Biostatistics & Bioinformatics

A key goal of the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics (DEB) is to provide comprehensive biostatistical support to enhance the research productivity of the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute (Greehey CCRI). As Greehey CCRI continues to recruit new research faculty, the demand for biostatistical expertise will grow. This includes assisting investigators with study design to ensure optimal experimental setups, conducting power analyses and sample size calculations, defining key data elements and endpoints, developing quality control procedures for high-quality data collection, and creating statistical analysis plans. The biostatistical support spans a wide range of research areas, including basic laboratory science, translational research, clinical research, and population-based studies. The Biostatistical Support Core also provides clinical informatics resources like database design and application development.

With the increasing recruitment of faculty specializing in high-throughput genomics, image analysis, and other advanced technologies, the need for computational biology and bioinformatics expertise within Greehey CCRI is expected to rise significantly. To meet these growing demands, additional faculty in biostatistics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology will be required. Developing a shared vision with the Cancer Center and the biostatistics/epidemiology/bioinformatics core will ensure that efforts align with Greehey CCRI’s mission. In particular, faculty support in basic science statistical analysis, bioinformatics, and applied epidemiology will need to be strengthened to support the institute’s evolving research needs.

Recruitment of additional faculty in biostatistics, bioinformatics, and epidemiology will be needed. The distribution of effort and support in these critical areas needed to align with Greehey CCRI’s mission will require developing a shared vision with the Cancer Center, biostatistics/epidemiology/bioinformatics core, since DEB is a central resource for both, and there is extensive interaction. For the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute, faculty efforts will need to be augmented in basic science statistical support in the evolving area of bioinformatics and applied epidemiology.