Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) Facility
A Core Facility of the UTMB Cancer Center
Dr. Heidi Weiss, left, assists in the design and development of an oncology research project.
Personnel
Heidi L. Weiss, Ph.D. has 15 years of experience as a faculty statistician in cancer research. Her past affiliations include: the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine and the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.Other BSR staff members include: biostatisticians, data management and programming personnel with specific expertise in cancer research.
For more information, please contact:
Biostatistics Shared Resource FacilityHeidi L. Weiss, Ph.D.
Professor and Director
Mail Route 1074
301 University Boulevard
Galveston, TX 77555-1074
Email: hlweiss@utmb.edu
Fax: (409) 772-4865
http://www.utmb.edu/cancer/biostatcore
BSR Facility Mission
The goal of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) Facility is to foster collaborative interactions among members of the UTMB Cancer Center in the provision of scientific and statistical support to all aspects of cancer research.
Importance of Design and Data Integrity
While the BSR Facility provides a palette of statistical support services, a primary function of the division is to assist scientists in the development of effective and successful investigative projects. Researchers who thoughtfully consider statistical criteria at project initiation are often better positioned to optimize research results and, therefore, funding success.
BSR staff members are highly trained in the design and application of statistical methodology as an important component of the research project. Investigators are urged to engage BSR services at the design phase of scientific research proposals and projects.
Overview of BSR
Established in late 2007, the Biostatistics Shared Resource Facility operates under the auspices of the UTMB Cancer Center. The BSR serves as a centralized resource for comprehensive and high-quality statistical support to all aspects of cancer research, including basic science, translational research and clinical studies. The ultimate goal of the BSR Facility is to promote collaborative relationships among members of the UTMB Cancer Center, as evidenced by inclusion in peer-reviewed research grant support and joint publications.
Specialized Services and Areas of Expertise
The Cancer Center’s BSR Facility provides the following services to cancer researchers:
- Study design and determination of sample size to optimize resource utilization
- Planning of in vitro, in vivo studies of animal cancer models and translational studies
- Design and oversight of clinical trials
- Monitoring of safety/toxicity and efficacy parameters in clinical trials
- Development of database and information management systems
- Generation of interim statistical reports
- Application of innovative statistical methodology in cancer research
- Analysis and interpretation of final statistical data
- Training and teaching through cancerspecific programs at UTMB
Prioritization of Services to Cancer Center Members
As a core facility of the UTMB Cancer Center,the BSR provides support services to its members as follows:
A. Statistical consultations, provided free of charge, include:
- Limited/minor statistical input to cancerrelated, peer-reviewed funded projects
- Development of statistical components of cancer-related, peer-reviewed grant applications
- Limited/minor statistical input to cancerrelated, non-peer-reviewed funded projects
B. Cancer-related, peer-reviewed funded projects that require significant statistical support must be funded within individual grants.
C. Cancer-related, peer-reviewed projects that must be fully supported by funding and negotiated, in advance, between the investigator and the BSR Facility Director.
Statistical consultations that are not cancerrelated research projects will be directed to UTMB’s Office of Biostatistics, which provides comprehensive statistical support to various kinds of research studies. Information about these services is available at http://www.utmb.edu/biostat/.
Dr. Heidi Weiss, left, confers with staff from the UTMB Oncology Clinical Trials Office (OCTO).
Resources Used By BSR
BSR staff members utilize various resources in their efforts to support cancer research. These resources include:
- Statistical software packages: SAS, SPlus, R, SPSS, and Stata
- Study design/sample size: NCSS/PASS, NQuery
- Personal computers, database and web servers through the UTMB Data Center