Biostatistics, Epidemiology, & Research Design (BERD)
Expert biostatistical consulting and analysis for health-related research
The Illinois Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design (BERD) Core at IHSI offers expert biostatistical consulting and analysis services in support of health-related research. We work with internal (Illinois) and external (non-Illinois) researchers on basic science, social and behavioral research, and translational research studies and clinical trials.
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Biostatistical Services
The BERD team collaborates with researchers to design, conduct, analyze, and publish health-related research. Biostatistical support is available throughout the project lifespan with a cost structure that is subsidized for Illinois investigators.
- Design of observational and experimental studies, including sampling methods for selection of subjects and randomization to treatment groups
- Design of data collection instruments and validation
- Development of data specifications
- Development of statistical analysis plans
- Data management support
- Power/sample size calculation
- Execution of data specifications requiring data manipulation and preparation of datasets
- Statistical analysis of data
- Meta-analysis
- Assistance with grant applications, abstract, manuscript, and poster development
- Program evaluation
Our doctoral- and masters-level biostatisticians and epidemiologists have access to and experience with various statistical software packages, including SAS, SPSS, STATA, R, Mplus, PASS, and GPower. Types of statistical data analysis of data include:
- Basic analytical methods: descriptive statistics, graphical presentation, parametric and non-parametric tests of hypothesis, regression models (linear, logistic, Poisson and proportional hazards)
- Advanced analytics methods: multilevel mixed effects modeling structural equation modeling, analysis of count data, zero-inflated models and multivariate analysis
Meet the BERD Team
Jesus Sarol, Jr., PhD
Senior Research Biostatistician
(217) 244-2516
jsaroljr@illinois.edu
Areas of specialization:
Sample surveys, epidemiologic methods in observational and experimental studies, parametric and non-parametric tests, generalized linear models, survival analysis, multilevel models, multivariate analysis, analysis of count data, zero-inflated models, power and sample size calculation, meta-analysis and program evaluation
Amandeep Kaur, BDS, MPH
Research Biostatistician
(217) 300-8020
akaur@illinois.edu
Areas of specialization:
Power and sample size calculations, data management, study designs, longitudinal and cross-sectional data analysis, generalized linear mixed models, survival analysis, and non-parametric models
Fatima Ahmed, MS
Assistant Research Biostatistician
fahmed81@illinois.edu
Areas of specialization:
Application of standard statistical techniques to answer health-related research questions (including animal models), analysis of nutritional content of diets, data management, data harmonization
completed projects
“This experience was terrific, I am excited to work with BERD in the future!”
“They have a quick response time and always deliver very high-quality work.”
“The BERD Core is very good at communication and making sure that there is a solid flow of information between them and the client.”
2023 Publications
Congratulations to three research teams BERD worked with on their recent publications!
Josie Rudolphi & Courtney Cuthbertson (PIs): Agricultural producers’ and stakeholders’ perceived effectiveness of and participation in COVID-19 protective behaviors; From believers to skeptics: Latent class analysis of COVID-19 protective practices and perceptions among agricultural community members
Liliane Windsor (PI): Optimization of a new adaptive intervention using the SMART Design to increase COVID-19 testing among people at high risk in an urban community; Linking critical consciousness and health: The utility of the critical reflection about social determinants of health scale (CR_SDH); Individual and structural determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a marginalized community in the United States