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Based in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the team found that the bacteria can manipulate a protein known as ATF6, which helps cells detect and respond to infection, to support its own growth and survival inside the tick. The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could serve as a launching point for developing methods to eliminate the bacteria in ticks before they are transmitted to humans and other animals.

“Most research has looked at how these bacteria interact with humans and animals and not how they survive and spread in ticks,” said Kaylee Vosbigian, a doctoral student and lead author on the study. “What we have found could open the door to targeting these pathogens in ticks, before they are ever a threat to people.”

Vosbigian and her advisor, Dana Shaw, the corresponding author of the study and an associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, focused their research on Ixodes scapularis, also known as the blacklegged tick, which is responsible for spreading both Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agents of anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. Both diseases are becoming increasingly common and can cause serious illness in humans and animals.

The team discovered that when ATF6 is activated in tick cells, it triggers the production of stomatin, a protein that helps move cholesterol through cells as part of a normal cellular processes. The bacteria exploit this process against their tick hosts, using the cholesterol -which they need to grow and build their own cell membranes but cannot produce themselves – to support their own survival and success.

“Stomatin plays a variety of roles in the cell, but one of its key functions is helping shuttle cholesterol to different areas,” Vosbigian said. “The bacteria take advantage of this, essentially stealing the cholesterol they need to survive.”

When the researchers blocked the production of stomatin, restricting the availability of cholesterol, bacterial growth is significantly reduced. The researchers believe this shows targeting the ATF6-stomatin pathway could lead to new methods for interrupting the disease cycle in ticks before transmission occurs.

As part of the study, Vosbigian also developed a new research tool called ArthroQuest, a free, web-based platform hosted by WSU that allows scientists to search the genomes of ticks, mosquitoes, lice, sand flies, mites, fleas and other arthropod vectors for transcription factor binding sites – genetic switches like ATF6 that control gene activity.

“There aren’t many tools out there for studying gene regulation in arthropods,” Vosbigian said. “Most are built for humans or model species like fruit flies, which are genetically very different from ticks.”

Using ArthroQuest, the team found that ATF6-regulated control of stomatin appears to be prevalent in blood-feeding arthropods. Since the hijacking of cholesterol and other lipids is common among arthropod-borne pathogens, the researchers suspect many may also exploit ATF6.

“We know many other vector-borne pathogens, like Borrelia burgdorferi and the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium, rely on cholesterol and other lipids from their hosts,” Shaw said. “So, the fact that this ATF6-stomatin pathway exists in other arthropods could be relevant to a wide range of disease systems.”

The research was supported in part by a National Institutes of Health R01 grant and a College of Veterinary Medicine intramural seed grant.

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Of these, 19% are children under 1 year of age, according to the prospective coverage plan.

‎This year, EIW in Kyrgyzstan was marked by the launch of a large-scale catch-up immunization campaign. During EIW 2025, 15,521 people were vaccinated as part of this campaign.

The goal of the 2025 EIW was to raise public awareness of the importance of vaccination and ensure wide access to vaccines for every resident of the country, including remote and hard-to-reach areas. Vaccinations were carried out against diseases such as: viral hepatitis B, tuberculosis (BCG), poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcal infections, rotavirus, measles, rubella, mumps, and human papillomavirus. 

‎To ensure access to vaccination throughout the country, 76 mobile teams were involved, including in mountainous and rural settlements.

Sports and mass events were held in seven regional centers, the Ak-Ordo residential complex and the Bishkek Park shopping center, bringing together more than 800 people. More than 20 round tables were also organized with the participation of doctors, representatives of local authorities and opinion leaders.

Earlier it was reported that Kazakhstan is to vaccinate boys against HPV starting from 2026. 

Pittcon’s professional quality online Short Courses are an affordable opportunity for continuing education. All courses count towards building your Professional Hours. Courses take place on Wednesdays, 1:00-3:00 PM EST. 

Course level: Intermediate

This hands-on course teaches step-by-step techniques for interpreting mass spectrometric data to identify molecular structures. Participants will learn elemental composition analysis, tandem MS interpretation, database use, and confidence level reporting, with a focus on manual (“pencil and paper”) methods. Real-world problems from CASMI and the Lockdown Challenge will highlight common pitfalls and effective strategies. Emphasis is on soft ionization and low-mass compounds (<400 Da), with examples from both natural and synthetic molecules. A take-home problem set will be provided for continued practice. Bring a pencil—let’s solve some spectra!

Who Should Attend This Course?

Students and professionals working in the fields that require compound identification using mass spectrometry, across fields such as natural products, environmental and forensic sciences. 

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Confidently determine elemental composition from MS data
2. Propose a reasonable structure from tandem mass spectral data
3. Understand origins of major fragment ions in tandem mass spectra
4. Assign confidence in the structure proposal and understand limitations of MS for structure elucidation

About the Course Instructor

Dejan Nikolic is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, UIC. His research interests include structure elucidation of natural products using mass spectrometry, determination of ADME properties of plant ingredients and development of new assays for drug discovery from plant sources. For the past several years he has been actively involved in the Critical Assessment of Small Molecules Identification (CASMI) initiative aimed at unbiased assessment of different approaches used in structure elucidation by mass spectrometry. He has authored and co-authored more than 100 publications and trained numerous undergraduate and graduate students both through classroom and hands-on training.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is commonly associated with autumn and winter months, but it can also emerge during the summer season, causing significant psychological difficulties.

Summer is generally regarded as a time of happiness and vitality, characterized by warm weather, vacations and outdoor activities. However, for some individuals, summer can trigger symptoms such as low energy, restlessness, sleep disturbances, appetite changes and a general sense of inner unease.

Experts note that summer seasonal depression is often triggered by extreme heat, high humidity, disruptions in sleep patterns and the atypical effects of prolonged or intense sunlight exposure.

Expert insights

Özlem Balaban, a specialist in Mental Health and Psychiatric Disorders at Bakırköy Mazhar Osman Research and Training Hospital, explained to Anadolu Agency (AA) that depression is a common condition, and seasonal depression is considered a subtype of this illness.

Balaban emphasized that seasonal depression is characterized by recurrent depressive episodes in specific seasons. “We generally expect individuals to recover during spring and summer. However, in some patients, depression recurs during these seasons rather than in autumn and winter, which is a less common pattern. This relates to factors causing depression, one of which is disruption in the biological rhythm of the body,” she stated.

Balaban explained that the human body operates on a 24-hour circadian rhythm, and disruption of this rhythm increases the risk of depression. She described depression as a state where a person feels significantly down, unhappy and lethargic compared to their usual self.

Symptoms of depression include loss of pleasure in life (anhedonia), lack of interest in previously enjoyed activities, low energy, impaired attention and concentration, changes in sleep and appetite, slowed movements, and intense feelings of guilt or worthlessness.

In seasonal depression, similar symptoms are expected, including a pervasive sense of unhappiness and mood decline. Specifically in summer depression, patients often experience reduced sleep or insomnia, which can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, increased appetite, weight gain and cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods.

Importance of treatment

Balaban underlined that depression is a significant public health issue but is treatable. She stressed the importance of consulting a psychiatrist, as diagnosis and treatment require professional medical expertise.

“This is not something a person can overcome alone through casual conversation or home remedies. Treatment should be based on scientific medical knowledge,” she said.

The treatment of depression varies depending on the severity of symptoms. In mild to moderate cases, psychotherapy is usually the first step. For moderate to severe depression, medication is often necessary.

Balaban noted that depression treatments are consistent worldwide. “We are fortunate in our health care system; we have access to all treatments available internationally. Recently, bright light therapy has become more common, especially for seasonal depression. It is widely used in northern countries such as Norway and Sweden, where winters are longer and darker compared to our sun-rich, four-season climate. Bright light therapy has proven effective for treating seasonal depression,” she said.

Highlighting psychiatry as a successful medical field with many treatment options, Balaban encouraged individuals experiencing any mental health issues to seek professional help.

“In psychiatry, we have many treatment options tailored to fit the unique needs of each person. Therefore, anyone feeling psychological distress should definitely consult a psychiatrist,” she concluded.

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