Shared Resource: Biostatistics and Informatics

Baylor College Of Medicine, Houston TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

CORE: Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource (Other Group) PROJECT SUMMARY Biostatistics and data management related shared resources have, from the beginning of cancer centers, been a centerpiece of the infra-structure that underpins and adds value to a cancer center. The same holds true today, although needs and solutions have evolved. At present, within the Dan L Duncan Cancer Center, the Biostatistics and Informatics Shared Resource (BISR) plays an absolutely critical role. Going forward into the next funding period, we propose changes and strategic enhancements that will continue to provide the best possible support to research in the Cancer Center. The resource was initially established as part of the first CCSG application in 2006, and has continued to be wholly managed by the Cancer Center. Under the direction of Dr. Susan Hilsenbeck, and co-direction of Dr. Lauren Becnel, we support investigators in all programs, and have established especially strong grant-funded collaboration/support of members of the Breast, Cancer Cell and Gene Therapy, Nuclear Receptors and Cancer Prevention and Population Science Program. During the last funding period, we continued to grow strategically, adding new faculty, new staff and new services according to plans put forward in earlier CCSG applications, and in the DLDCC strategic plan. We have expanded expertise and infra-structure in both analytics and informatics. For example, with more than $600,000 of institutional support we have greatly strengthened our HPC cluster services, substantially updating equipment and moving the cluster and other hardware to a new Tier III data center inside the BCM firewall. We have recruited additional faculty and staff with expertise to address growing needs. Our primary mission is to support the research efforts of Cancer Center investigators. This will be accomplished by 1) collaborating on state of the art design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of clinical and basic science studies; 2) providing high quality infrastructure, such as high performance computing and/or clinical trial data management; 3) developing high impact analytic and informatic tools and custom database- backed applications, when other solutions are not available; 4) coordinating with other high-throughput oriented Shared Resources on their analytic and data management needs; and 5) assisting with education and training, scientific review (PRMS, etc), and strategic planning. Future plans include additional faculty and staff recruitment, integration of biobanking and clinical trial management systems with institutional systems such as Epic, and assisting high-throughput technology-oriented shared-resources with data storage, improved data management and analysis pipelines.