Research Team

Kristen Gibson, MPH

Short CV:

• 2014: MPH, University of Michigan School of Public Health

• 2011: BS, University of Michigan

Ms. Gibson, a graduate of the UM School of Public Health and CHIP Internship program, manages several patient-oriented studies in post-acute and long-term care settings. She conducts study fieldwork including patient recruitment, data collection, and microbiology laboratory testing; performs data entry and analysis; and assists with manuscript and grant writing, editing, and submission. Ms. Gibson also coordinates with Institutional Review Boards and external funding agencies for research approvals and annual progress reports. Outside her project management role, Kristen loves baking, traveling, working out, spending time with family and friends, and watching all Michigan sports (esp. football and basketball) -- Go Blue!

Marco Cassone, MD, PhD

Dr. Cassone has many years of experience in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases research. He has described and managed infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria, characterized MRSA and fungal outbreaks in hospital settings, and developed innovative techniques to detect antimicrobial resistance genes. Dr. Cassone leads all laboratory-based projects and activities, including identification, resistance and molecular laboratory testing. He is also involved in collaborating with labs to conduct genomic testing. He enjoys mentoring students and trainees in the lab.

Ganga Vijayasiri, PhD

Ganga’s work at CRISP includes managing study data, statistical support for manuscripts and grant submissions, and mentoring for CHIP Interns. In 2010 she received her PhD in Sociology (with concentrations in work and labor markets, gender inequalities, and statistics) from University of Illinois, Chicago. Ganga’s work as a Senior Research Specialist at University of Illinois from 2010 – 2017 focused on substance abuse and racial disparities in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Before joining CRISP, she worked as Lead Statistician at a Quality Improvement Initiative aimed at reducing hospital readmissions in Michigan hospitals.

Chin-Lin Su, RN

2010- RN, Washtenaw Community College

Chin-Lin is a graduate of the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Washtenaw Community College, where she also tutored in pharmacology, anatomy, and physiology. Prior to joining the team at the Mody lab part-time as a research technician, she has been working as a Team Leader Nurse at the Glacier Hills Rehabilitation Center, where she still continues to care for patients. Most of her time at the Mody lab is spent recruiting patients and taking samples in the field. She is currently working on the INHERENT project that studies COVID-19 transmission patterns within nursing homes. 

Hailey Blinkiewicz, BS, MPH

2023 – MPH, University of Michigan

2019 – BS, University of Michigan

Hailey is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Public Health in the Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology Program, where she worked in a microbiology lab. She assists with data management focusing on data collection, entry, and analysis for the current studies. She is also involved with participant recruitment at nursing homes for the INHERENT study. Outside of work, Hailey enjoys spending time with her horse, Luna.

Hsinhui Hua, MPH

Ms. Hua, a graduate of the UM School of Public Health and CHIP internship program, plays a pivotal role in the laboratory-based research endeavors. Her contributions encompass sample processing, molecular testing, and antibiotic resistance assessments. Her role also extends to conducting data analysis and assisting in the maintenance of the research databases. During her leisure time, she loves baking, gardening and traveling.

Nicholas Pryor, MPH

2021 - BA, Western Michigan University 

2023 - MPH, University of Michigan

Nicholas is a graduate of  the University of Michigan School of Public Health where he concentrated in social epidemiology but also participated in the CHIP internship program. Prior to joining the Mody lab, he worked with Dr. Jennifer Meddings' Surgical Urinary Catheter Care Enhancement Safety Study (SUCCESS), gaining a background in patient safety, quality improvement, and infection control. Currently, he leads the INHERENT project, a CDC-sponsored study investigating COVID-19 transmission dynamics in nursing homes. Most of his time is spent in the field, recruiting and coordinating testing for nursing home residents and staff, though he is also involved in data entry and quality control checks.

Joel Groves

I'm a rising Junior at the University of Michigan studying Molecular, cellular, Developmental Biology. I am from Novi Michigan. Some of my hobbies include snow skiing, mountain biking, and weightlifting. My prior research experience lies mainly in the wet lab, so I'm very excited to begin clinical research with you all! 

Karen Jones, MPH, RN, CIC, FAPIC

Ms. Jones is certified in infection control (CIC) and a Fellow of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control. She has over 10 years' experience in infection control, prevention and epidemiology. She has previously worked in acute care infection prevention and worked on several quality improvement projects both nationally and locally.  Her background is in emergency/trauma nursing. She works with project stakeholders and key leaders to improve infection control in vulnerable settings.

Julia Mantey, MPH, MUP

Short CV:

• 2015: MPH, University of Michigan School of Public Health

• 2015: MUP, University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning

• 2010: BA, University of Iowa

Ms. Mantey coordinates data management for the Center's studies, conducts statistical analyses, and advises mentees on research data applications. She also assists in preparing and submitting grant proposals, manuscripts, and reporting requirements. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, running, and exploring state parks.