Colorado HNC SPORE Data Sciences Core

SUMMARY, Data Science Core The University of Colorado Head and Neck Cancer (CO HNC) SPORE Data Science Core (DSC) provides services for biostatistics, informatics, bioinformatics, and other data science related analyses. The DSC staff is comprised of five Ph.D. and one Master’s level researchers who collectively offer substantial expertise in clinical trial design and analysis; statistical genetics, multi-omics data analysis; software development; predictive modeling; and cancer-focused bioinformatics. The core includes a comprehensive team of biostatisticians, bioinformaticians, and an epidemiologist, that form a hub of researchers with the common denominator of being engaged in HNC research through exisiting collaborations. The DSC has the overarching objective to build a community of practice related to HNC data science. All staff are operationally managed and overseen by the DSC Director, Dexiang Gao Ph.D, and like all faculty in the CO HNC SPORE the DSC faculty are members of the University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC), specifically the Biostatistical and Bioinformatics shared resource (BBSR). The BBSR has a long-standing history of collaboration with the Head and Neck research team over the past 10 years. Faculty biostatisticians and bioinformaticians are engaged in the development of novel methods and tools that enhance the HNC SPORE. Since 2015, faculty within the DSC published ~20 peer- reviewed manuscripts (with an additional 5 in preparation) and collaborated on 9 peer-reviewed extramural R01 grants with HNC SPORE investigators, 4 of which are active awards. By harnessing these established collaborations, the DSC can effectively and efficiently support CO HNC SPORE projects. Integrating personnel within a Core to support all SPORE programs will maximize available resources to increase the DSC’s scientific impact. Specifically, the DSC will provide assistance with research hypotheses formulation, clinical trial designs, sample size determination, analytical and database design, data collection, analyses, management and storage. This support will continue through management and coordination of accumulating research and clinical data analyses, assistance with manuscript preparation and clinical trial reports in relation to key quantitative findings and rigorous scientific conclusions. Thus, the DSC will play a critical role in clinical trials, as well as basic science and translational studies.