Biostatistics
Our Goal
To provide biostatistical support for cancer research conducted by Simmons Cancer Center members.
Location
T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Research Building (ND)
North Campus
6001 Forest Park Road
Dallas, TX 75235
The Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) serves as a centralized biostatistics support facility for cancer-related research at Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Advances in biotechnologies and computing hardware and software have greatly increased the need for sophisticated statistical methodologies. Biostatistics is an essential, scientific component of high-quality cancer research, particularly in clinical and translational research. Biostatisticians play important integrated roles in each of the Simmons Cancer Center research programs, as well as the disease-oriented teams.
Services
The infrastructure and methodological expertise – accessible to all Simmons Cancer Center investigators through both collaboration, direct services, and investigator training – are critical to developing and implementing high-quality cancer research.
- Provide support on hypothesis formulation, experiment design, power and sample size estimation, grant application, conduct of trials, interim and final data analysis, and manuscript preparation
- Design and teach biostatistics courses oriented toward junior faculty, fellows, and postdoctoral students
- Participate in informal educational activities, such as cancer research retreats, translational sciences forums, works in progress seminars, journal clubs, internal mock review of grant applications, and one-to-one consultations. Biostatistics faculty also serve as statistical mentors for junior faculty and oncology trainees.
- Provide complementary support for cancer investigators
- Facilitating the generation of knowledge from complex data sets across all Simmons Cancer Center programs
- Assistance is available on all types of research projects, ranging from clinical trials and basic science experiments to epidemiological studies. Early consultation during the design phase of a study is highly recommended.
Equipment
The Shared Resource has up-to-date Windows-based desktop and laptop systems, and automated backup systems with access to cloud storage service through Microsoft OneDrive, and an on-campus large-scale computing facility (BioHPC) which includes:
- 28,000 CPU cores HPC cluster
- 60 large-memory GPUequipped nodes for massive parallel programs
- 65TB+ of RAM
- 5400TB high-end GPFS parallel file system
Fees
BSR provides statistical support for cancer-related research conducted by SCCC members: preparation of grant applications and clinical trial protocols, data analysis, and advice on statistically robust planning before and during studies. SCCC members are strongly advised to consult with BSR staff during the initial formulation of an experimental program to ensure that data will be of sufficient amount and quality to support the goals of the project. BSR offers an initial one-hour consultation free of charge to SCCC members, after which the fee is $90/hour and $120/hour for non-members. For large and/or ongoing projects, long-term collaboration with BSR biostatisticians can also be arranged, and such ongoing consultation is optimal for a robust research program. SCCC members are not charged for statistical support in preparing grant applications intended for national peer review, and the BSR also supports the SCCC Clinical Research Office in evaluating new protocols for clinical trials. BSR staff also provide training in biostatistics through both scheduled classes and occasional lectures.
Technology
BSR has access (via servers, intranet, and individual PCs) to all major statistical and data management software such as:
- SAS
- R
- PASS 2019
- nQuery Advisor
- Mplus
- ACCESS
- REDCap
- Oracle
Leadership and Contact
