Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 2016
  • B.S., Organismal and Conservation Biology, San Jose State University, 2007
  • M.S., Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, 2010
Academic Appointments
  • University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Assistant Professor (Adjunct)
Professional Affiliations
  • Entomological Society of America
  • Crop Life America
  • Citizen Science Association
  • Ecological Society of America

Dr. Ryan is a broadly trained biologist with nearly 20 years of experience evaluating ecological and environmental impacts of human activities and emerging technologies. His expertise spans risk assessment of advanced biotechnologies — including genetically engineered organisms and RNA interference (RNAi) products — as well as ecological damage assessments following environmental disasters such as oil spills, chemical releases, and wildfires. He also develops and applies interactive data analytics and decision‑support tools for regulatory compliance and infrastructure management.

Dr. Ryan applies a diverse suite of analytical tools, including molecular genetics, bioinformatics (e.g., in silico analyses), simulation modeling, and quantitative statistical methods, to evaluate past and predict future genetic and ecological changes across landscapes over time. He has also served as a testifying expert in litigation involving entomological issues.

Risk Assessment of Biotechnologies

Dr. Ryan specializes in helping clients assess potential risks of various products as part of the regulatory compliance processes (FDA/CVM, USDA/BRS, EPA) for products such as biopesticides and genetically engineered organisms. His work includes:


  • FDA Environmental Assessment for Gene-Edited Pigs

Led development of the first FDA-approved Environmental Assessment for PIC's gene-edited pigs containing an Intentional Genomic Alteration (IGA) conferring resistance to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). Conducted individual-based simulation modeling to predict environmental fate and effects.


  • AquaBounty's AquaAdvantage Salmon

Contributed to the Environmental Assessment for the first transgenic salmon approved by FDA for human consumption.


  • RNAi Biopesticide Risk Assessments

Supported risk evaluations for multiple RNAi-based products (dsRNA, shRNA), including exposure likelihood for non-target organisms (NTOs) and bioinformatics (in silico) analyses to assess potential off-target effects.


  • Microbial Risk Evaluation

Assessed risks posed by genetically engineered and non-engineered microbes using bioinformatics for strain delineation and pathogenicity potential.

Molecular Forensics for Environmental and Product Investigations

Dr. Ryan specializes in identifying and attributing sources of contamination in natural and manufactured systems using advanced molecular and genomic techniques.


  • Genome and Transcriptomic Analyses

Used genomic data in litigation context to support clients' claims of product identity.


  • Environmental DNA (eDNA) and Molecular Source Tracking

Leveraged eDNA and molecular methods for microbial source tracking (e.g., coliform bacteria) and for identifying contamination sources in environmental and product matrices, including determination of contaminant provenance (organisms' identity and origin).

Assessment of Natural Resource Damages and Environmental Impacts

Dr. Ryan has extensive experience evaluating species responses to environmental change — from climate impacts to catastrophic disturbances — and quantifying ecological injuries in terrestrial and aquatic systems. His work includes:


  • Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDA)

Investigated ecological damages from chemical releases, wildfires, heavy metals, and climate-related stressors using causal analysis and other quantitative methods.


  • Complex Litigation Support

Managed and supported large-scale litigation cases involving alleged ecological impacts from contaminants (e.g., PCBs, PFAS) and various anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., climate change, wildfires).

Interactive Data Analytics and Decision‑Support Tools

Dr. Ryan develops and applies interactive analytical platforms to support regulatory decision‑making, internal scientific workflows, and client communication, with an emphasis on reproducibility, transparency, and alignment with regulatory expectations (e.g., GLP). His work includes:


  • Interactive Dashboards (R Shiny)

Designed and implemented custom R Shiny applications for client‑facing and internal use to explore data, standardize analyses, and generate reproducible, audit‑ready outputs.


  • Dose — Response Modeling and Reporting

Developed interactive analytical tools to support statistical evaluation and visualization of dose — response relationships, including model selection and derivation of NOEC and ECx estimates, in GLP‑compliant reports for regulatory submissions.


  • Pesticide Exposure and Drift Modeling

Developed an open‑source interactive dashboard for evaluating pesticide drift, integrating formulation‑specific and environmental data to support assessment of deposition patterns by industry and regulatory stakeholders.


  • Infrastructure and Utilities Impact Evaluation

Developed interactive dashboards for utilities companies to enable routine evaluation and decision‑support for infrastructure management.