Advance-CTR
Biostatistics & Research Design Services
The Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Core of Advance-CTR offers research consultations to Rhode Island investigators at Brown, URI, and the affiliated hospital systems.
Our faculty experts are available to assist you.
Online tutorials, reference materials, workshops, and more.
Biostatistics & Research Design Services
The Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Core of Advance-CTR offers research consultations to Rhode Island investigators at Brown, URI, and the affiliated hospital systems.
Our consultations with the Biostatistics Core have been very helpful. I thought the consult would result in one or two meetings, after which I would then work with my postdoc to implement. Instead, it turned into a long-lasting collaboration.
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Grant Proposal Review and Writing
Get an expert’s eyes on your proposal before you submit. Our biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and qualitative methodologists are available to review and provide feedback on grant proposals and manuscript submissions.
Grant Proposal Services:
- Study design
- Qualitative and quantitative analytic plans
- Sample size requirements
- Addressing comments from peer reviewers
- Data visualizations
Manuscript Submission Services:
- Statistical and qualitative methods
- Data analysis and interpretation
- Addressing comments from peer reviewers
- Data visualizations
Please note: Please submit your review request at least 6-8 weeks before your internal application deadline to ensure our biostatisticians have adequate notice to provide a thorough review. Manuscript and grant submission reviews are not guaranteed for service requests that are submitted less than 6-8 weeks before the internal submission deadline.
Study Design Conceptualization
Our experts are available to work with you during every stage of study development to ensure that your study design meets your goals and sets you up for success.
Services include:
- Positioning of specific aims and hypotheses: We’ll help you shape your hypothesis(es) and specific aims with your study design in mind, and set you up for success in designing a study that is appropriate for your goals.
- Measure selection: We’ll work with you to determine which measures are most appropriate for statistical inference of the population you are studying.
- Power analysis: We’ll help you determine the sample size that is suitable to detect the effect of a given test at your desired level of significance.
- Data analysis planning: There are a variety of ways to analyze and represent data. We’ll help you decide which analysis and representations will work best for your study.
- Decision support services: Our experts are available to assist with any additional questions that arise during the development stage.
- Design Changes: Sometimes unexpected things happen during the development stage. Our experts will work with you to assess the impact of potential design changes on the final statistical analyses of your study.
The BERD Core provides Letters of Support and facilities information, dependent upon the nature and scope of the service consultation.
The R01 application was my first time working on a longitudinal study. I was able to quickly and easily connect with Dr. Duan [the service provider] who already had expertise in this area, as well as in my topic area of chronic disease. Dr. Duan helped me understand the big picture and determine the best statistical approach.
Assistant Professor of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island
Data Analysis
Our biostatisticians are available to help you conclude your study and understand your results.
Services include:
- Statistical analysis consultations: Our biostatisticians are available to consult with you about the appropriate statistical analysis methods to use for your study and provide support on the analyses as needed.
- Implementing data analysis plans: For investigators who consulted with our Core in the study conceptualization stage, follow up consultations are available after the study has concluded to discuss and implement the agreed-upon data analysis plans.
- Statistical software support (R, SAS, Stata, SPSS, etc.): Our biostatisticians are available to answer your questions about statistical software that you are interested in, or are already leveraging, for your study.
- Interpretation of data: Once the data analysis is complete, our biostatisticians can help you interpret the data as it relates to your hypotheses and specific aims.
- Presentation of data: Data can be represented in a variety of formats including tables, graphical representations (line and bar charts, scatter plots, etc.) and more. Our biostatisticians will help you determine the best ways to present your data and generate these formats.
I received more input on my grant application than I would have expected over two sessions, and that is helpful as an early-career investigator.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Our faculty experts are available to assist you.
Online tutorials, reference materials, workshops, and more.