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Statistical Study Sections

The Biostatistical Methods and Research Design (BMRD) Study Section reviews applications that seek to advance statistical and mathematical techniques and technologies applicable to the design and analysis of data from biomedical, behavioral, and social science research. Emphasis is on the promotion of quantitative methods to aid in the design, analysis, and interpretation of clinical and population-based research studies. Specific areas covered by BMRD:

  • Research design: development and adaptation of methods for survey sample design; sample size determination; design issues for experimental and observational studies; randomized trial designs; methods to improve study design efficiencies
  • Data collection and measurement: development and adaptation of methods to estimate and improve data precision, reliability, and validity; methods to estimate and adjust for bias, measurement error, confounding, sampling and non-sampling error; psychometric methods
  • Data analysis and modeling: development of statistical theory, analytic methods and models, computational tools and algorithms for the analysis and interpretation of data from clinical studies, randomized trials, epidemiological studies, human genetic association studies, environmental studies, and complex surveys; methods to handle data features and anomalies such as correlation, clustering, missing and skewed data; risk prediction and forecasting methods; causal modeling; high-dimensional data methods

The Biodata Management and Analysis (BDMA) Study Section reviews grant applications concerned with computational methods for acquisition, management, querying, sharing and analysis of biological data. Areas of interest overlap with basic research in computer science, statistics, mathematics, computational biology and bioinformatics. Within this context, hypothesis-driven applications and applications integrated with experimentation are also welcomed.

The Biomedical Informatics, Library and Data Sciences Review Committee (BILDS) reviews grant applications in the fields of medical informatics, biotechnology information, librarianship, health sciences, information science, and education.

The Cancer Biomarkers Study Section (CBSS) reviews applications on the discovery, development, and validation of diagnostic biomarkers for early detection of cancers. The Study Section also reviews applications on the discovery, development and small-scale validation of prognostic markers of cancer progression, recurrence, and response to therapy.

The Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Epidemiology Panel A Study Section (CHSA) reviews applications focused on epidemiologic research in the areas of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and sleep conditions in large human populations. Epidemiological research designs and approaches reviewed in CHSA include cohort, case-control, prospective, longitudinal, retrospective, clinical trial, cross-sectional, surveillance, genetics, genome wide association studies (GWAS), transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS), metabolomics, epigenetics, gene-environment interactions, and molecular genetics. Applications that use animal or other models are excluded.

The Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Epidemiology Panel B Study Section (CHSB) reviews applications in the same focus areas, research designs, and approaches as those reviewed in CHSA.

The Healthcare and Health Disparities (HHD) Study Section reviews applications examining the systemic underpinnings of health care disparities closely associated with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage (race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, age, geographic location, education level, disability status, immigrant status and a wide range of other vulnerable populations), and how social determinants of health relate to access to, use of, and effectiveness of health services and health promotion at the health systems level.

The Social Sciences and Population Studies A Study Section (SSPA) reviews social, behavioral, and economic applications focused on health and well-being across the life course, health disparities, demographic processes, and economic and policy influences on health.

The Modeling and Analysis of Biological Systems (MABS) Study Section reviews applications (e.g., R01, R21, SBIR/STTR) that develop modeling/enabling technologies for understanding the complexity of biological systems.

The Biomedical Computing and Health Informatics (BCHI) Study Section reviews grant applications that collect, integrate, analyze, and interpret multi-platform clinical and biological data to support clinical decisions, as well as applications that develop, validate, and use digital health, informatics technology, and computational methodology in health care services.

The Genomics, Computational Biology and Technology (GCAT) Study Section reviews applications that develop tools and methodologies for the application of emerging technologies to the global and integrative analysis of biological systems.

The Basic Mechanisms in Cancer Health Disparities (BMCD) Study Section reviews applications involving basic and mechanistic research into the biological/genetic and environmental causes of cancer health disparities in different racial, ethnic and geographic groups. Applications may include mechanistic studies of biological or environmental factors associated with cancer health disparities and how co-morbidities (e.g. obesity, diabetes, chronic infections or dysbiosis) affect tumor biology. Applications may also evaluate mechanisms involved in differential response to therapy.

Additional Special Emphasis Panels (SEP) that review statistical applications include the following:

  • R13 Conference Grant Review (ZCA1 PCRB-G(J1))
  • Informatics Technologies for Cancer Research (ZCA1 TCRB-D(J1))
  • Population Sciences and Epidemiology (ZRG1 PSE-A(03))
  • Healthcare Delivery and Methodologies (ZRG1 HDM-J(04))
  • NCI Clinical and Translational R21 and Omnibus R03 (ZCA1 SRB-5(J1)

Please visit the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) website to view the Meeting Rosters and Scientific Review Officers/Administrators (SRO/SRA) for Study Sections and Special Emphasis Panels.