Research
Stephanie Prescott
Laboratory of Multi-Omic Research: Microbes and Immune Interactions
About: Dr. Prescott was a neonatal intensive care bedside nurse and educator for fifteen years before becoming a board-certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. While working at INOVA Children’s Hospital, a top 40 ranked, 108 bed, Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, she attended the University of Virginia to obtain her PhD, and then worked at the National Institutes of Health in the Laboratory of Integrative Immunology as a research fellow and then a postdoctoral trainee studying the microbiome and immune response to immunotherapy in the setting of advanced melanoma. [Research at UVA and NIH]
In 2020, she joined the faculty as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida College of Nursing. She serves as the Associate Director of the CON Biobehavioral Lab. Her research is focused on the perinatal microbiome and immune responses to early dysbiosis on metabolism, immunity, and neurodevelopment. [Research at USF]
Dr Prescott developed a biobehavioral research laboratory training program in which students at USF (and rare exceptional high school students) are trained in biobehavioral research methods including DNA/RNA extraction, ELISA, and cell culture. After training is successfully completed and competency demonstrated, students volunteer in the lab on current projects and may contribute to publications and presentations of current research projects occurring within the lab. [Volunteer Program]
Research Collaborators: Dr. Prescott collaborates regularly with several scientists across the US. Dr. Giorgio Trinchieri, her post-doctoral research mentor at NCI in Bethesda, Dr. Wendy Henderson, her graduate research mentor, now at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Andrey Morgun, Oregon State University, and Dr. Richard Rodrigues, Leidos, continue to collaborate on her study of perinatal antibiotics and their effects on glucose metabolism in offspring. Dr. Caitlin Dreisbach, University of Rochester, and Dr. Caroline Kelsey from the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience at Harvard collaborate on the microbiota’s association with neurobehavioral characteristics. Drs. Maureen Groer and Kelley Baumgartel collaborate on the immune effects of chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy. Drs. Yu Sun and Thao Ho collaborate on developing prediction models of neonatal pain.
Lab Team
Bradley Kane, Lab Manager, CON Biobehavioral Lab, collaborates on current projects by providing technical support and mentoring for students, volunteers, and researchers within the lab.
Hailey Morgan, PhD candidate, Graduate Research Assistant, oversees project coordination for all of Dr. Prescott’s projects. She assists with all administrative details of current projects including the IRB, sample management, and coordinating student assistants and volunteers.
Danielle Abukhalaf, PhD candidate, Graduate Research Assistant, coordinates the Sepsis Project at the INOVA site for Dr. Prescott. Assists with administrative details for the INOVA site and leads nursing education initiatives associated with the sepsis project.
Sapna Patel, Undergraduate Administrative Coordinator, coordinates lab volunteer scheduling and administrative paperwork in addition to serving as team lead for individual projects in the lab.
Casey Taff, Undergraduate Education Coordinator, leads the education of new volunteers within the lab in addition to serving as team lead for individual projects within the lab.
Monserrat Villasenor-Garcia, Undergraduate Clinical Coordinator, coordinates clinical activities of lab volunteers and oversees data and sample collection for the GDM project in addition to serving as team lead for individual projects in the lab.
Undergraduate teaching assistants: Sneha Sahoo and Leah Bicich
Laboratory Volunteers- Vanessa Vasquez, Ebu Ojogwu, Lucia Anton Del Rio, Louse Joseph, Karin Ayad, Pratyusha Samal, Shreyas Sathya, Kristen Boyd, Gabriella Pardo, Diana Ramos-Hernandez, Harshika Raghuvanshi, Ava Canella, Jenna Stahigren, and Addison Enns
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A Systems Approach to Predicting and Classifying Neonatal Sepsis using Biospecimens and Clinical Data R21-R33. In this project we collect samples from preterm neonates from birth through 7 weeks of life to develop a multi-omic prediction model of neonatal sepsis. Our first goal in the R21 phase is to develop optimal sample collection, storage, and processing methods to allow for point of care testing while ensuring experimental rigor. The next goal in the R33 phase is to develop prediction models for neonatal sepsis. In the long term, we hope to develop point of care testing available at the bedside to predict sepsis before the infants become symptomatic so that sepsis episodes can be avoided. This project is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Microbiome in Gestational Diabetes: Contribution to Race-related Health Disparities. In this project we collect samples from White and Hispanic pregnant women with and without gestational diabetes to understand if there are microbiome changes associated with gestational diabetes and whether these are more profound in women from populations with historically higher prevalence of the disease. This project is supported by the USF Microbiome Institute.
The Maternal Oral Microbiome throughout pregnancy. In this project we collected samples from pregnant women across pregnancy to characterize the oral microbiome throughout pregnancy. This project is supported by the USF Women’s Health Collaborative.
Developing a murine model of neonatal dysbiosis and growth failure. In this project we transplant stool from neonates with normal growth vs. those with post-natal growth failure in order to understand the role of the microbiome in neonatal growth. This project is currently supported by startup funding.
Other projects in which Dr. Prescott Collaborates as a Co-Investigator
- An AI-based Multimodal Approach to Predict Pain in Postnatal Care Scenarios, Yun, PI
- Maternal Dietary Intervention to Reduce Late-onset GBS Disease in Infants, Randis, PI
- Chronic Toxoplasma gondii, Pregnancy reactivation, and Perinatal Depression, Groer, PI
- Exploring the Gut Microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Across Pregnancy, Randis, PI
- Investigate the effects on growth and immune response of intestinal microbial perturbation during development, Kelsey, PI
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R21GM150136 NIH/NIGMS, 2023
$194,589 (PI: Prescott)
The Scientific Value of Premature Infant Biospecimens Collection
R41HD109086 NIH/NICHD, 2023
$100,000 (PI: Sun)
An AI-based Multimodal Approach to Predict Pain in Postnatal Care Scenarios
Role: Co-Investigator
Corridor Undergraduate Research Initiative, $10,000 Florida High Tech Corridor 2023, 2024
Biobehavioral Research Laboratory: Expanding Undergraduate Research and Leadership
Microbiome Institute Collaborative Grant, $30,000 University of South Florida, 2022
Microbiome in gestational diabetes: Contribution to race-related health disparities
Role: Principal Investigator
Microbiome Institute Pilot Grant, $20,000 University of South Florida, 2022
Maternal Dietary Intervention to Reduce Late-onset GBS Disease in Infants (PI: Randis)
Role: Co-Investigator
Women’s Health Collaborative Grant, $15,000 University of South Florida, 2021
The Maternal Microbiome throughout Pregnancy
Role: Principal Investigator
R01-HD0868-05 NIH/NICHD, 2021
$494,892 (PI: Groer)
Chronic Toxoplasma gondii, Pregnancy reactivation, and Perinatal Depression
Role: Co-Investigator
COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Proposal #100447, University of South Florida, 2020
$25,000 (PI: Randis, Groer)
Exploring the Gut Microbiome in SARS-CoV-2 Infection Across Pregnancy, 2020
Role: Co-Investigator
Cancer Research (Post-doctoral) Training Award, National Cancer Institute, NIH
Cancer and Inflammation Program, 2019-2020
$115,000 ($55,700 per annum) stipend
$40,000 ($20,000 per annum) Research expenses
Investigate the effects on growth and immune response of intestinal microbial perturbation during development
Graduate Partnership Program-National Institute of Nursing Research, NIH 2016-2019
$108,000 ($36,000 per annum) stipend
$60,000 ($20,000 per annum) research expenses
Dissertation-Perinatal Antimicrobial Prophylaxis—Friend or Foe?
Dannon Yogurt Probiotics and the Gut Microbiome Fellowship Grant 2018
$25,000
Investigate maternal infant dyad microbiota perturbations and neuroimaging changes from birth through 14 months
Role: Co-Investigator
1ZIABC011153-12 NIH/NCI 2018-2020
$3,502,163 (PI G. Trinchieri)
Role of the Microbiome in Cancer and Inflammation, Cancer Inflammation Program, National Cancer Institute, Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
Role: Graduate Student and Post-Doctoral Researcher
1ZIANR000018 NIH/NINR 2017-2019
$566,162 (PI W. Henderson)
Testing Interventions for Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in a Murine Model, Digestive Disorder Unit, Biobehavioral Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Resources.
Role: Graduate Student Researcher
1ZIABC011153-09 NIH/NCI 2016-2018
$2,726,204 (PI G. Trinchieri)
Role of Mouse Microbiome in Cancer and Inflammation
Division of Basic Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Role: Collaborator from other NIH organizations
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Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research and Innovation Award ($10,000 x2) 2023, 2024
Valerie D. Riddle Award in Health, WLP Faculty Excellence ($15,000) 2022
International Travel Award, USF ($2500) 2022
Publications Award, USF ($2500) 2022
Daisy Faculty Award Nominee 2021, 2022, 2023
AACN Outstanding Dissertation, Nominee 2019
Phyllis J. Verhonick Dissertation Award, ($1500) 2019
Recognizing Outstanding Scholarship, University of Virginia
Raven Honor Society, 2018
Recognizing Outstanding Service to the University and Academic Achievement
Jefferson Cup, Barbara Parker Research Symposium ($500) 2017, 2018
Harry T. Peters Community Nursing Program Fellowship ($15,000) 2017, 2018
Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Virginia 2016
Arlene Keeling Research Dissemination Award ($500) 2015
Sigma Theta Tau, Delta Sigma Chapter 2009
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Koerner, R., Prescott, S., McSkimming, D., Alman, A., Duffy, A., & Groer, M. (2023). The salivary microbiome during pregnancy: Associations with clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 37(4), 287–294. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0000000000000715
Stephanie Prescott, Tina Mutka, Kelley Baumgartel, Ji Youn Yoo, Hailey Morgan, Teodor T. Postolache, Andreas Seyfang, Johanna M. Gostner, Dietmar Fuchs, Kami Kim, Maureen E. Groer. (2023) Tryptophan metabolism and immune alterations in pregnant Hispanic women with chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection, American Journal of Reproductive Immunology, DOI: 10.1111/aji.13768 (Impact factor 3.77)
Kelley Baumgartel, Monica Stevens, Nisha Vijayakumar, Angeline Saint Fleur, Stephanie Prescott, Maureen Groer, (2023). The Human Milk Metabolome: A Scoping Literature Review, Journal of Human Lactation, Mar 16;8903344231156449. doi: 10.1177/08903344231156449. (Impact factor 2.880)
Prescott, S., Schminkey, D., Abukhalaf, D., DeGuzman, P., & Dreisbach, C. (2023). A framework to guide research and practice response to emerging infectious diseases: Genomic‐to‐global considerations. Public Health Nursing. 2023; 40:144–152. doi:10.1111/phn.13133 (Impact factor 2021 1.770)
Llerena A, Tran K, Choudhary D, Hausmann J, Goldgof D, Sun Y and Prescott SM (2023) Neonatal pain assessment: Do we have the right tools? Frontiers in Pediatrics. 10: 1022751.doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1022751 (Impact factor 3.569)
Tina Mutka, Andreas Seyfang, Ji Youn Yoo, Samia A.S.Valeria Ozorio Dutra, Ming Ji, Adetola Louis-Jacques, Allyson Duffy, Karen Bruder, Stephanie Prescott, Kami Kim, Maureen Groer,, (2023)“Adverse pregnancy outcomes in Toxoplasma gondii seropositive Hispanic women,” Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 49(3):893-903. doi: 10.1111/jog.15511. Epub 2022 Dec 10 (Impact Factor 2022 1.697)
Koerner, R., Prescott, S., Alman, A., Duffy, A., & Groer, M. (2023). The oral microbiome throughout pregnancy: A scoping review. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 48(4), 200–208. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMC.0000000000000930 (Impact factor 2022 1.412)
Dreisbach, Prescott, Dudley, Donald, Alhusen, Jeanne, Trinchieri, Giorgio, Siega-Riz, Anna Maria et. al., (2023) "Composition of the maternal gastrointestinal microbiome as a predictor of newborn birth weight,", Pediatric Research, Sep;94(3):1158-1165. doi: 10.1038/s41390-023-02584-4. Epub 2023 Apr 7 (Impact Factor 2022 3.756)
Dreisbach C, Alhusen J, Prescott S, Dudley D, Trinchieri G, Siega-Riz AM. (2022), Metagenomic characterization of the maternal prenatal gastrointestinal microbiome by pregravid BMI. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2022; 1‐11. doi:10.1002/oby.23659 (Impact Factor 2022 9.298)
Sarkar, A., Prescott, S. M., Dutra, S., Yoo, J. Y., Gordon, J., Shaffer, E., … Groer, M. E. (2022). Relationships of the very low birth weight infant microbiome with neurodevelopment at 2 and 4 years of age. Developmental Psychobiology, 64(7). doi:10.1002/dev.22317 (Impact factor 2022 3.038)
Dreisbach, C., Prescott, S.M., Jeanne Alhusen, Donald Dudley, Giorgio Trinchieri, Anna Maria Siega-Riz, (2022) “Association between microbial composition, diversity, and function of the maternal gastrointestinal microbiome with impaired glucose tolerance on the Glucose Challenge Test,” PLOS One, 17(12): e0271261. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271261(Impact Factor 2022 3.752)
Koerner, R., Groer, M., & Prescott, S. (2022). “Scoping review of the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus and the neonatal and infant gut microbiome,” Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing. doi: 10.1016/j.jogn.2022.06.037 (Impact Factor 2022 1.716)
M. S. Salekin, G. Zamzmi, D. Goldgof, P. R. Mouton, K. J. Anand, T. Ashmeade, S. Prescott, Y. Huang, and Y. Sun. (2022) “Attentional generative multimodal network for neonatal postoperative pain estimation,” in Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention – MICCAI, vol. 13433, pp. 749–759, Springer Nature Switzerland. (Impact Factor 2021 8.545)
Dreisbach C, Morgan H, Cochran C, Gyamfi A, Henderson WA, Prescott S. Metabolic and microbial changes associated with diet and obesity during pregnancy: what can we learn from animal studies? Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology 2022 Jan 18;11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.795924 (Impact Factor 2022 5.293)
Prescott, S., Dreisbach, C., Koerner, R., …Trinchieri, G., Impact of Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis on Offspring Microbiota, Frontiers in Pediatrics; 2021. Dec 10;9. doi: 10.3389/fped.2021.754013 (Impact Factor 2022 3.418)
McColluch, J., Diwakar, D., Rodrigues, R., …Prescott, S., ... Trinchieri, G., Dzutsev, A., Intestinal Microbiota Signatures Predict Clinical Outcome, and Immune-related Adverse Events in PD-1 Treated Melanoma Patients. (2022) Nature Medicine; Feb 28. 545–556. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01698-2 (Impact Factor 2022 53.44)
Davar, D., Dzutzev, A., …Prescott, S…Trinchieri, G., Zarour, H., et al. Fecal microbiota transplant overcomes resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in advanced melanoma patients. Science. 2021 Feb 5;371(6529):595-602. doi: 10.1126/science.abf3363. PMID: 33542131 (Impact Factor 2021 47.728)
Kelsey, Caroline, Prescott, Stephanie M., McCulloch, John, Trinchieri, Giorgio, Alladares, Tara, Dreisbach, Caitlin, Alhuesen, Jeanne, Grossmann, Tobias. Gut microbiota composition is linked to newborn functional brain connectivity and behavioral temperament. Brain Behavior and Immunity 2020 Nov 4:S0889-1591(20)32377-1. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.11.003. PMID: 33157257 (Impact Factor 2020 7.217)
Dreisbach, C., Prescott, S., & J. Alhusen. (2020). Influence of maternal prepregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain on maternal and child gastrointestinal microbiome composition: a systematic review. Biological Research for Nursing, 22(1), 114-125. doi: 10.1177/1099800419880615. (Impact Factor 2020 2.522)
Prescott, Stephanie M. & Keim-Malpass, Jessica, “Patent Ductus Arteriosus in the Preterm Infant: Diagnostic and Treatment Options,” Advances in Neonatal Care, 2017; 17 (1) 10-18. doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000340 (Impact factor 1.968)
Prescott, Stephanie M., “Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Patent Ductus Arteriosus in the Preterm Neonate: A Systematic Review,” Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 2017; 23. 9-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnn.2016.07.002 (Impact factor 0.968)
Prescott, Stephanie M. & Hehman, Michelle, “Premature Infant Care in the Early 20th Century,” Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nurses, 2017; 46 (4) 636-647. (Invited author). (Impact factor 1.716)
Robinson, J., Fourie, N., Boulineaux, C. Abey, S., Sherwin, L., Weaver, K., Joseph, P., Ozoji, O., Prescott, S., Rahim-Williams, B., Peace, R., Henderson, W., “Hematological, IL-10, and MicroRNA Perturbations in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS),” Gastroenterology, 2017; 152(5) S723-S724. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-5085(17)32516-7
(Impact factor 22.682)
Prescott, S., Badger, J., McColloch, J., Dzutsev, A., Huang, A., Thorvarai, V., Wuxing, Y., Henderson, W., Trinchieri, G., “Perinatal Antibiotics—Friend or Foe?” Dissertation, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Virginia, 2019. http://doi.org/10.18130/v3-8b53-xd13
Book Chapter
Prescott, S. & Tran, V. (2022). Sepsis and meningitis. In A. J. Jnah & C. C. McPherson (Eds.). Fetal and neonatal pharmacology for the advanced practice nurse. Chapter 28. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
Professional Association Website Publication (Peer Reviewed)
Prescott, Stephanie M. "Necrotizing Enterocolitis" NANN.org. National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Sept. 2011, Reprinted May 2015, Web.
Prescott, Stephanie M. "Double Trouble: Effects of Multiple Gestation" NANN.org. National Association of Neonatal Nurses, May 2012. Web.
Prescott, Stephanie M. "Antibiotics: Do Minutes Make a Difference?" NANN.org. National Association of Neonatal Nurses, November 2011. Web.
Prescott, Stephanie M. "Interpretation of Blood Gases" NANN.org. National Association of Neonatal Nurses, October 2011. Web.
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Stephanie Prescott, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC
Assistant Professor, Associate Director USF College of Nursing Biobehavioral Lab
P: 703-220-9820I accept graduate student mentees interested in biobehavioral nursing research.
I accept students into the biobehavioral lab volunteer program based on space availability. However, there is currently a wait list.