Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core

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PROJECT SUMMARY – Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core The NCI Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) to the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) has funded the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core (BBC), formerly the Biostatistics Core, continuously since its establishment in 1978. The BBC was rated “Exceptional” in the 2015 renewal as part of a Shared Resources Group (per the old FOA). In the current funding period, the BBC added expertise in methods for analysis of big health data such as `omics data and electronic health records data. ACC-supported bioinformatics services were consolidated to enhance centralized availability and cost-efficiency in the BBC. The BBC provides expert biostatistical, bioinformatics, and data management guidance in the design, conduct and analysis of research projects conducted by ACC members, and offers training in all aspects of design and analysis. Core personnel apply existing design and analysis methodologies, and also adapt or develop new methods to address novel design and analysis issues arising in cancer studies. A major BBC responsibility is to support the design and conduct of clinical trials. As such, the BBC plays a key role in the Protocol Review and Monitoring System, particularly through the Clinical Trials Scientific Review and Monitoring Committee. Qi Long, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics, has served as BBC Director since 2016 and leads an accomplished and highly collaborative team primarily drawn from the faculty of the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics in the Perelman School of Medicine. In the current funding period, the BBC continued to be a dynamic presence in the ACC, providing collaborative biostatistical, bioinformatics and data management support to ACC members in basic, translational, clinical, and population science research as well as in community outreach and engagement activities. BBC members co-authored more than 300 cancer-related publications; collaboration with the BBC was essential to the funding of many cancer-related grants, including seven P01s, three P50s, one P42, three U54s, and two U24s in areas such as skin, pancreatic, lung, breast, thoracic, cervical, and esophageal cancers, hematologic malignancies, smoking cessation research, and environmental carcinogenesis, as well as 27 R01s, one R37 and numerous R21s, K-series grants, and foundation and state government grants. In addition, BBC members provided key support to monitor cancer incidence and mortality in the catchment area. ACC members accounted for 93 of 93 investigators (100%) using the Shared Resource during the most recent reporting period (07/01/18 – 06/30/19). In summary, the BBC is composed of a superbly qualified, productive, versatile and highly collaborative team of biostatistics, bioinformatics and data management professionals who are deeply involved in supporting research and community outreach and engagement activities in the ACC. The services provided by the BBC substantially increase scientific research rigor and reproducibility and are essential to the mission of the ACC.