Research and Community Activities

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Research Activities

Departmental faculty members have an extensive portfolio of sponsored research projects in their areas of expertise. These include:

• Applied biostatistics
• Cancer epidemiology
• Chronic disease epidemiology (particularly aging populations)
• Clinical trials
• Environmental and occupational epidemiology
• Health disparities in minority communities
• Health informatics, including geographic information systems (GIS)
• Infectious disease epidemiology (including HIV/AIDS)
• Psychiatric and behavioral epidemiology

In addition, the Department engages in many research activities through its affiliates, The Biostatistics Center and the Biostatistics Center Medical Center Unit.

Research Activities of Foggy Bottom Faculty

Amanda D. Castel, MD,MPH
Assistant Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Monitoring and Evaluation of the HIV Testing Campaign
• Project HEART Community Assessment
• Public Health - Academic Partnership to Provide Technical Assistance for Surveillance and Epidemiology to the District of Columbia Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration
• Technical Assistance to the HAA Bureau of Surveillance and Epidemiology
• WHO Task Shifting

Sean Cleary, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Geographic Variation of End-Stage Renal Disease Incidence in Minority Populations
• Master Agreement Between National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) and George Washington University
• SAFER Latino Project
• Small Area Analysis of Premature Mortality in the U.S
• West Virginia SCRIPT Dissemination Trial

Ann Goldman, MA, MPH
Research Instructor

• Community Trial and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
• Efforts to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis
• Small Area Analysis and Economic Aspects of Health Disparities

Alan Greenberg, MD, MPH
Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• GWU - APHL Laboratory Training Institute
• GWU / EGPAF Partnership for Pediatric AIDS and Public Health
• Monitoring and Evaluation of the HIV Testing Campaign
• National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) program
• Project HEART Community Assessment
• Public Health - Academic Partnership to Provide Technical Assistance for Surveillance and Epidemiology to the District of Columbia Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration
• Technical Assistance to the HAA Bureau of Surveillance and Epidemiology
• Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Epidemiology Project
• WHO Task Shifting

Daniel Hoffman, MSPH, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Global Health

• National Disaster Medical System Training Assessment

Irene Kuo, PhD, MPH
Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) program
• Project HEART Community Assessment
• Public Health - Academic Partnership to Provide Technical Assistance for Surveillance and Epidemiology to the District of Columbia Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration
• Public Health Workforce Enumeration and Public Health Institutes Inventorying Study
• Viral Hepatitis Surveillance and Epidemiology Project
• WHO Task Shifting

Paul Levine, MD
Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Clinical Professor of Medicine

• Cancer Patterns in Gulf War Era Veterans
• Development of an Inflammatory Breast Cancer Registry
• District of Columbia Citywide Patient Navigation Research Study
• Evaluation of Population Based Data at the DC Department of Health and Analysis of Disparities in Cancer Rates within DC

Manya Magnus, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Health Policy

• Comprehensive Evaluation of Applicability, Reliability, Sensitivity and Specificity of Newly Developed Standardized Case Definitions for Adverse Events Following Immunization
• The Development of Training Materials for the Use of Mixed Methods in the Evaluation of SPNS and CARE Act Programs
• Evaluation and Support Center: Outreach, Care, and Prevention to Engage HIV Seropositive Young MSM of Color
• Evaluation of the LabTracker (LT) Medical Information Systems Special Project of National Significance (SPNS)
• GW Yes Center
• GWU / EGPAF Partnership for Pediatric AIDS and Public Health
• Monitoring and Evaluation of the HIV Testing Campaign
• National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) program
• Project HEART Community Assessment
• Public Health - Academic Partnership to Provide Technical Assistance for Surveillance and Epidemiology to the District of Columbia Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration
• SPNS Information Technology Networks of Care Initiative, Demonstration Project
• Telemedicine Initiative Evaluation

Samuel Simmens, PhD, MA
Associate Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Statistics

• Cancer Patterns in Gulf War Era Veterans
• Early Development and Growth Study
• The Effect of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation on the Promotion of Brain Tumors
• Evaluating Instructional Design Strategies for Graduate Medical Education
• KidsAct! Anti-Tobacco Advocacy Program Evaluation
• Panic Disorder, Parenting and Infant Neurobiology; Toddler Anxiety: Temperament/Neurophysiology & Parenting
• Program Evaluation: Initiative to Integrate Spitiuality and Health to Create More Compassionate and Patient Centered Health Care

Dante Verme, PhD, MS
Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Public Health - Academic Partnership to Provide Technical Assistance for Surveillance and Epidemiology to the District of Columbia Department of Health HIV/AIDS Administration
• Technical Assistance to the HAA Bureau of Surveillance and Epidemiology

Heather Young, PhD, MPH, CHES
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Cancer Patterns in Gulf War Era Veterans
• Clinical Management of Atypical Lobular Lesions of the Breast
• Clinical Trial of Acupuncture in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• District of Columbia Citywide Patient Navigation Research Study
• Evaluation of Army Chemical Corps Study
• Evaluation of Population Based Data at the DC Department of Health and Analysis of Disparities in Cancer Rates within DC
• National Health Survey of Gulf War Veterans and Their Families and Evaluation of Cancer Risks in Gulf War and Bosnia Era Veterans
• Partnerships for Training: Evaluation of Regional Education Systems for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
• Pilot Study for Establishment of an Inflammatory Breast Cancer Registry
• Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment
• A Safety, Efficacy, Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Trial of Lamictal in the Treatment of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
• Study of Putative Neurological Syndrome in Gulf War Era Veterans
• Study of Risk Factors for Aggressive Breast Cancer

Research Activities of Biostatistics Center Faculty

Sarah Fowler, PhD, MS
Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP)
• Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Intervention Trial (DUBIT)
• Prevention of Events with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition (PEACE) - Clinical Trial
• Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED II)
• Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED III)
• Sites Testing Osteoporosis Prevention/Intervention Treatments (STOPIT)
• The Women's Health Study

Kathryn Hirst, PhD, MS
Associate Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding Intervention Trial (DUBIT)
• Intraprostatic Injection of Botulinum Toxin for the Management of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (MIST2)
• Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapies for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (MIST)
• Sarcoidosis Genetic Analysis (SAGA)
• Sites Testing Osteoporosis Prevention/Intervention Treatments (STOPIT)
• Studies to Treat or Prevent Pediatric Type 2 Diabetes (STOPP-T2D)
• The Women's Health Study

John Lachin, ScD
Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and of Statistics

• Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT)
• Epidemiology of Diabetes Intervention and Complications (EDIC)
• National Cooperative Gallstone Study
• Statistical Methods in Cancer Clinical Trials (Lachin)
• Study of Plasmapheresis in Severe Lupus Nephritis
• Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Coordinating Center (TrialNet)

Madeline Rice, MS, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Knoll PEACE supplement (supplement to PEACE NIH contract)
• Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU)
• Prevention of Events with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition (PEACE) - Clinical Trial

Elizabeth Thom, MSc, MA, PhD
Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Chorionic Villus Sampling and Amniocentesis Study
• Early Amniocentesis and Late Transabdominal CVS (EATA) Study Group
• Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network (MFMU)
• Myelomeningocele Repair Randomized Trial (MOMS)

Naji Younes, PhD, MA
Associate Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Women's Angiographic Vitamin and Estrogen Trial (WAVE)

Biostatistics Center

• Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition (ACEi) with Captopril in Diabetic Nephropathy
• Blood Pressure Management with Ramipril in Diabetic Nephropathy
• Clinical Study of Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing (IPPB)
• A Clinical Trial in Overt Nephropathy (ACTION)
• Collaborative Study of the Treatment of Lactic Acidosis with Dichloroacetate
• Common Variation in Candidate Genes in the Diabetes Prevention Program
• Effects of Maternal Lifestyles on Infant Outcomes (MLS)
• Effects of Vesnarinone in Patients with Heart Failure
• Genetics of Kidneys in Diabetes (GOKIND)
• Girls Health Enrichment Multi-site Studies (GEMS)
• Markers and Mechanisms of Macrovascular Disease in IDDM (MMMD)
• Medical Therapy of Prostatic Symptoms (MTOPS)
• Myocardial Infarction and the Role of Oral Contraceptives
• National Exercise and Heart Disease Project
• Natural History of Posttransfusion Non-A, Non-B Hepatitis
• Neonatal Intensive Care Units Network (NICU)
• Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT)
• Peptide T in HIV-Positive Individuals with Cognitive Impairment
• Preventative Estradiol for Inhibition of Angioplasty Restenosis Lesions in Older Women (PEARL)
• Randomized Trial to Study Tamsulosin for Urolithiasis in the Emergency Department (STONE)
• rhIGF-1 Genentech Epidemiological Project (IGEP)
• Routine Antenatal Diagnostic Imaging with Ultrasound (RADIUS) Trial
• Statistical Methods for Cancer Clinical Trials (Lan)
• Statistical Methods for Longitudinal Studies in Cancer
• Statistical Methods in Cancer Research (FIRST Award)
• Targeting Inflammation using Salsalate in Type 2 Diabetes (TINSAL-T2D)

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Community Activities

Recognizing a commitment that extends beyond the walls of the university, Department faculty collaborate with local, national and international public health communities to: provide assistance to numerous community-based organizations and to local and federal government agencies; serve on Institutional Review Boards, grant review panels and expert committees convened by organizations such as the Institute of Medicine; and act as peer reviewers for academic journals. Current community-based activities include analyzing surveillance data to describe patterns of health and disease in the District of Columbia region, working with the DC Cancer Coalition on a cancer control program and working with community-based organizations to serve the needs of HIV-infected individuals.

Community Activities of Foggy Bottom Faculty

Sean Cleary, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

• Effectiveness of Spirituality and Medicine Education Program at GWUMC
• The Hospital-Based Spirituality Initiative A Collaborative Project of The George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health (GWish), Supportive Care of the Dying: A Coalition for Compassionate Care

Ann Goldman, MA, MPH
Research Instructor

• Community Trial and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
• National Center for Prevention Services Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV Prevention

Manya Magnus, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Health Policy

• Evaluation and Support Center: Outreach, Care, and Prevention to Engage HIV Seropositive Young MSM of Color
• Evaluation of the LabTracker (LT) Medical Information Systems Special Project of National Significance (SPNS)
• GW Yes Center
• Smoking Cessation and Environmental Tobacco Smoke Qualitative Study

Samuel Simmens, PhD, MA
Associate Research Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Statistics

• KidsAct! Anti-Tobacco Advocacy Program Evaluation
• Effectiveness of Spirituality and Medicine Education Program at GWUMC