# Midwest Virtual Laboratory of Pathogen Transmission in Healthcare Settings (MVL-PATHS)

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY · 2022 · $299,761

## Abstract

Midwest Virtual Laboratory of Pathogen Transmission in Healthcare Settings (MVL-PATHS)
Project Summary
Antimicrobial Resistant (AMR) pathogens have become a significant public health threat. Also, the COVID-19
pandemic has further revealed disparities in healthcare settings. By developing and implementing novel
mathematical and computation models, the long-term goals are to optimize AMR control and preventive
interventions and to improve the health equity. The central hypothesis is that the outputs of mathematical and
computation models will provide optimized and effective guidelines to reduce the threat of AMR pathogen spread
and reduce health disparities in healthcare settings. The rationale underlying this project is to fill the critical gap in
modeling workforce capacity and develop a new generation of mathematical models for healthcare research. The
central hypothesis will be tested by pursuing three specific aims to develop and employ a, (i) One Health modeling
approach to understand the source, distribution and spread of AMR Enterobacteriaceae with a focus on Extended-
spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli, (ii) a novel Real-Time modeling approach to identify AMR
pathogen transmission by asymptomatic spreaders and contaminated medical devices in hospitals, (iii) a novel
Agent-Based Nested modeling approach to identify the effects of caregivers as vectors of disease spread, and effects
of limited staffing and specialized care on equitable quality of care in nursing homes. We will pursue these aims
using an innovative combination of mathematical and computational modeling techniques. These include both
recently developed techniques of including human behavior in models and more-established techniques that have
been applied very little to the study of health equity and AMR pathogen spread. The workforce development
objectives of this proposal are to (i) enhance mathematical and computational modeling research capabilities of the
public health workforce and (ii) increase the number of junior modeling professionals that are trained and
experienced in modeling transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings partly incorporated with health disparities.
The expected outcomes of this work are the successful training of five predoctoral fellows and creating a virtual
laboratory of enhanced mathematical models to identify strategies for reducing the threat AMR pathogen spread
and reducing health disparities. The results will have an important positive impact immediately because the virtual
laboratory can also be used by healthcare professionals to further investigate the drivers of disease spread and
estimate the relative benefits of multiple control and prevention strategies in a timely and cost-effective manner. In
addition, the research outputs of this project will expand and strengthen national one-health efforts to combat
resistance and will have a direct impact on CDC and its public health partners’ ability to reduce the costs, morb...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10618068
- **Project number:** 1U01CK000671-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Majid Bani Yaghoub
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $299,761
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-30 → 2025-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10618068

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10618068, Midwest Virtual Laboratory of Pathogen Transmission in Healthcare Settings (MVL-PATHS) (1U01CK000671-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10618068. Licensed CC0.

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