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UPCOMING DEPARTMENT MEETINGS

BIOS Department Meeting, Tuesday, 12-1, RAR o SIBS/REU update o Student Council update o Student recruitment update o Data Science Initiatives o CFAR Biostatstics Core Update (Lyles) o Birthdays (February, March, and April!)

QUOTES

“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.” - Emo Philips

“If you like overheads, you'll love PowerPoint.” - Edward Tufte

"Power corrupts. PowerPoint corrupts absolutely." - Edward Tufte

Biostatistics and Bioinformatics

Bios Buzz

August 26, 2016

Inside This Issue

1 UPCOMING DEPARTMENT MEETINGS

1 QUOTES

2 KUDOS

3 INTERESTING READS

3 INTERESTING DATA SETS

4 SEMINARS AND WEBMINARS

5 JOB OPENINGS

6 JOB OPENINGS

7 JOB OPENINGS

7 NIH NEWS

8 STATISTICS CARTOONS

Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Department

BIOS BUZZ

April 7, 2017

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KUDOS

Congratulations to Mary Kelley for her work on the landmark PReDICT study relating to diagnosis identification of best treatment regimes for depression covered in the press this week:

o http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/emory-study-shows-mris-predict-best-treatment-for_us_58da468de4b0e6062d9230ca

o http://news.emory.edu/stories/2017/03/mayberg_dunlop_predict_study/index.html?utm_source=ebulletin&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Emory_Report_EB_280317

Congratulations to Steve Qin who will be one of 26 faculty participating in the 2017 Faculty Fellowship Summer Institute in Israel…from the press release:

o “New York, NY: March 30, 2017 – Twenty-six professors from universities and colleges across the U.S. will soon experience a once-in-a-lifetime and insightful journey as they prepare to depart on Jewish National Fund (JNF) and Media Watch International’s sponsored 2017 Faculty Fellowship Summer Institute in Israel.

o Participants will spend 11 rigorous days from June 1-14, traveling throughout Israel, meeting Israeli professors from their respective disciplines and with the same or similar research interests, all with the goal of developing collaborations, research projects, co-authoring articles, and establishing exchange programs between faculty and students. The trip is a fully-paid intensive program to Israel for full time U.S.-based academics from a recognized university/learning institution.

o Steve Qin, Associate Professor in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University has been selected to join 25 colleagues from across the nation to participate in the 2017 cohort.

o During the trip, the participants will meet Israelis from all walks of life and will hear from a variety of speakers. Throughout their visit, participants will be exposed to contemporary Israeli society, culture, historical sites, the people and the way of life in Israel.”

Bios Buzz

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Bios Buzz

INTERESTING READS

Now available! Stats+ [Short] Stories Episode 29: So a 70-30 support split is not a sure thing? o The third S+SS Episode , "So a 70-30 support split is not a sure thing?" is now available. This episode features a

short conversation with Andrew Flowers, freelance data journalist and a former quantitative editor at FiveThirtyEight.com. Andrew talked about probability, sure things and upsets in this episode. To listen now, please visit www.statsandstories.net or iTunes.

A serious and helpful discussion of the pressures of graduate school. o “PhD students face significant mental health challenges.” Science o http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2017/04/phd-students-face-significant-mental-health-

challenges?utm_source=sciencemagazine&utm_medium=facebook-text&utm_campaign=mentalchallenges-12190

On the lighter side: “How to read a scientific paper” Science o http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2016/01/how-read-scientific-paper o “Nothing makes you feel stupid quite like reading a scientific journal article.”

And a more helpful one: “How to seriously read a scientific paper” Science o http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2016/03/how-seriously-read-scientific-paper o Good advice from a lot of scientists.

INTERESTING PUBLIC DATA SETS

data.world is excited to announce the release of a valuable data source in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau — the American Community Survey (ACS) summary tables. The ACS is the Census Bureau’s biggest annual household survey, as well as a super-connector dataset that’s leveraged throughout the U.S. by countless individuals, non-profit organizations, and businesses.

o With these new Census datasets, users can enrich their analyses with the most up-to-date U.S. demographic and housing information available.

o Learn more about how to use the Census datasets in Jonathan’s new Meta post about ACS summary files!

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Bios Buzz

SEMINARS AND WEBMINARS

ENAR is pleased to announce the next in its series of webinars for April and May: o Evaluation and Use of Surrogate Markers

Friday, April 21, 2017 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST Presenter: Dr. Layla Parast, RAND Corporation

o The Overlap between Statisticians and Pharmacometricians in Clinical Drug Development and a Case Study Friday, May 19, 2017 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EST Presenters:

Kenneth Kowalski, MS, Kowalski PMetrics Consulting, LLC

Dr. Wenping Wang, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation o The Webinar Committee of the ENAR Regional Advisory Board (RAB) is coordinating this ongoing series of 1- to 2-hour webinars given by

renowned experts. Please visit the ENAR Education section of our website for complete descriptions of webinars scheduled through October 2017, to register, or to submit suggestions to the Committee for future topics or speakers.

As part of this year’s themed speaker series titled Research Design Is Not Enough, QuanTM invites you to attend the third and last presentation in the series for this Spring. Dr. Charles Manski from Northwestern University will be giving a talk titled “HOW DO RIGHT-TO-CARRY LAWS AFFECT CRIME RATES? Coping with Ambiguity using Bounded-Variation Assumptions ” on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at noon, in the Modern Languages Building, room 201.

o Please RSVP by April 5th. Additional information about QuanTM's many events may be found at quantitative.emory.edu/events

Statistics in Epidemiology Section : Upcoming webinars: neuroimaging and intensive longitudinal data analysis using Mplus o Title: Introduction to Functional Neuroimaging

Presenter: Martin Lindquist Date and Time: Thursday, April 13, 2017, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Eastern time Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 11, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time

o Title: Intensive Longitudinal Data Analysis Using Mplus Presenters: Bengt Muthen, Tihomir Asparouhov, and Ellen Hamaker, University of California, Los Angeles Date and Time: Thursday, April 20, 2017, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Eastern time Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 18, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time

Each registration is allowed one web connection and one audio connection. For a single registration fee, multiple persons can view each connection, for example, by projecting the webinar in a conference room.

For additional details and to register, go to http://www.amstat.org/education/weblectures/index.cfm.

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Bios Buzz

JOB OPENINGS

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biostatistics at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA o The Biostatistics Unit at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to engage in

biostatistical and collaborative research activities under the mentorship of Drs. Andrea Cook and Jennifer Nelson. Using electronic health data from health care delivery systems, applicants will have the opportunity to conduct methodological research to improve the conduct of pragmatic trials and complex observational studies and to collaborate on interdisciplinary research teams. The specific scientific and biostatistical questions addressed will depend on the candidate’s expertise and interest and may include: 1) What statistical approach should be used in a multi-site cluster randomized back pain trial to estimate treatment effects that are robust to model misspecification?; 2) Can we modify existing correlated data methods to better understand individual and environmental factors that predict or modify trajectories of body weight?; 3) What adaptations of trial-based sequential methods are needed to make causal inference for survival outcomes in a post-marketing drug safety surveillance setting? 4) How can we integrate electronic health data within a traditional cohort design in order to characterize how multiple risk factors are associated with risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease? The successful candidate will be encouraged to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific meetings. To learn more about our ongoing research and methods, please visit www.kpwashingtonresearch.org/.

o KPWHRI (formerly Group Health Research Institute) is an internationally recognized research organization that conducts practical epidemiologic, health services, behavioral and clinical research to improve health and health care. Our research is non-proprietary, funded through federal and private grants and contracts totaling ~$50 million annually. KPWHRI’s position within Kaiser Permanente Washington (www.kp.org/wa), a not-for-profit health care delivery system in the Pacific Northwest, provides a natural laboratory to leverage healthcare data to study important health issues through clinical trials and observational studies. KPWHRI has a faculty of over 35 doctorate-level scientists trained in medicine, epidemiology, behavioral science, economics, and biostatistics. The Biostatistics Unit includes 6 PhD biostatistician investigators and 7 MS biostatisticians. Areas of health research emphasis include cancer prevention, chronic pain, behavioral medicine, pharmacoepidemiology, and aging. KPWHRI is an active member of a vibrant regional research community that includes the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and the Seattle Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center.

o Applicants should have a PhD degree in biostatistics or statistics, a passion for methodological inquiry grounded in collaborative interdisciplinary research, and strong communications skills. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. The initial appointment will be for one year, with possible extension for a second year. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. To Apply: Send a research statement, CV, and the names and contact information for three references to Jennifer Nelson, PhD (nelson.jl@ghc.org). Additional application procedures may be required. Kaiser Permanente is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.

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Bios Buzz

JOB OPENINGS

The Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Biostatistics Postdoctoral Fellow o Position Description: Division of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University and the Nationwide

Children’s Hospital (NCH) invite applications for an open post-doctoral fellow position. This position is created with funding support from the College of Public Health and the Center for Pediatric Trauma Research at NCH, to explore new statistical methodological issues concerning health outcome research and big data analysis. The fellow will work under the joint supervision of Drs. Bo Lu (Division of Biostatistics), Steve MacEachern (Department of Statistics) and Henry Xiang (NCH and Division of Epidemiology), and will be supported by a team of epidemiologists and data managers. The general research topics focus on Bayesian methods for causal inference, statistical models for big data with applications in healthcare and health services research. Publications in peer-reviewed journals are expected. This post-doctoral fellow will be officially managed by the NCH Patient-Centered Pediatric Research Fellowship Program. The fellow will have opportunities to participate in pediatric/injury research projects in collaboration with clinical investigators and other post-doctoral fellows. The appointment will be for a two-year period.

o Position Qualifications: Ph.D. degree in biostatistics, statistics, or related quantitative fields; interest and track record in statistical methodology research; strong programming skills; working knowledge of Bayesian models or causal inference is a plus; excellent written and oral communication skills.

o Salary/Benefits: Salary will be determined based on years of experience following the NIH National Research Service Award guidelines. This position will be eligible for full time benefits offered to all full time employees at NCH.

o Application Address: Applicants should arrange to send a letter of interest (including a summary of research interests), curriculum vitae, relevant transcripts, up to two publications or working papers, and the contact information for three references as one PDF file to Dr. Bo Lu (Email: Lu.232@osu.edu;Phone: 614-247-7913) or Dr. Henry Xiang (Email: xiang.30@osu.edu; phone; 614-355-5893)

o Nationwide Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer. Applications from historically underrepresented group members, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged.

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Bios Buzz

JOB OPENINGS

Associate Director, Biostatistics Core/Precision Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center o City of Hope is seeking a statistician with substantial experience in clinical trials and active methodological research relevant to precision

medicine to serve as Associate Director of the Biostatistics Core. The appointment is planned at the rank of Associate Research Professor, but higher rank or a professor track appointment are possible for an appropriate candidate.

o Applicants should submit a cover letter and current CV, by April 30, 2017, to: Jeffrey A. Longmate, PhD, Director, Biostatistics Core, City of Hope National Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, jlongmate@coh.org

Assistant/Associate Research Professor in Biostatistics, City of Hope National Medical Center o City of Hope is recruiting an experienced statistician for a non-tenure track faculty appointment to support clinical trials and pre-clinical

research in the newly created Hematology Institute. This will be a joint appointment in Hematology and Biostatistics in the Research Professor series, at a rank consistent with qualifications and experience.

o Applicants should submit a cover letter, current CV and references by April 30, 2017 to: Joycelynne M. Palmer, PhD, Division of Biostatistics, Hem/HCT Section Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope National Medical Center 1500 East Duarte Road, Bldg. 74, Ofc. 1002, Duarte, CA 91010, jmpalmer@coh.org

NIH NEWS

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research is pleased to launch NIDCR 2030, a strategic visioning initiative designed to advance dental, oral, and craniofacial research over the next 15 years. The Institute hopes to obtain input from the American Statistical Association—especially your members’ ideas on how to generate and maximize the use of biomedical data and data science methods to improve oral health.

o Visit NIDCR 2030 to submit your research ideas and vote and comment on the ideas of others. The NIDCR 2030 team will use your ideas and comments to plan future workshops and research initiatives. The idea submission period ends May 19, 2017. All votes must be entered by June 2, 2017.

o Feel free to share this request for input with others. Please direct any questions about NIDCR 2030 to nidcr2030@nidcr.nih.gov. We appreciate your participation in this important initiative and look forward to hearing from you!

NIAID helps new investigators with higher payline! https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/niaid-funding-news-april-5-2017#niaid2

NIAID Advice: How should I time my renewal application? https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/niaid-funding-news-april-5-2017#how

NIAID Defines Areas of Interest for K01 Awards o NIAID will support Mentored Research Scientist Award (K01) (link is external) grants only in the areas of epidemiology, computational

modeling, and outcomes research in infectious, immunologic, or allergic diseases. Propose the majority of your application’s Specific Aims in these areas. Contact Dr. Shawn Gaillard (link is external) if you have any questions.

What’s the difference between a Broad Area Announcement (BAA) and an Request for Proposals (RFP)? o BAA Versus RFP: If you’re wondering what the difference is between the two, here’s the answer in a nutshell. o A request for proposals (RFP) focuses on a specific service or deliverable the government wishes to acquire while a BAA typically focuses

on scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the state of the art or increasing knowledge or understanding. o Additionally, NIAID defines the SOW for an RFP whereas the offeror develops the SOW for a BAA.

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CARTOONS

CARTOONS SOURCES:

https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/opinion/editorial_cartoon/2013/04/18/editorial_cartoon_april_18_2013/editorial_cartoon_april_18_2013.jpg

https://marketoonist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/130401.aprilfool.jpg

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/computers-desktop-computers-computer_problems-fires-computer_support-lfin581_low.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=math+computer+cartoon&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiN5fOx75DTAhVB2SYKHYi4CogQ_AUICCgB&biw=1228&bih=635#imgrc=d09CylCMrGHIaM:

Bios Buzz

Buzz