Principal Investigator

Lona Mody, MD, M.Sc

Dr. Mody is Amanda Sanford Hickey Professor of Internal Medicine and directs the Center for Research and Innovations in Special Populations (CRIISP). She is a tenured professor at Michigan Medicine and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

Funded by NIA, AHRQ, UM Pepper Center, CDC, VA and Foundations, her research defines the clinical and molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial resistant pathogens and develop novel interventions to prevent them. In order to achieve her goals, she collaborates with investigators across the translational spectrum and disciplines, including infectious diseases, hospital medicine, molecular epidemiology, health outcomes researchers, nursing and health policy.

In an NIH-R01 randomized controlled study, her team evaluated a multi-modal targeted infection-prevention (TIP) intervention to prevent resistant organisms and infections in post-acute and long-term care residents with indwelling devices. This innovative work led to a successful AHRQ contract to implement our intervention in over 500 facilities across 50 states in the US. Funded by another NIH-R01, she defined the complex relationship between antimicrobial resistance, functional disability and the role of regional networks in transmission of resistant pathogens and developed interventions to disrupt this transmission. In another study, funded by the VA CSR&D Merit Review, she studies transmission of drug resistant organisms in common use areas by hospitalized patients and downstream consequences of these events.

Her most recent funding – Revolutionizing Precision Health Among Older Adults involving the UM and two academic institutions in Israel will address major challenges related to healthy aging including understanding and preventing common recurring infections that decrease quality and quantity of life. Funded by NIA, she has led many clinical, research and training initiatives during COVID-19 Pandemic with an explicit focus on older adults.

She directs her division’s T32 training grant and with support from NIA K24 is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists. She and her mentees have published in high impact journals such as JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine, Clinical Infectious Diseases, J of American Geriatrics Society and PNAS. She has published several career development articles particularly on work-life balance.

CV Link

In the news:

• October 13, 2020 UofMHealth.org: Proactivity and Partnership Pay Off for Nursing Homes in a Pandemic
• October 9, 2020 Michigan Radio: Families and advocates push for a more liberal visiting policy at long-term care facilities
• July 9, 2020 Washington Post: Yes, you can keep up your green practices during the pandemic
• June 23, 2020 EurekAlert: Healthcare facilities rapidly adapt & refine practices based on new evidence & supply shortages
• June 16, 2020 Morning Call: Study finds 1 in 5 people worldwide at risk of severe COVID-19
• May 5, 2020 Contagion Live: COVID-19 Spread in Michigan Nursing Homes Despite Pandemic Preparations
• April 26, 2020 McKnight’s Long Term Care News: Nursing homes more prepared for the coronavirus than for H1N1: survey
• April 24, 2020 WBUR Here & Now: CDC Asks Nursing Homes To Disclose Coronavirus Cases
• April 23, 2020 University of Michigan: Survey of Michigan nursing homes at start of current pandemic suggests great improvement since just before the H1N1 pandemic
• April 5, 2020 Washington Post: Dozens of cases, and 10 deaths. Inside Maryland’s worst coronavirus outbreak
• March 18, 2020 GeriPal: Covid19: Podcast with Lona Mody and John Mills
• March 6, 2020 AJC: Coronavirus exposes gaps in infection controls for senior-care homes
• March 6, 2020 News India Times: The U.S. health system is showing why it’s not ready for a coronavirus pandemic
• March 4, 2020 Washington Post: U.S. health system is showing why it’s not ready for a coronavirus pandemic
• February 28, 2020 US News: Coronavirus Strikes Men, Older People the Hardest