Biostatistics core (BC) is dedicated to supporting members of The Georgia Cancer Center in their investigative studies. Researchers will find expertise in planning, conducting, analyzing and reporting data relative to clinical trials as well as epidemiologic-, and population-based studies.
The Biostatistics investigators also conduct independently sponsored research in statistical analysis, data mining using the Cancer Center registry data, clinical and laboratory, SEER and other national data bases. These studies can greatly benefit the work of Cancer Center members.
Our Mission
Is to provide collaborative support in all areas of Biostatistics work that include, study design, analysis, and interpretation with interaction with industry, government and regulatory agencies in the areas of Clinical trials, Epidemiology, laboratory studies, In addition to data mining using local and national databases for hypotheses generation and scientific investigation. In all, we aim to ensure scientifically sound research.
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Bioinformatics Core
Health Sciences Campus
GCC - M. Bert Storey Research Building
1410 Laney Walker Boulevard, Augusta, GA
CN-3112
Each Core member is provided with a laptop or a desktop with the processing speed and storage space (including external hard drives) required to accomplish all statistical and tasks. Shared and individual printers, fax machines, copiers, and scanners are provided by the GCC. The Biostatistics core has access to all facilities at GCC. Including Local Area Network (LAN), with a dedicated manager, encompassing personal computers, file servers, printer servers, and other shared peripherals. Individual computers are managed centrally for software updates and network security. The scientific software licensed include SAS, STATA, PASS2024, NCSS2024, SPSS. A variety of open source software (e.g., R) for scientific computing is also widely used.
The Biostatistics Core (BC) provides in-depth biostatistical review of the Georgia Cancer Center grants, providing important feedback regarding feasibility and statistical considerations in the proposals to both the review panels and investigators. The strongest grants are those where a biostatistician has been involved from the beginning in the design. In general, the likelihood of funding is improved when a biostatistician has fully participated in the development of the proposal. We do not allow a biostatistician’s name to be placed on a grant unless they have been involved in its development or review of the grant application.
Grant Support Provided
To ensure the achievements of specific aims, biostatisticians provide critical design and methods support by:
Timing of Grant Support
Biostatisticians that are involved from the beginning need sufficient time to develop a strong grant for submission. The amount of time needed depends on the size of the grant and the agreed upon effort of the biostatistician. Small grants typically require at least one month of collaboration prior to submission. Large grants such as PPGs require at least three months of intense collaboration before the submission guideline. Requests made closer in time to the deadline will be addressed only after work has been completed on grants that were submitted by investigators in a timely manner. Note that the earlier the support request, the more thorough and effective the level of biostatistical support will be, which in turn will increase the ability for your grant to impress critical reviewers.
Investigators should meet with the BC to discuss aims, measurements, criteria for success, and power and prior to any statistics work. Without full understanding of the work, no one can guarantee the quality of outcomes.
Percent Effort
Our policy is that the FTE (full time equivalent) should match the actual effort. Our minimum percent effort on a grant is 5%, although this percentage is rarely enough to cover the scope of the work in a typical grant. For applicable grants, time spent by the biostatistician preparing the grant itself is covered under the cancer center mechanisms. For all other grants, biostatistician time is compensated through hourly billing. Please see the charge chart.
Sufficient time is needed for the biostatistician to write or review the statistical methods and the results section of a manuscript or abstract. Whether the biostatistician writes or reviews these sections in a manuscript is determined by the level of collaboration. Thus, communication between the project investigator and the biostatistician is essential in order to meet specific deadlines. Generally two weeks are required for the biostatistician to write their section of the manuscript; however, four weeks may be needed for more complex analyses. Regardless, final versions of manuscripts and abstracts must be reviewed and approved before submission.
Occasionally there is concern about whether or not the biostatistician should be a co-author on the manuscript. It is our policy that the biostatistician (both Ph.D. and M.S.) should be listed as a co-author if there has been a scientific or an intellectual contribution to the research and not be listed in the acknowledgments. If this is going to be an issue with the project investigator, then an agreement with the biostatistician on authorship of any resulting manuscripts should be decided during the initial phases of the project.
Statistical Software
SAS, R, NCSS/PASS, STATA, STATISTICA, SPSS, nQuery.
First hour consultation is free. After initial consultation, fees are billed directly to the investigator’s unit/department via iLab
Please utilize iLab of the GCC Biostatistics Core to initiate and/or pay for the service.
Grant preparation support is offered to Georgia Cancer Center researchers free of charge, provided that Biostatistics core member assumes the role of co-investigator with funding request for significant percentage effort.
The following charge structure will apply:
Cancer Center Investigators : 100/Hr. | External Clients in AU: $200/Hr.
For Clinical trials, $150 per hour charge will apply. Structured charges for clinical trials (CT) funded by industry are per the entire CT:
|
Service |
Internal ($) |
External ($) |
External Commercial ($) |
||
|
|
Clinical Trial |
Non- CT |
Clinical Trial |
Non CT |
|
|
Data Analysis |
150 |
100 |
150 |
150 |
200 |
|
Phase I CT |
20k |
|
25k |
|
30k |
|
Phase II CT |
35k |
|
40k |
|
45k |
|
Phase I/II CT |
40k |
|
50k |
|
60k |
|
Protocol Development |
150 |
|
150 |
|
200 |
|
CT consult |
150 |
|
200 |
|
250 |
|
Programming |
|
100 |
|
100 |
100 |
Protocol design is an intensive collaborative work in which biostatisticians play a major role. BC has the best in-house expertise of biostatistics support for trial design, protocol development, regulatory issues, analysis and reporting. Good protocol development takes in average of two months.
The BC is not responsible for faulty design, methodology if the investigator is not willing to meet with the BC and have the discussion outlined in point b above.
GCC Biostatistics core iLab
In general, the priorities for statistical work (from highest to lowest) are:
Please note that the Core will only work on analysis for an abstract presentation at a national or international meeting if the Core worked on and/or reviewed the abstract submission (before the abstract was submitted).
Ramses F. Sadek, PhD
