Ryan Pace

Research

Ryan Pace, PhD

Dr. Pace received his doctoral degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to joining the USF College of Nursing, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in microbiome science and human milk/lactation at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho; and a NIH NIGMS K12 postdoctoral fellowship in microbiome science in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Pace is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing. His research revolves around understanding how the microbiome relates to human health and development, with a focus on the first 1000 days of life. Current research investigates diverse aspects of maternal-infant health, including relationships among maternal diet, human milk composition, and maternal/infant microbiomes; as well as the role of human milk in modulating immunological risks and benefits to mothers and infants.

Join us

Undergraduate and graduate students: If you are interested in joining our lab, please send a cover letter outlining experience and research interests and a CV to Dr. Pace at rmpace@usf.edu.

For all other inquiries, please contact Dr. Pace at rmpace@usf.edu.

A complete list of Dr. Pace’s publications can be found on NCBI’s My Bibliography.

Pace RM, Pace CDW, Fehrenkamp BD, Price WJ, Lewis M, Williams JE, McGuire MA, McGuire MK. 2022. Sodium and potassium concentrations and somatic cell count of human milk produced in the first six weeks postpartum and their suitability as biomarkers of clinical and subclinical mastitis. Nutrients. 14(22):4708. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224708

Martin MA, Keith M, Pace RM, Williams JE, Ley SH, Barbosa-Leiker C, Caffé B, Smith C, Kunkel A, Lackey KA, Navarrete AD, Pace CDW, Gogel AC, Eisenberg DTA, Fehrenkamp BD, McGuire MA, McGuire MK, Meehan CL, Brindle E. 2022. SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody trajectories in mothers and infants over two months following maternal infection. Frontiers in Immunology. 13:1015002. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1015002

Pace RM, Williams JE, Järvinen KM, Meehan CL, Martin MA, Ley SH, Barbosa-Leiker C, Andres A, Yeruva L, Belfort MB, Caffé B, Navarrete AD, Lackey KA, Pace CDW, Gogel AC, Fehrenkamp BD, Klein M, Young B, Rosen-Carole C, Diaz N, Gaw SL, Flaherman V, McGuire MA, McGuire MK, Seppo A. 2021. Milk from women diagnosed with COVID- 19 does not contain SARS-CoV-2 RNA but has persistent levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA antibodies. Frontiers in Immunology. 12:5566. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.801797

Pace RM, Chu DM, Prince AL, Ma J, Seferovic MD, Aagaard KM. 2021. Complex species and strain ecology of the vaginal microbiome from pregnancy to postpartum and association with preterm birth. Med. 2(9):1027-1049.e7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medj.2021.06.001

Pace RM, Williams JE, Robertson B, Lackey KA, Meehan CL, Price WJ, Foster JA, Sellen DW, Kamau-Mbuthia EW, Kamundia EW, Mbugua S, Moore SE, Prentice AM, Kita DG, Kvist LJ, Otoo GW, Ruíz L, Rodríguez JM, Pareja RG, McGuire MA, Bode L, McGuire MK. 2021. Variation in human milk composition is related to differences in milk and infant fecal microbial communities. Microorganisms. 9(6):1153. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9061153

Lackey KA, Fehrenkamp, BD, Pace RM, Williams JE, Meehan CL, McGuire MA, McGuire MK. 2021. Breastfeeding beyond twelve months: Is there evidence for health impacts? Annual Review of Nutrition. 41(7):1–26. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-nutr-043020-011242

Pace RM, Williams JE, Järvinen KM, Belfort MB, Pace CDW, Lackey KA, Gogel AC, Nguyen-Contant P, Kanagaiah P, Fitzgerald T, Ferri R, Young B, Rosen-Carole C, Diaz N, Meehan CL, Caffé B, Sangster MY, Topham D, McGuire MA, Seppo A, McGuire MK. 2021. Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, antibodies, and neutralizing capacity in milk produced by women with COVID-19. mBio. 12(1):e03192–20. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.03192-20

McGuire MK, Seppo A, Goga A, Buonsenso D, Collado MC, Donovan SM, Müller JA, Ofman G, Monroy-Valle M, O’Connor DL, Pace RM, Van de Perre P. 2021. Best practices for human milk collection for COVID-19 research. Breastfeeding Medicine. 6(1):29–38. https://doi.org/10.1089/bfm.2020.0296

Seferovic, MD, Mohammad M, Pace RM, Engevik M, Versalovic J, Bode L, Haymond M, Aagaard KM. 2020. Maternal diet alters human milk oligosaccharide composition with implications for the milk metagenome. Scientific Reports. 10(1):22092. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79022-6

Antony KM, Kazembe PN, Pace RM, Levison J, Phiri H, Chiudzu G, Harris RA, Chirwa R, Nyondo M, Marko E, Chigayo A, Nanthuru M, Banda B, Twyman N, Ramin SM, Raine SP, Belfort MA, Aagaard KM. 2020. Population- based estimation of the preterm birth rate in Malawi: Making every birth count. American Journal of Perinatology Reports. 10(01):e78–e86. https://doi.org/10.1055%2Fs-0040-1708491

Prince AL, Pace RM, Dean T, Takahashi D, Kievit P, Friedman JE, Aagaard KM. 2019. The development and ecology of the Japanese macaque gut microbiome from weaning to early adolescence in association with diet. American Journal of Primatology. 81(10-11):e22980. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.22980

Pace RM, Prince AL, Ma J, Baquero K, Blundell P, Takahashi D, Dean T, Kievit P, Sullivan, EL, Friedman JE, Grove K, Aagaard KM. 2018. Modulations in the offspring gut microbiome are refractory to postnatal synbiotic supplementation among juvenile primates. BMC Microbiology. 18:28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-018-1169-9
Ryan Pace, PhD
Assistant Professor
USF Health College of Nursing
12912 USF Health Dr, MDC22-3017
Tampa, FL 33612
Phone: (813) 974-9243
rmpace@usf.edu

X: @Dr_RyanPace