neurological health.
And the truth is, most people aren’t being tested for them.
Why So Many People Are Being Missed
One of the most important parts of this conversation is understanding how often people fall through the cracks.
Symptoms can be wide-ranging, fatigue, brain fog, mood changes, cognitive shifts, and they don’t always point clearly to a single cause. Many individuals are told everything looks “normal,” even when they know something isn’t right.
The current system is not designed to connect these dots.
Instead of looking at the body as a whole, care is often siloed. And when infections, genetics, and lifestyle aren’t considered together, root causes are easily missed.
What You Can Do Moving Forward
This episode is not about fear, it’s about awareness and empowerment.
Your body is always giving you information. And when something feels off, it’s worth paying attention.
Supporting your immune system, reducing stress, prioritizing sleep, and nourishing your body are foundational. But equally important is being willing to ask deeper questions and advocate for yourself when answers don’t feel complete.
There is a growing movement toward more comprehensive, root-cause approaches to health.
And the more we understand how these pieces connect, the more empowered we become to support our bodies in a meaningful, lasting way.
Learn more about our guest Nikki M. Schultek
Executive Director, AlzPI, Founding Director of the Pathobiome Research Center and Research Assistant Professor at The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), and Principal Founder, Intracell Research Group, LLC
Nikki received her BS in Business Administration from Villanova University, studying Marketing, French and International Business. She began her career in the life sciences industry with Pfizer and Genentech. Shortly after accepting her most treasured role, “mom”, Nikki fell systemically ill, including frightening neurodegenerative symptoms. After being diagnosed with Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme Disease), Chlamydia pneumoniae and other co-infections and receiving antibiotic therapy, she experienced remission. Nikki is accelerating innovation in Infection Associated Chronic Illnesses (IACI), such as Alzheimer’s Disease, PANDAS/PANS, Asthma and others by building interdisciplinary research collaborations. In 2017 she Founded Intracell Research Group, LLC, to unite researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders across the globe. Nikki is a collaboration architect, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Alzheimer’s Pathobiome Initiative, Founding Director of the Pathobiome Research Center and Research Assistant Professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a co-investigator of a 3,200-patient asthma clinical trial (iTREAT-PC) and member of the Board of Directors of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Education Foundation. To date, Nikki has connected philanthropic grant funding to launch AlzPI research at 8 academic centers and generate preliminary data using the roadmap she co-lead authored, published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association (Lathe, Schultek, Balin et al., 2023), detailing an actionable, scientifically rigorous plan to unveil the potential role of microbial infections in dementia and other brain diseases.
RESOURCES:
Connect with Nikki Schultek:
https://www.intracellresearchgroup.com/about
https://healthyawakening.co/2026/03/30/episode117
Connect with Susan: https://healthyawakening.co/
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Learn More about Susan Robbins:
Susan is a retired law enforcement officer and an accomplished Certified Epigenetic Human Performance Coach with a diverse and extensive background in wellness. She began her wellness career in 2015 as a holistic health and stress management coach. Her passion for helping others led her to expand her expertise into epigenetics in 2019, where she discovered the missing piece of the health optimization puzzle: Personalized health.
As a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Level 2 Apeiron Zoh Epigenetic Human Performance Coach (DNA), and Certified PH360 Coach through Precision Health Alliance, Susan has developed a unique approach to health and wellness through completely personalized health. She is the proud recipient of the 2023 Precision Health Alliance Coach of the Year award. Susan works with clients to elevate their health and overall quality of life by understanding their unique needs based on their genetic makeup, taking out the guesswork, and getting results.
