The focus of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSSR) is to collaborate with and provide support to Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center members by providing analytical expertise and rigor that enhances peer-reviewed research to reduce the incidence of cancer, improve response and survival, reduce morbidity, manage symptoms, improve health-related quality of life and translate important laboratory discoveries into clinical practice.

Goals and Focus Areas

The focus of the BSSR is to collaborate with and provide support to Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center members by providing analytical expertise and rigor that:

  • Enhance peer-reviewed research to reduce the incidence of cancer.
  • Improve response and survival.
  • Reduce morbidity.
  • Manage symptoms.
  • Improve health-related quality of life.
  • Translate important laboratory discoveries into clinical practice.

The BSSR is responsible for methodological, statistical and analytical issues that may arise during projects. It is also responsible for computational issues, including study design, sampling, statistical aspects of clinical trial monitoring, interim reviews and final analyses.

These responsibilities are encompassed within the BSSR’s four goals:

  • Goal 1: Support investigator-initiated clinical protocol development, including developing appropriate statistical designs, preparing statistical sections, and reviewing the statistical content of protocols submitted for review to the Protocol Review Committee of the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
  • Goal 2: Provide operational and analytical support for clinical protocols, including monitoring patient accrual, providing support for quality assurance efforts, and performing interim and final analyses when needed.
  • Goal 3: Collaborate with Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators from all programs to provide statistical design and data analysis in support of grant development, abstracts, presentations and publications.
  • Goal 4: Provide leadership, education and training in support of the Comprehensive Cancer Center mission, including participation in graduate-level courses, T32-supported training grants, mentoring teams for K awardees and other young investigators, and leadership on committees responsible for scientific and administrative decisions for the Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as conducting multiple seminar series on topics such as meta-analysis, survival analysis and early-phase adaptive designs for Comprehensive Cancer Center members.