Division of Biostatistics

About the Division:
The Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, College of Medicine is an academic unit with research concentrations in methodological and applied areas. Faculty members conduct methodological research; collaborate with scientists, physicians, clinical investigators, and other researchers in the Health Science Center and throughout the University; provide statistical consulting; teach courses in applied biostatistics; and mentor junior faculty, fellows, residents, undergraduates and graduate students.

The Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research Faculty in the Division of Biostatistics have broad interests in methodologic research. Areas of expertise include: clinical trials and epidemiology, study design, survey methodology, decision theory, generalized linear models, longitudinal data analysis, survival analysis, structural equation models, and diagnostic testing.

As part of the applied research focus, the Division of Biostatistics provides statistical support for numerous areas of the health sciences including: genetics, aging, cancer, imaging, cardiovascular disease, dentistry, nursing, health services research, human development, and pharmaceutical research. This applied focus is implemented through campus-wide initiatives and centers including the Genetics Institute, Cancer Center, Children’s Oncology Group Statistics & Data Center, Institute on Aging, and the Institute for Child Health Policy. In addition, biostatisticians collaborate with investigators throughout the College of Medicine and other Health Science Center Colleges, the College of Education, College of Business, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The Biostatistics Faculty Include:
Myron N. Chang, PhD, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (Group Sequential Methods, Statistical Applications to Clinical Trials, Survival Analysis)

Jing Cheng, PhD
Assistant Professor
Expertise: Causal inference (instrument variables and propensity scores) with applications in clinical trials and observational studies, longitudinal data analysis, survey design and analysis, and nonparametric statistics.

Yueh-Yun Chi, PhD
Assistant Professor

Meenakshi Devidas, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research; Associate Program Director, Children’s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center (Clinical Trials Design, Statistical Applications to Clinical Trials, Survival Analysis, Group Sequential Methods, Generalized Linear Models, Dose-Response Modeling, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Bone tumors)

Wei Hou, PhD
Assistant Professor

Tamekia Jones, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor

John Kairalla, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research

Wendy B. London, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research; Associate Program Director and Coordinating Statistician, Children’s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center (clinical trials, multi-stage sequential design, survival analysis, biologic/genetic factors prognostic of outcome, optimal cut-off for continuous prognostic variable, neuroblastoma)

Susan McGorray, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (clinical trials, statistical methods in diagnostic testing, data and safety monitoring, statistical methods in dentistry, statistical consulting)

Keith E. Muller, PhD
Professor and Director of the Division of Biostatistics
Expertise: Fixed and adaptive study design and sample size selection, especially for continuous repeated measures and longitudinal data.

Arlene Naranjo, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor

Jonathan J. Shuster, PhD, Research Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research; Biostatistician, General Clinical Research Center (Group Sequential Designs for Clinical Trials, Sample Size Determination, Clinical Epidemiology)

Samuel S. Wu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research; Director, Biostatistics Core for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Statistics at the Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. (simultaneous statistical inference with applications in clinical trials, statistical analysis of rating and decision making, nonparametric statistics, and genetic linkage analysis)

Current Research in the Division:
Chang (Co-Investigator) "Psychological Distress in Survivors of Head/Neck Cancer". National Institutes of Health. 2005-2006. $344,108.

Devidas (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), London (Co- Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF) and Chang (Co-Investigator) "Children’s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2003-2006. $5,882,240.

Devidas (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), "Molecular Determinants of Methotrexate Metabolism in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2004-2009. $39,054.

Devidas (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), "SPECS (Strategic Partnering To Evaluate Cancer Signatures) - Leukemia Signatures for Risk Classification & Targeting: Evaluation of Gene Expression Profiles for Risk Classification and Therapeutic Targeting in Acute Leukemia in Children and Adults". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2005-2010. $357,394.

Devidas (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), "BPCA (Best Pharmaceuticals in Children Act) - Pharmacokinetics of Daunomycin; Methotrexate Neurotoxicity in Children". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2005-2008. $336,416

London (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), Devidas (Co- Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF) and Chang (Co-Investigator) "Children’s Oncology Group Statistics and Data Center". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2006-2008. $4,299,728.

Garvan (Lead Statistician), "Child Development Project". National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse. 2002-2007. $3,731,361.

Garvan (Co-Investigator), "ADHD: Detection and Service Use". National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. 2004-2009. $3,731,361.

Garvan (Lead Statistician), "Public Health Model to Promote Safe Elderly Driving". US Department of Health and Human Services. 2004-2009. $ 492,155.

Garvan (Biostatistics Mentor), "Advanced Program for Postgraduate Clinical Investigators". National Institutes of Health. 2004-2009. $1,500,000.

London (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), "Community Clinical Oncology Program". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2002-2007. $143,815.

London (Principal Investigator on sub-contract to UF), "Significance of Genetic Alterations in Neuroblastoma". National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. 2002-2007. $123,520.

McGorray (Co-Investigator), "Timing of Treatment for Class II Malocclusion". National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. 2001-2006. $1,220,357.

McGorray (Co-Investigator), "Renin Angiotensin for Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction". National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. 2001-2006. $,686,594.

Shuster (Co-Investigator), "General Clinical Research Center". National Institutes of Health. 2001-2006. $18,914,236.

Wu (Lead Statistician, Co-Investigator), "Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke (LEAPS)". National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 2005-2010. $11,928,756.

Wu (Co-Investigator), "Improving Anti-Thrombotic Use in Stroke Prevention". National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. 2005-2007. $1,178,408.

Wu (Co-Investigator), "DBS Effects on Mood & Cognition in Parkinsons's Disease". National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 2003-2007. $812,814.

Wu (Principal Investigator), "Biostatistical Research Support Services for VAMC Rehabilitation Studies". US Dept of Veterans Affairs. 2002-2005. $466,083.

Wu (Co-Investigator), "Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military: A randomized trial". Department of Defense. 2005-2010. $999,985.

Resources in Biostatistics:

CLAS statistics (http://www.stat.ufl.edu )
Mathematical Sciences (http://www.msc.clas.ufl.edu)
Current Index to Statistics ( http://www.statindex.org/CIS/psqlQuery/ )
ENAR (https://www.enar.org )
ASA (http://www.amstat.org )
Jon Shuster's Sample Size Programs