Biostatistics
Biostatistics Shared Resource
The principal objective of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BIOS SR) is to provide high quality statistical consultation services to UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC) members. The BIOS SR provides a full collaborative scientific resource focused on providing LCCC members support for the design, conduct, analyses, and generation of manuscripts.
Collaborative Services Include:
- Providing high level quantitative thinking for all types of investigator-initiated studies
- Providing state-of-the-art design expertise
- Providing expert assistance in grant preparation
- Including requisite power and sample size calculations
- Performing optimal and often state-of-the-art statistical analyses
- Providing vital assistance in the generation of highest quality manuscripts
- Creating optimal presentation tables and graphics
- Performing the essential co-author tasks of writing, editing and critical reading
How to Reach Us
To best serve LCCC members and their research, and to properly allocate resources, all requests for statistical collaboration for any LCCC project should be emailed to the BIOS SR at: LCCC_BIOS@med.unc.edu
The BIOS SR looks to match statisticians to projects based on areas of expertise, level of expertise, and availability. This may mean that the statistician who initially consults on a project may not ultimately end up being the statistician of record for that project. An optimal match is always the goal. Project assignments are coordinated by the BIOS SR Facility Director and subject to the approval of the Faculty Director.
Cost to LCCC Members
The BIOS SR does not usually charge members directly for most services. As is often the case where there has been an ongoing collaboration between a LCCC member and statistician, financial support should be written in on grant applications for the requisite study design and statistical support. Junior and less experienced researchers may receive initial support at ‘no charge’ with the understanding that financial support for statistical support will be provided when it becomes available.
All projects will be subject to a triaging procedure, where projects for UNC Lineberger members involving grant applications will receive the highest priority. Consultations which discuss study design and data analyses plans are seldom problematic when it comes to resource allocation if enough time has been allotted for the involved parties to meet, and for follow-up tasks to be completed. These tasks include standard power and sample size calculations, fundamental or standard statistical analyses for abstracts or manuscripts, and/or write-ups concerning statistical design for grants and/or study protocols.
Projects that require extensive consultation, statistical programming, and/or non-standard statistical methods are more likely to be subject to statistical support limitations. Additional funding for extra additional support may be required, possibly in the form of an hourly charge.
Writing in funding for statistical support in research proposals is strongly encouraged, and is an obvious way to have more control of statistical support for your projects.
All decisions concerning the allocation of BIOS SR resources will be made by BIOS SR leadership on a case-by-case basis. BIOS SR leadership works hand in glove with the BIOS SR Oversight Committee.