For more than 20 years, Dr. Pierce has been studying antioxidants in various diseases to determine the effects on the diaphragm, lungs, myocardium, brain and kidneys. Dr. Pierce has had continuous research funding at KUMC for over 30 years. She recently completed a randomized double-blinded clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute on Aging to study the effects of ubiquinol (active form of Coenzyme Q10) and D-ribose in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The purpose of this study was to determine if these two supplements can improve the bioenergetics of the myocardium and reduce symptom burden. She is currently investigating the pathophysiology and symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome. Dr. Pierce was recently been funded by DOD, TSNRP to study the prevalence of post-COVID-19 syndrome in active duty military personnel.