Data Management and Biostatistics Core

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The Data Management and Biostatistics Core (DBMC) mission is to ensure that our International Center of Excellence in Malaria Research (ICEMR) effectively and efficiently designs, conducts, analyzes and reports important field and laboratory studies with data that can be integrated and combined among sites within studies and across studies. The Core will establish the infrastructure for reproducible research and will collaborate with investigators at the field sites to progressively enhance the sites' capabilities throughout the term ofthe grant. The Core will engage in in-person and web-based educational activities. These missions will be enabled by staff with statistical, database, and information technology (IT) expertise, empowered by an IT infrastructure that meets our goals while being tuned to field realities. High quality information technology including web-based data entry, computer security, data management and forms design, study design, conduct analysis and reporting, are essential for assuring our ICEMR studies are ofthe highest quality. DMBC members will collaborate with Hopkins and field staff on research design, conduct analysis and reporting. Activities will include formulation of research questions; translation of these into statistical designs and analyses that support sample size determination and other design aspects. The DMBC will organize weekly meetings among its staff and other investigators to discuss issues related to study design and analysis, and to assess needs for the development of new statistical methods. Scheduling will allow field staff to participate via teleconference, and shared agenda-setting will encourage broad input. These meetings will provide a forum for multi-disciplinary discussion of design, conduct, and analysis issues and IT issues. Important, actionable research projects will emerge that will improve study conduct and have broader impact Educational goals and responsibilities will be bi-directional in that those in Baltimore and in the field sites will have much to offer and to learn from each other. Our culture of shared responsibility, the DMBC working group meetings and the generated research projects, and other collaborative venues will help achieve joint educational goals. These goals include increased understanding of and participation/leadership in statistical design, conduct and analysis, forms development, web implementation and other IT issues. The DMBC's accommodation of field realities through data management and biostatistics will be an important component to the effectiveness of our research.