Department of Pediatrics Statistical Unit
Introduction
The goal of the Statistical Unit is to enhance the quality and quantity of research for the trainees and members of the Department. The Statistical Unit will initially hire 2 full-time statisticians (one at the PhD level and one at the master’s level) to provide this support to the Department. The unit will eventually become self-sustaining through grant and other funding.
We are delighted to announce that we have hired a Biostatistician for the unit, Dr. John S. Tamaresis. Thus, we are ready to launch the first stage of actually providing services. Given the size of the department (>200 potential users), we have developed a plan for the first 6 months. We consider this a pilot phase that will inform us in how best to allocate this limited resource, recover costs, and meet the wide-ranging needs of the Department as we move forward.
Services
During this pilot phase, we offer one-on-one consultations for junior investigators, advice during clinical research rounds, and review of written analytic sections for grant proposals. We will develop some initial, focused seminars to address training needs, first targeting the Fellows College. We will build these services over time as the unit expands.
Learn details about what we currently offer and request services.
Cost Recovery
Although Departmental funds will be used to establish the unit, it is expected that only minimal financial support from the Department will be required after an initial 3 year period. The expectation is that investigators who use the unit will underwrite these activities with their grants or utilize other resources (e.g., personal or Divisional Executive funds) to cover the anticipated consultation cost.
Future Plans
Within the coming year, we will explore ways to expand the services of the unit to meet needs of all levels of investigators in the Department. We will then continue to expand the services based upon the ability of the Department to support them. We will communicate pertinent issues about the development of the Statistical Unit as they emerge over the next year.
Staff
John S. Tamaresis, PhD, is a full-time Statistician for the Unit. Dr. Tamaresis has a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a Master’s degree in Statistics. He has extensive experience creating computational biology models and devising numerical methods for their solution. His combined expertise in mathematics and statistics provides investigators with essential skills to perform complex analyses and customize analytics for their specific project.
Structure
The unit is headed by Dr. Suzan Carmichael, who supervises staff and will oversee the development of the unit. Workflow is coordinated and managed by Jennifer Cory, who also acts as the administrative point of contact for the staff. An advisory committee will meet 3–4 times per year to assess the overall function of the unit and how well it is meeting the needs of the department. This committee is chaired by Dr. Gary Shaw, Associate Chair for Clinical Research, and includes Drs. Suzan Carmichael, Cornelia Dekker, Yvonne Maldonado, Thomas Robinson, and Krisa Van Meurs. Ms. Cory will attend committee meetings as needed to provide reports and address administrative needs.
Questions and Feedback
If you have any questions or feedback please contact Jennifer Cory, Director of Research for the Department of Pediatrics.
