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Biostatistics

Biostatistics is a vital component of almost every research project conducted at The Kids. It is the application of statistical methodology within the areas of medical, biological and social sciences.

Biostatistics is a vital component of almost every research project conducted at The Kids. It is the application of statistical methodology within the areas of medical, biological, and social sciences.

The familiar and visible aspect of biostatistics is the analysis of study data. This process typically involves identifying the appropriate analysis (often modelling) technique and applying it to study data to address specific research questions or test formal hypotheses.

With the ever increasing amount and complexity of collected health data, the role of biostatisticians in research, particularly from the design stage, has never been more important.

Researchers from, and collaborating with, The Kids Research Institute Australia have access to support from the Centre for Biostatistics, which comprises the Academic Biostatistics Team and members of the Biometrics team, who have experience in most health research areas, with expertise around:

  • epidemiological studies,
  • clinical research,
  • clinical trials,
  • laboratory studies, and
  • genetics studies.

In addition, all the biostatisticians in the Team carry out in-depth applied research, mainly in collaboration with other research groups, in several specific methodology areas, such as analysis of linked data, twin and family based studies, problems with missing and incomplete data in longitudinal studies, and infectious disease modelling.

The Team also looks to make resources available to improve the implementation and efficiency of biostatistical analysis across the institute.

Team members (6)

Peter Jacoby
Peter Jacoby

BA (Hons) MSc

Biostatistician

Dr Matt Cooper
Dr Matt Cooper

BCA Marketing, BSc Statistics and Applied Statistics, PhD

Manager, Biostatistics

Michelle de Klerk

Michelle de Klerk

Research Assistant

Elizabeth McKinnon

Elizabeth McKinnon

Biostatistician

Grant Smith

Grant Smith

Biostatistician

Paul Stevenson

Paul Stevenson

Biostatistician

Biostatistics projects

Featured projects

Heritable and environmental determinants of hospitalisation for common childhood illnesses

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of childhood death and health service use worldwide.

Heritable and environmental determinants of hospitalisation for common childhood illnesses

We will leverage the unique Western Australian data linkage resources to undertake the definitive twin and sibling study of infection-related hospitalisation

Reports and Findings

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Higher maternal bread and thiamine intakes are associated with increased infant allergic disease

A mother's diet during pregnancy may influence her infant's immune development. However, as potential interactions between components of our dietary intakes can make any nutritional analysis complex, here we took a multi-component dietary analysis approach.

Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study

The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department. 

Tonsils at Telethon: developing a standardised collection of tonsil photographs for group A streptococcal (GAS) research

Group A streptococcus (GAS) infections, such as pharyngitis and impetigo, can lead to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RHD). Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations experience high rates of RHD and GAS skin infection, yet rates of GAS pharyngitis are unclear. 

The epidemiology of superficial Streptococcal A (impetigo and pharyngitis) infections in Australia: A systematic review

Streptoccocal A (Strep A, GAS) infections in Australia are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality through both invasive (iGAS) and post-streptococcal (postGAS) diseases as well as preceding superficial (sGAS) skin and throat infection. The burden of iGAS and postGAS are addressed in some jurisdictions by mandatory notification systems; in contrast, the burden of preceding sGAS has no reporting structure, and is less well defined.

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