Biostatistics

Overview

The Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) plays an essential role in the research activities of the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center (UH Cancer Center). The BSR provides support and consultation for all quantitative aspects of research, including study design issues, grant and protocol review, data management, systems development, data processing, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. The BSR also provides support in the use of reference databases, such as census and BRFSS data. Collaboration ranges from short-term advice to substantive input on projects, including serving as co-investigators and key personnel on research grants. Members of the BSR make critical contributions to clinical protocol review through the UH Cancer Center-based protocol review and monitoring system (PRMS). The BSR works closely with other Shared Resources, particularly the Nutrition Support and Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resources, in order to provide comples services across domains. The UH Cancer Center BSR is unique in that it can provide insight and support for studies of multiethnic populations, as well as of populations of the Pacific. The BSR services are generally open only to UH Cancer Center members, with the highest priority for service is given to members with extramurally peer-reviewed, funded projects. Support for early-stage investigators and for the Center’s clinical trials activities is also of key importance. The overarching goal of the BSR is to ensure sound analytic principles are followed, thereby improving the quality of the research enterprise of the Cancer Center.

Requests for BSR support are made to the director or technical directors. A discussion is held regarding the type of support needed and timelines. The BSR attempts to fulfill each request, dependent on the appropriate staff being available within the required timeline. Personnel of the BSR work closely with researchers to create and implement a data management and/or analysis plan that will best answer their research questions. A goal of the BSR is to advise on data management and analysis techniques and strategies, thereby transferring knowledge of the analysis methods to the research team, whenever possible. This approach has the benefit of elevating the general statistical literacy at UH Cancer Center.