The Biostatistics and Data Management Core (Core G) serves the critical need for statistical and data management expertise in the design, implementation and analysis of clinical, behavioral and basic research related to HIV/AIDS, and for education, training and mentoring in statistical tools broadly to the Penn CFAR research community.
The Aims of Core G are to: (1) Provide CFAR investigators with statistical consultation and collaboration for exploratory investigations, proposal development, and small-scale applications (all of which serve a major educational goal as well);(2) Identify statistical collaborators for larger funded projects;and (3) Provide data management and informatics expertise (including close collaboration with the Clinical Core in support of the Adult/Adolescent Database and data warehouse). Statistical expertise Is available to CFAR investigators in all areas of application, including laboratory and animal studies;clinical studies relating to prognostic characteristics and disease course;clinical trials of therapeutic and preventive regimens and strategies;and high dimensional data and genetic investigations. In addition, the Core: (4) Provides educational programs and training tailored to the specific needs and interests of CFAR investigators across the spectrum of HIV/AIDS researchers. This includes a range of activities including formal seminars, hands-on workshops, training modules, and extensive on-on-one education embedded in our consultation and collaboration activities, and is focused on both Penn investigators and our International partners. Finally, Core G: (5) Collaborates with other Cores and specific programs of the CFAR in research initiatives, partnering to provide expertise in study design and analysis, and database design and management, and (6) Plays a leadership role in developing a network of statisticians involved in CFARs nationally, organizing yearly meetings and facilitating joint projects. Core G continually searches for ways to enhance its contribution to the CFAR mission. Strategic planning has identified opportunities that are currently being pursued: enhancement of the Clinical Core database to include access to the Penn Data Warehouse and the biospecimen repository catalogue with user-friendly search capabilities;increased mentoring of and collaboration with researchers in the Botswana-UPenn program;and increasing involvement of biostatistics graduate students in CFAR collaborative research as part of a Training Grant program.
Core G contributes key scientific expertise to CFAR scientific initiatives by enabling high quality innovative research through the use of optimal statistical methods, by maintaining a clinical database that facilitates the planning and conduct of new research, by supporting the development of data collection instruments and data bases for the management of research data, and by providing education, training and mentoring in statistical and analytical techniques as well as the collection and management of data.
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