Department of Medicine

Emory has been a CDC Prevention Epicenter site since 2015. The 11 current Epicenter sites include some of the top research institutions in the United States and provide PEACH investigators the opportunity to collaborate with subject matter experts from across the country. CDC’s HAI Prevention Epicenter Program conducts collaborative, multi-site research projects leveraging the network to produce geographical representative and generalizable studies.

Other Prevention Epicenter sites

Duke-UNC Prevention Epicenter
- Duke University
- UNC

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute Center for Excellence in HAI Surveillance and Prevention
- Harvard University

Washington University & BJC Epicenter to Prevent Healthcare Associated Infections & Antibiotic Resistance
- Washington University
Johns Hopkins Prevention Epicenter: Transdisciplinary Research Approaches to Prevent Healthcare Associated Infections and Antibiotic Resistance (TRAP HAI & AR)
- Johns Hopkins University

The Iowa Prevention Epicenter: Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Iowa University

University of Maryland-Baltimore Epicenter
- University of Maryland-Baltimore
Chicago Prevention and Intervention Epicenter (CPIE)
- Rush University

Intermountain Program on Antibiotic Resistance and Microbial Threats
- University of Utah

Southeastern Pennsylvania Adult and Pediatric Prevention Epicenter Network
- University of Pennsylvania

J. Craig Venter Institute and Cleveland VA Prevention and Intervention Epicenter
- J. Craig Venter Institute
- Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Prevention Epicenters Program is a unique research program that has been working to implement innovative strategies to improve healthcare quality and patient safety since 1997.

Research Domains

HAI Prevention Epicenter research projects cover several key areas related to healthcare epidemiology and infection prevention

Activities will occur at Emory Healthcare, the largest healthcare system in metropolitan Atlanta, GA, and virtually using established research ties to a multi-state network of nursing homes, 10 other Prevention Epicenters, Georgia Emerging Infections Program, and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

MDROs Multidrug-Resistant Organisms

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are germs that cannot be treated with many commonly used antibiotics, often leading to poor patient outcomes. Transmission of MDROs occurs across the spectrum of healthcare settings. The prevention and control of MDROs is a national priority – one that requires that all healthcare facilities and agencies assume responsibility.

Projects: Pre-ALERT InPART RX FAIR CHAMPIONS REACT PAINTS RAISE

Sepsis Treatment & Prevention

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency where the body’s immune system response can be as harmful as the infection itself. Sepsis happens when an infection (such as one originating from the lungs or skin) triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Early and optimized treatment for sepsis is an aim for improving patient safety.

Projects: IMPRESS

Antibiotic Stewardship Promoting Best Antibiotic Prescribing

Antibiotic stewardship is the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients. Improving antibiotic prescribing is critical to effectively maintain our ability to treat infections and protect patients from harms caused by unnecessary antibiotic use. In essence, antibiotic stewardship is promoting the right antibiotic for the right indication for the right duration for a given patient.

Projects: InPART RX BCx Stewardship EASIL

Novel Settings Study Across the Spectrum of Healthcare Delivery

Over the past decade, healthcare epidemiology has shifted from a primary focus on acute care hospitals to many other settings including outpatient dialysis facilities, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, and ambulatory centers. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and MDROs occur throughout the spectrum of healthcare and therefore research across these diverse settings is critical to prevent spread of these pathogens.

Projects: CHAMPIONS REACT PAINTS EASIL

Microbiome Characterization & Manipulation

Unique microbial environments located in the human body, called “microbiomes,” exist with varying bacterial compositions located across the human body from the gut to the lungs to the skin. These microbiomes play an important role in developing diseases such as sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, or infections with MDROs. In recent years, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), also known as microbiome therapeutics, has garnered increased attention to treat a wide range of diseases, such as C. difficile and MDRO infections.

Projects: FAIR REACT FACE MDRO

Human Factors and Environmental Microbiology Impact of the healthcare environment on patient-worker interactions

Human factors engineering (HFE) studies how humans interact with systems (including physical and organizational environments). Applied to healthcare, HFE provides principles and techniques to systematically identify factors that increase or decrease the risk of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and identify effective preventative measures. Environmental microbiology is the study of how potential pathogens spread to the physical environment; linking HFE and environmental biology is key to understanding pathogen transmission and prevention in healthcare.

Projects: FAIR CHAMPIONS REACT FACE MDRO CLEAN HEME

Research Team

The PEACH team has a diverse skill set, including subject matter experts throughout the applied sciences, along with experienced project managers.

Jack Alperstein
Radhika Asrani
Ahmed Babiker
Chris Bower
Graduate Research Assistant

Epidemiologist

Co-Investigator CLEAN HEME, RAISE, FAIR

Program Manager

Shamie Das
Trey Evans
Scott Fridkin
Lindsey Gottlieb
IMPRESS Co-Investigator


Graduate Research Assistant


Co-Principal Investigator


RAISE Lead Investigator


Jessica Howard-Anderson
Jesse Jacob
Joe Kellogg
Haley Liakakos
Pre-ALERT Lead Investigator


Co-Principal Investigator


Project Manager


Graduate Research Assistant


Christina Mehta
Joel Mumma
Carmen Polito
Rachel Regina
Statistical Advisor


CHAMPIONS Lead Investigator


IMPRESS Lead Investigator


Project Manager


Sarah Satola
Amanda Strudwick
Jay Varkey
Jeff Whatley
ICMC Lab Director

Clinical Research Nurse

CLEAN HEME Co-Investigator

Graduate Research Assistant

Zanthia Wiley
Michael Woodworth
INPART RX Co-Investigator FAIR and REACT Lead Investigator


Scientific Presentations and Publications

Core Partners

Collaboration outside of CDC's Core EPIcenters is also a critical part of the PEACH program. Leveraging all the expertise throughout Atlanta, the Public Health Capital of the world, helps diversify efforts and create connection that would not be otherwise possible.