Methodology Core

生物统计学副教授Paul J.Nietert博士将担任MCRC方法学核心的首席研究员(主任)。他将得到担任协理主任的V.Ramakrishnan博士(生物统计学教授)、Bethany Wolf博士(生物统计学助理教授)和Paula Ramos博士的协助。这一核心的总体目标是为MCRC研究人员提供严格的方法学和生物统计学支持，并领导对风湿性疾病的种族/民族成分的调查，这些调查侧重于方法学领域，包括对基因x和基因x环境相互作用的研究。 方法学核心将为中心所有拟议的项目以及未来的任何试点项目提供服务，不仅提供方法学和生物统计学方面的支持，而且还提供重要的教学职能，例如定期举行会议，由中心调查人员介绍和评论提案和手稿草稿。在MUSC之前的MCRC(2003-2008)中，Nietert博士是主要的合作生物统计师(40%FTE)和联席主任。他目前是南卡罗来纳州临床和翻译研究所生物统计学流行病学和研究设计项目的主任，该研究所是我们机构的临床和翻译科学奖。这一经验为他提供了领导多个项目并协助制定转译研究方案的机会，包括小型试点项目和大型临床试验。Nietert博士和Ramakrishnan博士在通过生物统计学核心设施促进研究发展方面拥有丰富的经验，自获得博士学位以来，Wolf博士还在其中两个实体(我们的癌症中心和CTSA项目)工作过。拉莫斯博士将特别在遗传学数据分析领域提供更多的专业知识。将协助我们的硕士训练有素的统计学家Stephanie Shaftman女士，硕士，已经与风湿病专家合作了7年，也将帮助我们的核心变得强大。方法学核心的具体目标将是提供1)数据管理；2)生物统计合作；3)新的生物统计方法开发；以及4)临床研究方法学的教学培训。除了参与MCRC的每个主要项目外，核心还将与我们研究基地的调查人员合作，他们接受试点项目的资助，并审查其方法专长领域内的研究问题。

Dr. Paul J. Nietert, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, will serve as the Principal Investigator (Director) for the MCRC Methodology Core. He will be assisted by Dr. V. Ramakrishnan (Professor of Biostatistics), who will serve as Associate Director, Dr. Bethany Wolf (Assistant Professor of Biostatistics), and Dr. Paula Ramos. The overall objective of this Core is to provide rigorous methodological and biostatistical support to the MCRC investigators and to lead investigations into racial/ethnic components of rheumatic disease that are focused in methodological areas including studies of gene x gene and gene x environment interactions. The Methodology Core will serve all proposed projects as well as any future pilot projects of the Center, not only by providing methodological and biostatistical support, but also by providing important teaching functions, e.g. regular meetings for presentation and critique of proposals and draft manuscripts by Center investigators. In MUSC's prior MCRC (2003-2008), Dr. Nietert was the primary collaborating biostatistician (40% FTE) and co-Director. He is currently the Director of the Biostatistics Epidemiology and Research Design Program Director within the South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute, our institution's Clinical and Translational Science Award. This experience has provided him with opportunities to lead multiple projects and assist with development of translational research protocols, including small pilot projects and large clinical trials. Dr. Nietert and Dr. Ramakrishnan have extensive experience in facilitating the development of research through biostatistical core facilities, and Dr. Wolf has also worked within two of such entities (our cancer center and our CTSA program) since receiving her PhD. Dr. Ramos will provide additional expertise specifically in the area of analyses of genetics data. The master's trained statistician who will assist us, Ms. Stephanie Shaftman, MSc, MS, has collaborated with rheumatologists for 7 years, and will also help make our Core strong. The specific aims of the Methodology Core will be to provide 1) data management; 2) biostatistical collaboration; 3) novel biostatistics methods development; and 4) didactic training in clinical research methodology. In addition to participating in each of the major MCRC projects, the Core will collaborate with investigators from our research base who receive pilot project funding as well as examine research questions within their areas of methodological expertise.