The primary objective of the Biostatistics and Informatics shared resource of the Masonic Cancer Center is to provide centralized biostatistics and bioinformatics services, collaborative research, and data management support for the research projects of all members of the Masonic Cancer Center. The shared resource will serve as the focal point from which investigators and their team members and/or associates at the Masonic Cancer Center can draw biostatistics and bioinformatics expertise for the design, data management, and analysis of their research projects.

The aims of the Biostatistics and Informatics shared resource are to:

1) Provide biostatistics and bioinformatics expertise in study design, including endpoint definition, sample size estimation and power calculation, randomization procedures, data collection from design, plans for report generation, interim reviews, and final analysis.

2) Provide biostatistics and bioinformatics analyses and informatics support for all cancer research projects using contemporary statistical and computing methodologies; and

3) Provide biomedical informatics and data management support for the development and management of all research projects, as well as projects/Core specific databases by all investigators and their team and/or associates at the Masonic Cancer Center.

The Biostatistics and Informatics shared resource is an independent, stand-alone shared resource of the Masonic Cancer Center; it may draw faculty support from the Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, if and when it is needed, but it is operating within the Masonic Cancer Center, independent of the Division of Biostatistics. All members, research programs, and other shared resources of the Masonic Cancer Center will be supported by the Biostatistics and Informatics shared resource.

Director:
Chap T. Le, Ph.D.
Professor of Biostatistics
Office: A441 Mayo
Phone: 612-624-9963
Email: chap@umn.edu

Co-Director (Medical Informatics):
Sarah Cooley, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Office: 560G MCRB
Phone: 612-625-8474
cool0023@umn.edu

Types of Support

• Biostatistics
• Bioinformatics
• Biomedical Informatics

Fees and Priorities

Fees

Limited services are provided free of charge to researchers planning cancer-related grant applications and research protocols or conducting cancer-related research (pilot and feasibility studies).

Extended collaboration with the Biostatistics and Informatics Core should be directly supported by the appropriate funding sources. Costs for services are recovered through percent effort of personnel. Investigators may include either a specific core member as co-investigator or an undesignated member as personnel/consultant.

Publications resulting from statistic or bioinformatics work usually merit co-authorship: the order of authorship is not of concern.

Priorities for Unfunded Work

Our highest priority is to meet the needs of Cancer Center members for projects that are cancer-related. Cancer-related projects without Cancer Center member affiliation may be taken, with the understanding that priority is low and work will be completed as time permits. Cancer Center members may request services on projects not related to cancer; however, this work is our lowest priority.