Biostatistics Core (RC3)

总结

SUMMARY The Biostatistics Core (RC3) is one of the four resource cores in the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) at the University of Florida (UF). The mission of the UF OAIC is twofold: 1) to enhance late-life health and independence through interdisciplinary approaches to optimize physical performance and mobility, and 2) to train new investigators in research on aging and disability, while developing their leadership qualities. The RC3 is a key cog in the interaction among scientists from diverse disciplines to accomplish this mission. It provides research-design and statistical-analysis resources and helps construct data-collection forms and manage the data (including providing quality control) for both preclinical and clinical studies conducted within the OAIC. The RC3 is involved in all phases of the OAIC studies: initial pre-proposal study design and sample-size calculations, randomization, and state-of-the-art statistical analyses once the data are collected. It also helps prepare manuscripts for dissemination within the research community. In addition, the RC3 serves as a key resource to OAIC junior faculty and Junior Scholars, providing consulting services and periodic special-interest training topics, such as research design, power analysis, data management, study implementation and management, and statistical methodology and analyses. Finally, for OAIC studies where the existing biostatistical methodologies are inadequate, the RC3 has assembled strong expertise for developing new biostatistical methods and data-management tools beyond current practice. The RC3 will develop new methodology for adaptive design of clinical trials and simultaneous statistical inference. This will provide customized support that meets the demands of the OAIC's research design and statistical analyses.