Biostatistics

Overview of Services

The Biostatistics Core draws upon statisticians who collaborate in basic, translational, clinical and population research in the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Core members can help with study design, grant proposals, clinical protocols, data analysis, and manuscripts.

Areas of expertise include:  Basic science: statistical methods for assays and bioassays, animal models, genomics (RNA-seq, CHIP-seq, microarray, rRNA microbial classification), mutation spectra, experimental genetics; Translational science:  animal models, xenografts, cell migration, statistics for toxicology, pharmacokinetic modeling; Clinical Science:  clinical trials, diagnostics, biomarkers, retrospective clinical studies, clinical epidemiology; Population Science: Epidemiology, genetic epidemiology; General:  numerical and graphical data summary, statistical inference, and prediction models.

Collaboration in research is our main activity.  Contact any core statistician, or contact the director for an introduction (email: #biostat_core), or submit a project request online.

Free Consulting is available to advise investigators on statistical issues in research, or to explore possible collaboration.  This is often simply a collegial interaction, but investigators may contact the director (email: #biostat_core) for an introduction to a statistician.  Early contact about research planning is always welcomed.

Case finding: The core can provide HIPAA-compliant identification of patients with stored tissue samples or other clinical and disease characteristics.  (email: #case_finding; phone ext. 32002 or 61444)

Statistical Computing is provided in conjunction with collaboration.  The core does not provide user-directed computing, and does not operate a help desk for software.

Data extraction from various COH and public databases is provided in conjunction with collaboration, but is not provided as a separate service.

Funding: Grant proposals should include any collaborating statistician in the budget.  The core does not charge for effort toward proposals, but preliminary data analysis may constitute a separate project.  Clinical trials should include statistician effort in budgets submitted to the Clinical Trials Finance Office.  Some departments and fellowship programs have established support arrangements for approved projects.  For other projects, consult with a statistician to develop a project-specific budget for charges via iLab.  

Leadership

Joycelynne Palmer, Ph.D.
Director
626-256-HOPE (4673), x85266
jmpalmer@coh.org

Location and hours of operation

Links and Resources

1. Biostatistics Core Website

Contacts