Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC)

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• BDAC Support and Collaboration
• Funding BDAC Support and Collaboration
• Meet the BDAC Team

BDAC Support and Collaboration

The Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center (BDAC) provides statistical and data management support from study design to final analysis and publication of results.

Grant Proposal Preparation

All pre-award consultation must be initiated 30 days or more before the internal due date of the application. Investigators are encouraged to contact BDAC early in the grant preparation process.

• Study design consultation and evaluation
• Sample size and power calculations
• Writing statistical analysis section for grant proposal
• Review and edits of grant proposal revisions

Note: No charge to University of Minnesota researchers for grant proposal preparation if BDAC personnel are written into the grant for a reasonable level of support.

Data Management

• Database dictionary and documentation
• Design of web-based interface for data entry
• Assistance with REDCap set up
• Quality control programs to monitor data integrity
• Data quality reports for DSMB review
• Integration of data from various sources
• Database backup
• Data extraction for analysis

Statistical Analysis

• Clinical trial monitoring and interim analyses for DSMB review
• Data analysis as specified in the study protocol
• Additional exploratory analyses as determined by the research team
• Tables, graphs and summarization of analysis results
• Interpretation of analysis results

Manuscript Preparation and Review

• Review of statistical analysis results
• Writing the statistical methods and contributing to the results and discussion sections
• Edits and review of manuscript
• Responses to reviewer comments and questions

Note:Regardless of funding source, BDAC statisticians are typically included as co-authors on manuscripts if they have participated in study design, analysis, or manuscript preparation for a project. This policy is consistent with the ICMJE requirements for authorship.

Funding BDAC Support and Collaboration

There are three methods available for funding BDAC support:

• BDAC personnel are written into a grant for reasonable levels of support.*
• Hourly rates are billed monthly for projects without grant funding or for grants that do not include support for BDAC personnel. For non-UMN clients, rates are negotiated separately.
• Departmental funding for ongoing statistical support of projects.

* When BDAC personnel are written into a grant for salary support, the Principal Investigator must include CTSI representatives as approvers on the Proposal Routing Forms (PRFs). The PRF routing chain should include John Connett (BDAC director) and Tucker LeBien (AHC Associate Vice President for Research). Additionally, when the assigned statistician is also a faculty member in the School of Public Health (Kyle Rudser or Hongfei Guo), please contact Linda Zenner at linda@ccbr.umn.edu for information about the PRF routing chain.

View current rates and learn more about CTSI financial policies.

Meet the BDAC Team