Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Grant Activities
The Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology provides support with grant writing to investigators from WCMC and outside research groups with overlapping research interests. It is highly recommended that the biostatistician be included in the proposal with percent FTE support.
Prior to grant submission, the following information needs to be provided to the biostatistician involved:
- If this is a sub-award from another institution, we suggest you send the following at least 3 weeks before the deadline:
- Funding agency
- Submission date
- Title of proposal
- Proposed start and end date
- Principal Investigator(s)
- Our faculty’s role
- % FTE over the proposed years
- Annual direct costs
- An updated version of the full application
- If this is a grant submission from another department at WCMC, we suggest you send the above information at least 2 weeks before the deadline. The related Electronic Routing Form (ERF) would be routed through the Department of Public Health as a collaborating department.
Selected List of Current Grants
CERT for Conducting Research in Medical Devices
Madhu Mazumdar, Ph.D. (In collaboration with Alvin I. Mushlin, M.D., Sc.M. [PI])
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
04/01/06 – 03/31/11
The Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) is a research program administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration, agencies within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The mission of the CERTs is to conduct research and provide education that will advance the optimal use of drugs, medical devices, and biological products.
Early Therapeutics Development with Phase II Emphasis
Madhu Mazumdar, Ph.D. (In collaboration with Joseph Sparano, M.D. [PI], Montefiore Medical Center)
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
01/01/06-12/31/09
This is a consortium of seven New York based medical colleges and one from Australia. Their mandate is to develop phase II studies for application solicited by NCI/CTEP and perform clinical trials in a multi-center manner. The statistical center is responsible for providing quantitative aspect of each Letter of Intents (LOIs), protocols, and related manuscripts.
Clinical and Translational Science Award
Madhu Mazumdar, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine P.I.: Julianne Imperato-Mcginley, M.D.)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
09/24/07-03/30/12
RDBC supports a large number of trans-institutional projects encompassing a broad spectrum of disciplines. Its principal objective is to provide biostatistical resources for the design and conduct of studies within the Clinical and Translational Science Center. The specific aims of this core are to: a) Provide a scientific and administrative structure that supports investigators from diverse backgrounds, b) Provide high-quality consultation in research design and biostatistical analysis, c) Train and mentor laboratory and clinical investigators in the quantitative aspects of research, d) Support methodological research for development of novel research design, advancement of efficient analysis methods, and enhancement of statistical software.
A Unified Approach of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Heejung Bang, Ph.D. (PI) (Subcontract to Texas A&M Health Science Center, Hongwei Zhao, Sc.D.)
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
3/01/09-2/28/12
The main goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive approach for cost-effectiveness analysis (based on mean and median, average and incremental measures, accounting for censoring) and the associated computing software in a unified framework. We will evaluate the performance of our methods by extensive simulation and the utility of these methods in various practical settings, and also reanalyze existing datasets.
Downstream, induced costs following coronary calcification compared to carotid MRI, carotid IMT, brachial artery reactivity testing, and Framingham risk score
Heejung Bang, Ph.D. (In collaboration with Leslee Shaw, Ph.D. [PI], Emory University School of Medicine and James Min, M.D. [Subcontract PI], Department of Medicine)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
09/30/09-09/29/11
The purpose of this project is to perform secondary analyses of existing data to answer important clinical and preventive medicine research questions, specifically to determine the cost effectiveness of preventive interventions. The economic consequences of advanced testing for subclinical cardiovascular disease will be investigated using the NIH-NHLBI-sponsored Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
Thromboregulation in Occlusive Vascular Diseases
Heejung Bang , Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine, P.I.: Aaron J. Marcus, M.D.)
5/01/09-4/30/13
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Researchers of this project will study the molecular biology and function of CD39 in occlusive cerebrovascular diseases with emphasis on: A) Regulation of CD39 activity via tissue- and disease-specific expression of alternatively spliced variants in patients with atherothrombotic and cryptogenic stroke vs. normal controls; B) Differences in activities and ADPase/ATPase activity ratio of endogenous CD39 in blood cells of patients with stroke. Our long-range goal is an apyrase-based treatment of patients with platelet-driven occlusive vascular disorders which our accumulated data suggest would be safe and effective.
Study of Women's Health in Qatar: Examining the physical, biological, psychological and social changes in women in their middle years
Linda Gerber , Ph.D. (PI) (In collaboration with WCMC-Q PI: Mohamud Verjee, MBChB;
Division of Prevention and Health Behavior Co- I.: Madhuvanti Mahadeo Murphy, DrPH; and Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology Co-I: Heejung Bang, Ph.D.)
09/01/09-08/31/12
Qatar National Research Fund
The major goals of this study are to develop and perform a national, cross-sectional, 2-phase investigation into the health of midlife women in the state of Qatar.
Center of Excellence in Health Disparities Research
Linda Gerber , Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine P.I.: Carla Boutin-Foster, M.D.)
7/25/09-05/31/14
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD)
The purpose of this project is to create an interdisciplinary academic and community research enterprise that will expand the capacity for conducting cutting-edge and trans-disciplinary research that will contribute to improving minority health and reducing health disparities in cardiovascular disease and cancer in Central Harlem and the South Bronx.
Comprehensive Prognostic Modeling for Esophageal Cancer: A Bayesian Approach
Kathy Zhou, Ph.D. (PI) (In collaboration with Nasser Altorki, M.D. [Co-I], Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery; Heather Gold, Ph.D. [Co-I], Division of Health Policy; Madhu Mazumdar, Ph.D. [Co-I], Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology; and Andrew Gelman, Ph.D. [Subcontract Co-I], Columbia University)
07/01/09-06/30/11
National Institute of Health (NIH)
The proposed studies aim to develop comprehensive prognostic models for esophageal cancer using SEER-Medicare linked database and to compare methods for clustered survival data using statistical simulations.
Regulation of Aromatase Gene Expression by Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Kathy Zhou, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine P.I.: Andrew J Dannenberg , M.D.)
01/01/09-12/31/09
Botwinick-Wolfensohn Foundation
The major goal of this project is to define the signal transduction pathway by which omega-3 fatty suppress the expression of the aromatase gene.
Microtube dependent AR signaling predicts taxane sensitivity
Kathy Zhou, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine P.I.: Paraskevi Giannakakou, M.D.)
07/01/09-06/30/14
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The purpose of this project is to identify how modulation of the lethal-phenotype-survival transcription factor AR following Taxol treatment determines clinical response and to assess the role of tubulin acetylation as a predictive biomarker for taxane activity in castrate-resistant metastatic prostate cancer patients.
CERT Pilot: Bayesian design and analysis of clinical trial with multiple outcomes and small sample size
Stefano Monni, Ph.D. (PI)
09/15/09-03/31/10
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
The overall objective of this proposal is to develop expertise in Bayesian design and analysis of clinical trial at Weill Cornell Medical College and begin implementing them in two clinical trials where the frequentist approach is sub-optimal.
Determining Germline Risk factors for lethal Prostate Cancer: The Role of Copy Number Variations in Prostate Cancer Progression
Samprit Banerjee, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Pathology P.I.: Mark A. Rubin , M.D.)
7/15/08-7/14/10
Starr Foundation
The goal of this project is to detect clinically significant prostate cancer by exploiting new understanding of the human genome. Recently, variations in the number of segments of DNA, called copy number variations (CNVs) polymorphisms, have been reported as associated with common diseases. The current study will explore for CNVs associated with PCA risk using a large collection of cases and controls from a prostate cancer early detection program in Tyrol.
Molecular Signatures of Lethal and Indolent Prostate Cancer
Samprit Banerjee, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Pathology P.I.: Mark A. Rubin , M.D.)
05/22/06- 02/28/11
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This proposal will evaluate SNP array data and determine critical genomic alterations that will be used to validate the molecular phenotype of aggressive prostate cancer.
Towards Understanding Prostate Cancer Heterogeneity
Samprit Banerjee, Ph.D. (In collaboration with the Department of Pathology P.I.: Mark A. Rubin , M.D.)
07/01/07- 06/30/12
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
This project focuses on characterizing a novel translocation in PCA identified by our group, and examining the role of the translocation in disease progression.
A Randomized Phase 2 Trial of 177Lu Radiolabeled Anti-PSMA Monoclonal Antibody J591 in Patients with High Risk Castrate Biochemistry Relapsed Prostate Cancer
Paul Christos, DrPH (In collaboration with the Department of Medicine P.I.: Scott T. Tagawa , M.D.)
08/17/09-09/16/12
Department of Defense
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate a difference in the proportion of men with radiographically evident metastatic disease at 18 months in those receiving anti-PSMA-based RIT vs. placebo.
Towards Understanding the Role of TMPRSS2-ERG Variants in Prostate Cancer Progression
Ya-lin Chiu, M.S. (In collaboration with Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine P.I.: David Rickman, Ph.D.)
5/1/09-4/30/11
Department of Defense
The major goal of this study is to develop novel model systems and generate multi-tiered expression, functional and clinical datasets focused on characterizing the role of the frequent TMPRSS2-ERG fusion event in aggressive PCA. This study will provide immediate resources to the scientific community that will serve as the building blocks to develop more accurate diagnostic tests and, in the long term, targeted therapeutics for aggressive PCA and better management of high risk PCA patients.
Selected List of Recent Grants
Home-Based BP Interventions for African Americans
Linda Gerber , Ph.D. (PI) (In collaboration with Penny Feldman, Ph.D. [Co-PI], Visiting Nurse Services of New York)
09/30/04-06/30/09
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
The goal of the study is to conduct a randomized trial to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two organizational interventions aimed at improving blood pressure (BP) control among a high-risk, African American home care population.
Promoting Readiness and Interest in Self Management (PRISM)
Linda Gerber , Ph.D. (PI) (In collaboration with Penny Feldman, Ph.D. [Co-PI], Visiting Nurse Services of New York)
7/01/08-9/30/09
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
This study investigates how patient activation occurs and under what circumstances in a historically under-represented population Black/African Americans who suffer disproportionately high rates of chronic illness.
CERT Pilot: Improvement in Sample Size calculation for Cluster-Randomized Trials
Majnu John, Ph.D. (PI)
Agency of Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
9/15/08-3/31/09
The purpose of this project is to develop improved sample size formulas for cluster randomized trials using a chi-square approximation method with a continuity correction factor and an exact method.
