Statistical Design and Analysis Core

Columbia University Health Sciences, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

The Centralized Statistical Design and Analysis Core (referred to as Core) plays a pivotal role in developing collaboration and coherence across three distinct projects within the program project. From the outset, the Core communicates closely with each project, ensuring detailed planning to optimize statistical power and minimize unnecessary animal use. As data accumulates, the Core employs a harmonized data analysis strategy, utilizing advanced statistical tests, cutting-edge visualization, and quantitative modeling methodologies. This approach creates a collaborative environment that facilitates robust insights, enhancing the collective understanding of radiation exposure effects and the effects of mitigator agents. The Core is instrumental in refining experimental design, hypothesis testing, and aligning statistical analyses with research questions, predominantly utilizing R, SAS, and Python languages. The Core's specific aims are summarized as follows: Develop comprehensive experimental designs and statistical analysis plans that harmonize approaches across three projects, investigating mitigator efficacy under various radiation types and organ systems. This standardization aims to facilitate data interpretation. Additionally, the Core works to standardize data workflows, establishing a common format for data collection across projects and creating a central database for efficient storage. The data repository enhances computational reproducibility, enabling secondary analyses and coherent synthesis of mitigator efficacy. Furthermore, the Core performs and guides statistical analyses to align with project objectives, ensuring the standardized dissemination of results. The Core's involvement in analyses and result interpretation contributes to the overall coherence of the projects. Its impact is crucial to the coherence of experimental designs, analyses, and results across the three supported projects, significantly influencing the evaluation of radiation mitigator effects and harmonizing efforts across diverse projects focused on distinct organ systems and radiation types in rat models.