College of Medicine establishes the statistics department as a recognized academic department

The College of Medicine now has its own statistics department, a move expected to strengthen research capabilities throughout the Health Science Center.

Creation of the new branch of the department, whose functions were previously assigned to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been in the works since 1999. The shift merges and realigns under the College of Medicine the division of biostatistics and the Children’s Oncology Group Research Data Center, as well as the group’s 15 faculty and 58 staff/student members. The realignment took effect July 1.

The realignment is expected to improve the quality and quantity of research in the Health Science Center by enabling statisticians with expertise in specific areas of medicine to collaborate more routinely as part of study teams.

“In order for the Health Science Center to continue its scientific mission, especially in the clinical and basic sciences, additional statistical support is a necessity to meet the increasing needs,” said Professor Jonathan J. Shuster, who serves as associate chairman of statistics for the College of Medicine.

Shuster reports to Kenneth I. Berns, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine, and George Casella, Ph.D., chairman of the department of statistics. Shuster also continues to serve as director of the International Center for Childhood Cancer Research and director of the federally funded Children’s Oncology Group Research Data Center, which collects information from virtually all pediatric cancer patients in the country.

James L. Kepner, Ph.D., a research associate professor of statistics, has been appointed associate director of the Children’s Oncology Group Research Data Center. Alan D. Hutson, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of statistics, has been named associate director of the division of biostatistics. Drew Boyd is the new department’s business manager.

Currently understaffed, the College of Medicine statistics department has hired two new biostatisticians and expects to employ more in the upcoming months. Shuster also hopes to merge the two divisions into a common Health Science Center location. The Children’s Oncology Group Research Data Center currently leases space in an off-campus building downtown.