Biostatistics Collaboration Center

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Mission

The mission of the Biostatistics Collaboration Center (BCC) is to support Feinberg investigators in the conduct of high-quality, innovative health-related research by providing expertise in biostatistics, statistical programming, and data management. BCC faculty and staff collaborate with investigators on all aspects of research: study design and grant development; data capture and statistical analysis; interpretation of results and manuscript preparation. The BCC contributes to all types of research, including basic science, clinical, epidemiological, and health services. The BCC also supports all level of investigators – from postdoctoral fellows to junior faculty and well-established investigators. BCC support ranges from multi-year collaborations to one-time consultations.

The BCC's scope encompasses non-cancer research at FSM, NU and its clinical partners; Lurie Cancer Center members should contact the Quantitative Data Sciences Core (QDSC).

Investigators planning large, prospective multicenter clinical trials or observational studies that will need comprehensive database development, statistical analysis support, ongoing clinical monitoring and project management should contact the Northwestern University Data Analysis and Coordinating Center (NUDACC).

Services Offered

• The BCC faculty and staff are eager to help you meet the statistical needs of your research. Our areas of expertise include but are not limited to:
  • Bayesian Methods
  • Big Data
  • Bioinformatics
  • Causal inference
  • Clinical trials
  • Cluster analysis
  • Database design
  • Genomics
  • Longitudinal data
  • Machine learning
  • Missing data
  • Reproducibility
  • Statistical genetics
  • Survival analysis
  • Wearable data

How the BCC Works:

• The BCC provides Northwestern affiliated investigators an initial one hour consultation, subsidized by the Feinberg Research Office. Grant writing (e.g. developing analysis plans, sample size calculations) is also supported at no cost to full-time Feinberg faculty at the level of instructor or higher. The goal is to cultivate a collaborative environment and establish relationships that will lead to successful grant applications.  Investigators may choose from the following models for collaboration:
  • Recharge/Fee-for-Service Model (Hourly Rate). For projects that require biostatistics expertise, but are limited in scope, the BCC supports a Recharge/Fee-for-service model.  For up-to-date service fees please visit the BCC Rates page. Once the scope of work has been agreed upon by the investigator and the BCC, the investigator will be billed on an hourly basis until the completion of the project
  • Grant Support Model. Grant writing (e.g. developing analysis plans, sample size calculations) is supported by the FSM Office for Research at no cost to the investigator. The goal is to cultivate a collaborative environment that will lead to successful grant applications. For grant applications that BCC faculty and staff help prepare and write, it is expected that the Principal Investigator will invite the BCC faculty to be the lead Biostatistician or Co-Investigator, and that the BCC Statistical Analysts will be included for % effort as appropriate. BCC involvement from the initial steps of the application helps ensure that study design, data analysis, and power analysis are appropriate and optimal, and increases the chances that the grant will be funded.

Click here to request an appointment with a BCC team member.