BIOSTATISTICS &BIOINFORMATICS CORE

University Of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The UNC GI Cancer SPORE Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core was developed from the newest core resources at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Substantial expansion in faculty recruitment, with an emphasis on genetic analysis, and an investment in hardware and associated databases has prepared the Center to launch an integrated yet expanded core resource to support the GI SPORE projects. Senior faculty recruits Joe Ibrahim and Fred Wright will provide new intellectual leadership for this core. Both have substantial experience in biostatistics, new areas of statistical genetics, integration with clinical research, and Cancer Center programs for translational research. In addition to expanded leadership, involvement from the Departments of Statistics and Biostatistics have expanded the Cancer Center's and thus the UNC GI Cancer SPORE's capabilities in this area. A substantial investment in databases to store gene expression microarray data from multiple platforms and to import data from other institutions is already leading to productive translational research at the Cancer Center. Continued development of parallel clinical and epidemiologic databases for clinical trials and population-based data will be linked to our microarray databases via an honest broker model that will be overseen by the GI SPORE and the UNC Lineberger Biostatistic cores. The five projects in the GI SPORE present interesting challenges, both as translational research and as biostatistical/bioinformatics problems. Complementary skills possessed by the Core faculty will lead to new approaches to gene expression data as well as cross-platform analysis. Input from the Core Directors and other members of this core is described within both the project write-ups and in this section. Top-notch senior and promising junior faculty, an emphasis on translational and genetic research at the Cancer Center, and continuing investment in data management will provide an excellent resource for the UNC GI Cancer SPORE's projects with large data sets. The Core will provide appropriate input into design, management, and analysis as the most promising lines of translational research are pursued.