Contact: Dr. Mercedes Rubio
Programs in this area should provide training that integrates biostatistical theory and evolving methodologies with basic biomedical research including, but not limited to, bioinformatics, genetics, molecular biology, cellular processes and physiology, as well as epidemiological, clinical, and behavioral studies. The goal is to ensure that a workforce of biostatisticians with a deep understanding of statistical theory and new methodologies is available to assume leadership roles related to the nation's biomedical research needs. Implementation will depend on the integration of biostatistics and basic biological sciences to create effective interdisciplinary training grant programs. The aim is to provide students with strong quantitative talents to pursue a wide range of opportunities in biostatistics research.
Applicants for a predoctoral institutional training grant in biostatistics must describe an interdisciplinary program that is built on a strong foundation in statistical theory and methodology and that provides a clear understanding of basic biological research. Applications should address any challenges of melding two disparate cultures, statistics and biology, at both the faculty and student levels, and how these challenges will be overcome.
To develop a vital collaborative infrastructure that provides interdisciplinary training, faculty must be recruited from more than one department. Evidence for this infrastructure could include collaborative research projects, co-authored publications, joint service on dissertation committees, collaborative teaching, and regular interactions in journal clubs and seminar series. Applications should also describe how they will promote the success of students coming from a biological or quantitative background in the training program. While biostatistics training often depends on a theoretical formalism that requires an essential core of didactic courses, this requirement must be balanced with training in other disciplines. Applicants must identify the key ideas and skills that are essential to multidisciplinary training in biostatistics and monitor the impact of core requirements on time to degree.
