The Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC) has been an active and key component supporting numerous studies of lung disease and environmental exposure disparities for more than 15 years, serving a critical role in: (1) integrating multiple types of study data from multiple sources; (2) ensuring that the complex process of running multiple clinical studies is seamless; (3) developing and executing statistical analysis plans for complex longitudinal environmental exposure data; (4) leading discussion of data and analysis results among multiple investigators and Environmental Assessments Core (EAC) staff at weekly data management meetings; and (5) developing statistical methods to support multiple projects. The DMSC will continue to serve this same role in the proposed CURE COPD program, building on its infrastructure and experience from the past 15 years. DMSC staff has an in-depth understanding of the details of all of the clinical projects, as well as the Administrative Core (AC), EAC, and laboratories, which process the biologic specimens. This knowledge facilitates the DMSC's ability to manage the flow of data that occurs among these components. Without a DMSC, data management and analysis would have to be conducted within each study's infrastructure, making it difficult to leverage data management systems previously developed for other studies and that have been built and refined over the past 15 years. The DMSC also provides immediate access to advanced statistical support by Program investigators and staff. By pooling resources to support a DMSC, dedicated staff can be supported and continue to create systems which serve the needs of multiple studies, as well as the needs of the AC, the EAC, and the support laboratories. Further, these systems provide the underlying structure that will integrate all components of the Program, as many of the systems that are already in place are specifically designed to facilitate transfer, management and analysis of data among program components.
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