Research in Department of Biostatistics
The biostatistics department maintains an active research program combining methodological development with interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with researchers from within and across institutions. Major current projects include:
1. Clinical research studies
We are engaged in wide range of collaborative research projects with faculty in medicine, infectious disease, radiology, virology, endocrinology, oncology, nursing, dentistry and other allied health sciences, among others. In addition, our staffs are providing statistical expertise for design and analysis of clinical research projects of post-graduate medical and research students via Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU) ( http://clinepi.cmcvellore.org )in Christian Medical College, Vellore.
2. Registry based studies
Patient registries are increasingly been established for research purposes. Database design, validation, data pre-processing, cohort selection methods are critical factors in establishing a registry. The biostatistics department hosts the patient registry database for Indian Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ISBMT) and Haematology Cancer Consortium (HCC) and provides data analytical support to researchers. These registry databases supports electronic data capture, user management, data validation, data extraction and statistical analysis reports.
3. Community based studies
The department hosts birth cohort of children ( http://www.vbcvellore.org ) born during 1969-73 in urban and rural Vellore that was established to examine adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, and later the cohort was followed up during infancy, early and late childhood, and adolescence, and early adulthood to assess how early life factors influence later health outcomes using life course approach.
4. Research synthesis
The Biostatistics department is involved with research synthesis, and is performing evidence synthesis, scoping reviews, systematic reviews and meta analysis, works in close collaboration with the Cochrane India affiliate and Prof BV Moses centre for evidence informed healthcare and health policy (http://www.bvmc.in)
Ongoing - Research Projects
| Funded by | Project title | Collaborators | Period |
| NIH | Global Mix- assessment of social mixing in urban and rural communities | Yale University, New Haven, US
Emory University, Atlanta US |
2018-2022 |
| DST-SERB | Measurement methods for Households expenditures | Department of Community Medicine, CMC Vellore | 2019-2022 |
| HCC | Registry for Haematology Cancer Consortium (HCC) | Department of Haematology, CMC Vellore | 2018-2023 |
| ISBMT | Registry for Indian Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ISBMT) | Department of Haematology, CMC Vellore | 2020-2023 |
Past projects - Research projects
| S.No | Project Title | Funded by | Period |
| 1 | Methods of evaluation of Primary Health Centres (PHC) | ICMR | 1966 |
| 2 | Epidemiological studies on epilepsy and stroke in Vellore and K.V. Kuppam | ICMR | 1968 |
| 3 | Longitudinal studies in human reproduction | ICMR | 1969-74 |
| 4 | Research study on the effects of prenatal factors on development during the first 7 Years of life. | ICMR | 1977-80 |
| 5 | Protein Energy Malnutrition with reference to growth, development and morbidity in children | ICMR | 1981 |
| 6 | Prospective study on the “Determinants of females age at marriage” | Population Council | 1985 |
| 7 | Longitudinal studies on “Child growth and development during adolescence” | National Centre for Health Statistics | 1982-88 |
| 8 | Longitudinal studies on “Growth and Development(10-18 years) | ICMR | 1989 |
| 9 | Longitudinal studies on “Growth and Development(Third Generation) | USAID | 1996 |
| 10 | Factors influencing decision making on Health Expenditure | ICSSR | 1996 |
| 11 | Maternal nutrition, Fetal growth and Coronary risk factors in young Indian adults” | British Heart Foundation | 1998-2002 |
| 12 | Survey of Abuse in the Family Environment in India (India SAFE) | ICRW | 1998-2001 |
| 13 | IBIS Study | INCLEN | 2000-2001 |
| 14 | International Collaborative Project on Depression in Primary Care. | WPA INCLEN | 2001-2002 |
| 15 | Case Management of Reproductive Tract Infections in India: an Analysis of Clinical Protocols and Costs. (RTI Study) | Population council | 2002-2003 |
| 16 | Antibiotic Prescription Pattern (APP Study) | INCLEN | 2002-2003 |
| 17 | Identifying Lens Opacities in Vellore Birth Cohort: A Pilot study on ageing Parameters (Vellore Birth Cohort) | LSHTM and PHFI | 2013-2016 |
| 18 | Alcohol consumption and related harm in South India: a study from the Vellore Birth Cohort | Karolinska institute, Sweden | 2014-2016 |
| 19 | Childhood and young adult predictors of myocardial structure and function at age 45 years in the New Delhi and Vellore Birth Cohorts, India | British Heart Foundation | 2016-2019 |
Past Projects - Data Management and Statistical Analysis
| S.No | Project Title | Funded by | Period |
| 1 | SAPNA – South Asian Pneumococcal Alliance Study – Multi Center Study | SAPNA / GAVI / ADIP | 2004-2008 |
| 2 | Study to document the outcome of Musculo-Skeletal function of children with Hemophilia treated with varying levels of factor replacement | BAYER Hemophilia award program | 2005-2010 |
| 3 | Measles Aerosol Vaccine Study: Phase I | WHO / TDR | 2006-2009 |
| 4 | Integrating Depression screening into HIV care in south India. | University of Washington | 2009-2011 |
| 5 | Measles Aerosol Vaccine Study : Phase II/III | WHO / TDR | 2009-2012 |
| 6 | Lacto body Study | European Union | 2011-2012 |
| 7 | Health Economic Study | WHO | 2011-2012 |
| 8 | Zinc Study | Welcome Trust | 2012-2013 |
| 9 | OPV Study | BMGF | 2014-2016 |
| 10 | National estimation of blood requirements in India | CDC | 2014-2019 |
| 11 | VIHAAN Baseline study | HIV/AIDS Alliance | 2014-2016 |
| 12 | Post Kala Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) study | PATH | 2014-2018 |
| 13 | South Indian Community Health Study (SICH) | NIH | 2015-2017 |
| 14 | Dengue virus infection in India | NIH | 2015-2020 |
| 15 | Randomized Controlled Trial of Bivalent Oral Poliovirus Vaccine and Inactivated Polio Vaccine in Nigerian Children | WHO | 2016-2017 |
| 16 | Prevention, detection and treatment of adult lung disease including lung cancer in a poor, rural population in Tamil Nadu | RESPIRE, University of Edinburgh | 2019-2020 |