Efficient Designs for Scientific Studies with Repeated Measurements Data

University Of Illinois At Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

The PI will study and explore scientific situations dealing with repeated measurements on all experimental units in space and or time. Such studies are recommended by FDA for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) evaluations in one or more phases of clinical trials or for bio-availability studies in making regulatory decision for generic drugs. Likewise, such experiments are also highly desirable for studies in epidemiology, social networks, and agricultural field experiments, including marketing, physical and virtual stores. The PI will develop ready-to-use statistical/computational soft wares which will be designed, tested, and freely distributed for dissemination of knowledge on repeated measurements studies. The research outcomes will serve as a platform to a broad class of multidisciplinary researchers and practitioners. Scientists in the fields of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), pharmacy, medical devices, and generic medicine will be provided with highly useful tools to carry out their studies and make proper and prudent evidence based inference from the collected data under repeated measurements. Repeated measurements on the same experimental unit, also known as crossover designs, often produce residual/neighbor/correlated effects which need to be modeled and explored. The PI will focus on the scientific situations both in terms of data collection (design) and modeling which have not been adequately addressed and studied before. In the process, computational tools will be developed with thorough study of the theoretical issues. Sound innovative techniques will be developed for identifying cost-effective designs in order to ascertain optimal and nearly optimal estimation of the primary and, if needed, secondary parameters embedded in models under repeated observations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.