Personal Statement
I am a Professor and the Director of Biostatistics Shared Resource at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC), where I oversee the day-to-day functioning of the Shared Resource. Prior to joining UNM in the Department of Internal Medicine in 2014, I was a lead statistician at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.
My statistical training was in classical statistical approaches such as linear models and experimental design, and in statistical genetics. I have developed extensive expertise in a wide variety of statistical approaches as I worked primarily as a collaborating statistician at Mayo Clinic and in the Department of Internal Medicine at UNM.
In my collaborative efforts, I focused on the study of data collected in observational epidemiologic studies, including human genetic studies, but was also involved in randomized trials and in studies that focused on data from other animal-based experimental systems. A major component of my collaborative efforts focused on discovering genetic correlates of immune response and breast cancer risk. This included the use of several high-throughput platforms, including genome-wide genotyping and nextGen sequencing platforms.
In my roles at Mayo and at UNM I have had the responsibility of supervising junior statistical staff members, including those with Bachelors and Masters Degrees. In my prior work, I served as the Director of the Database Management and Biostatistics Core of the Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and as the Director of the Population Sciences Group within the Biostatistics Core of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. I have broad expertise in collaborating in a wide variety of clinical and experimental settings, expansive knowledge of statistical applications, and solid experience in training and in directing the efforts of Masters- and Bachelors-degree statisticians.
In particular, my training and extensive experience have given me an excellent working knowledge of P30 Cancer Center Support Grants and the Biostatistical needs of NCI Designated Cancer Centers. This will enable me to successfully serve as the Director of the UNM CCC Biostatistics Shared Resource and as the primary biostatistician for the UNM CCC Clinical Components and Cancer Control Research Program.
Education
Graduate School: MS, Brigham Young University (1994) | PhD, Rice University (1999)
Achievements & Awards
Memberships: American Statistical Association 1991 - current | International Genetic Epidemiology 2001 - current | International Biometric Society 2001 - current
Languages
- Spanish