Pediatric Biostatistics Core

The Pediatric Biostatistics Core (RRID: SCR_025834) was established in 2009 with a mission to support pediatric researchers at Emory University and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, as well as child health researchers at several other Atlanta area institutions including Georgia Institute of Technology and Morehouse School of Medicine. The high-rigor statistical expertise provided by the core bolsters the quality of pediatric research to promote impactful and reproducible research findings across all child health disciplines. The Core provides in-house assistance and collaboration in study design, grant applications, protocol development, data analysis, publication preparation, and statistical education. In addition, the core also provides access to expertise using qualitative research methods including aid in the design, collection, and analysis of data collected through qualitative methodologies and approaches such as focus groups, interviews, and observations.

The Biostatistics Core is one of the most productive pediatric biostatistics units in the country, managing 400-500 active projects at any given time and collaborating on up to 100 grant applications and co-authoring 100-150 scientific articles every year.

Project Request Form

Please refer to the Core policy below before submitting a project request.

TIMELINE POLICY

Adequate lead time must be given in order to manage staff availability and workload. We cannot accommodate projects with turnarounds less than those indicated in the lead times below. Projects with extenuating circumstances, such as a late breaking grant RFA, are not guaranteed assistance but will be considered and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please indicate such details when submitting the request form.

20 business days* for initial report turnaround for abstracts and manuscripts.
30 business days for intramural grant preparation (e.g., Pediatric pilots, URC, Warshaw Fellow and Buchter Resident Research Awards).
40 business days for single project extramural grant preparation (e.g., R03, R21, R01, K grants, small foundation awards).
60 business days for complex multi-project extramural grant preparation (e.g., P30, P50, P01, U54, large foundation awards).

^{*Business days are according to the Emory University operating calendar.}

CO-AUTHORSHIP POLICY

For abstracts and manuscripts, consideration of co-authorship must be given to biostatisticians (both Ph.D. and Master's level) who make a contribution to a manuscript regardless of funding status. Co-authorship determination should always be discussed and agreed upon in the beginning stages of collaboration between the biostatistician and the investigator.

Below is a list of examples of scientific contributions from a biostatistician based on the recommendations set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.

Structuring the study question(s) into a form that is amenable to statistical analysis.
Preparation of a statistical analysis plan so that analyses are targeted toward answering the study questions.
Data cleaning and data quality checks.
Data analysis including checking for data errors.
Interpretation and explanation of study results.
Organization of the analysis into tables that are suitable for publication.
Writing the statistical methods section of the manuscript.
Writing and/or editing the methods, results, or discussion sections of the manuscript.
Reviewing and editing the final manuscript prior to submission.
Responding to reviewer's comments with or without additional analyses.

GRANT APPLICATION POLICY

The Pediatric Biostatistics Core is generously supported by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University to provide subsidized support for all grant applications including study design, statistical analysis plan preparation, and sample size calculation/power justification.

As a result, co-Investigator or biostatistician status and appropriate percent effort must be included in the grant budget at the time of submission in order to cover the biostatistical work post-award.

Key personnel and biostats budget determination should always be discussed and agreed upon in the beginning stages of collaboration between the biostatistician and the investigator.