Policies, Fees and Initiating Services - Biostatistics

Operating Policy

Statistical support is available to all UMGCCC members. A high priority is given to peer-reviewed, funded research projects and the preparation of grant applications. Support for other projects will be provided as time permits. The initiation of biostatistics consultation and collaboration from the Shared Service is via completing a biostatistics project request form. A statistician will contact the principal investigator upon receipt of the completed form.

To forge collaboration, members of the Biostatistics Shared Service attend the cancer center program working meetings, seminars and journal clubs in the specific program they are assigned to support. The interactions from these meetings help the statistician understand the scientific questions and current issues in the field and provide the appropriate statistical method to address the right question.

Fees and Re-Charges

The primary cost-recover mechanism for the Biostatistics Shared Service is by direct support of biostatisticians on grants and contracts. Principal investigators are encouraged to establish academic collaborations with a biostatistician, and include an appropriate percentage of salary support for them on their grants. Integrating biostatistics in the research team has been the proven effective and efficient use of an intellectual resource such as biostatistics.

The secondary cost-recover mechanism for Biostatistics Shared Service is by internal contracts or the fee-for-service chargeback system. This mechanism is used primarily for industry-sponsored studies and for small projects where the biostatistics support is below a meaningful percentage effort. The current flat (group average) rate is $150 per hour.