Biostatistics Core Facility

I. Timeline Policy

Biostatisticians usually work on multiple projects at a given time. Sufficient time will be needed for the biostatistician to appropriately address your needs before your deadline. Please allow adequate lead-time when contacting the core facility for assistance. Below are the minimum times needed to complete types of biostatistical support requests:

Protocol development/ grant application/re-submission – at least 4 weeks to provide tailored input from the biostatisticians.

Data analysis project – at least 2 weeks after receiving the data. Depending on the quality and complexity of data analysis, etc., more time may be required.

REDCap database development project – at least 2 weeks after the discussion on project specifications. Depending on complexity of form structure, more time may be required.

Size of the project	Examples of service requests & what activities may be involved			Hours estimation guidelines
Brief	Research design, including sample size estimation Data analysis advice and input REDCap Database implementation for less than five forms			<5
Short	REDCap Database design and implementation for less than seven forms, or implementation for less than 15 forms Abstracts: descriptive statistics and/or univariate inference analysis Pilot data analysis for grant application Manuscript review and advice (addressing reviewer’s comments)			5-15
Medium	Abstracts require multivariable modeling REDCap Database design and implementation for more than 20 forms, projects that require medium-complex linking implementation (e.g., longitudinal projects with multiple years and events and/or multi-dimensional projects), or projects that require features not included in standalone REDCap (e.g., Dynamic SQL, API, Data Entry Trigger, etc)			16-39
Long	Statistical analysis for regular scientific manuscripts, including figures/tables and write-up Complex REDCap implementations requiring features outside of standalone REDCap (e.g., Dynamic SQL, API, Data Entry Trigger, etc.); application-level relational database development (e.g., databases held on a standalone website)			>40

II. Authorship Policy

It is our Core’s policy that the biostatisticians who contribute to the study design and/or conduct the data analysis will be qualified as co-authors on the publication/abstract/presentation to acknowledge their scientific and intellectual contribution to the work. It should be clear that funding/fees for time does not preclude or replace authorship. Consideration for authorship should be based on the contribution of each person and on the accepted criteria for most medical journals. These criteria generally cite both study design and statistical analysis as intellectual input sufficient for authorship. For more information, please refer to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Authorship guidelines (www.icmje.org).

III. Grant Acknowledgement Policy

The JABSOM Biostatistics Core Facility is a research facility partially supported by several institutional infrastructure grants. Acknowledgement of such grants in all publications or presentations resulting from the utilization of biostatistics core services is required. The grant should be acknowledged in the following format: “XXX (Individual biostatistician(s)) was (were) partially supported by the U54MD007601 (Ola HAWAII) and U54MD007584 (RMATRIX) grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.”

IV. Request for Resources

Investigators should request resources or consultations from the Biostatistics Core Facility by using the Request for Resources online form.

V. Fee Structure

Our service is free for brief consultations (about an hour). Additional hours can be requested on a recharge basis. We offer biostatistical support through a fee-for-service basis. A project-based collaborative agreement can be established, which is a cost-effective and efficient approach to ensure comprehensive and stable analytic support for your project. The Biostatistics Core Facility faculty and staff can provide collaborative support through either a percentage of full-time equivalent (FTE) salary recovery mechanism or a negotiated collaborative agreement.

We provide up to 20 hours of free of charge support toward extramural grant proposal development that include salary support for biostatistics faculty/staff at 10% FTE and above. This option is appropriate for research projects that would benefit from significant involvement of a biostatistician, usually as a coinvestigator or key personnel, both while writing the grant and once it is funded. Many grant applications are strengthened and prospects for funding improved by collaborating with a biostatistician(s) on the proposal.

Biostatistics Core Facility Rate for University of Hawaii (effective date July 1, 2019):

The following re-charge algorithm is provided as a general guideline:

Projects led by University of Hawaii Junior Researchers as Principal Investigators (PIs) (Assistant Professor or below) who currently receive pilot funding (<$100k) from UH infrastructure grants				25% of Core rate
Health disparity studies with University of Hawaii researchers as PIs				50% of Core rate
Non-health disparity studies by University of Hawaii Investigators				Full Core rate
Pharmaceutical studies; non-UH external projects				Please contact: biostat@hawaii.edu

VI. JABSOM Medical Trainees

With allocated funding from the Dean’s Office, JABSOM medical trainees (i.e. medical students, residents or fellows) may have access to free biostatistical support. If you are a JABSOM medical trainee and meet the following criteria: (1) PI of your research project and (2) first author of forthcoming publications related to your research project, you can schedule a consultation through the Medical Trainee Consultation Calendar (https://qhs.jabsom.hawaii.edu/biostatistics-core/consulting/). Do not submit a separate JABSOM Biostatistics Core Facility request form.

The biostatistical consultant and the supervising/supporting Biostatistics Core Facility faculty member, if any, will be listed as co-author(s) on all resulting publications, presentations, abstracts, and posters if significant intellectual contributions were made.

The following acknowledgement will be included in all publications and presentations as a result of the consulting services provided: The project described was supported by the Office of the Dean through the Barry & Virginia Weinman Endowment. XXX (Individual biostatistician(s)) was (were) partially supported by the U54MD007601 (Ola HAWAII) and U54MD007584 (RMATRIX) grants from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH."

If you have any questions please contact the Biostatistics Core Facility at biostat@hawaii.edu