Data Sciences and Informatics

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PROJECT SUMMARY The major focus of Core C, the Data Science and Informatics (DSI) core, is to facilitate human discovery through basic and translational research in cutaneous biology and disease by providing assistance to investigators on the planning, design, and analysis (both statistical and informatics) of studies of the skin. The DSI interacts directly with the other Resource Cores and the overall theme of the SBDRC in that bench and human translational research needs to be well designed, properly conducted, and correctly analyzed in order to maintain high standards of rigor and reproducibility. DSI achieves these goals by a combination of epidemiologic, statistical and informatics approaches. By its very nature, DSI will continue to be highly collaborative and will add value to the other cores. DSI Core directors will encourage investigators interested in cutaneous research to work with Core faculty and staff at every stage of design and analysis, thus promoting a team science approach from hypothesis inception to study execution, analysis, and interpretation. DSI’s functions are represented by two Aims that leverage expertise of Core faculty and staff in the following areas: Aim 1: To provide study design and biostatistical services to SBDRC Core users, including: 1) Study design methodologies necessary to design and implement rigorous experimental and clinical investigations; 2) Statistical methodologies critical for the evaluation of each project’s research hypotheses including consideration of sex as a biologic variable; 3) Interpretation of research data to make scientifically and statistically appropriate statements; 4) Translation of bench findings to human research using translational and clinical trial designs. Aim 2: To provide biomedical informatics & computational dermatology services to SBDRC Core users, including: 1) Bioinformatics approaches to allow for the analysis and conceptualization of large genomic and metagenomic datasets; 2) Artificial intelligence-guided approaches to quantify patterns and textures in microscopy images; 3) Medical informatics approaches to query medical records databases from UPHS and extramural sources. A critical barrier to progress in cutaneous biology and skin disease research is the lack of integration of biostatistical, epidemiological (both quantitative and qualitative), and informatics approaches to basic and clinical investigation. DSI will significantly add to the overall success of the SBDRC by addressing this barrier and the specific need for these approaches in human translational research. Implementing such approaches from inception through project completion will improve the reproducibility, rigor, and validity of research findings. The other SBDRC Resource Cores and the Administrative Core will be able to leverage the expertise of DSI faculty and staff to enhance the efficiency, reproducibility, and validity of research promoted by the SBDRC.