Mission of the Statistical Research and Applications Branch

The Statistical Research and Applications Branch (SRAB) is one of two branches in NCI's Surveillance Research Program. The attached organization chart shows SRAB's position within the NCI. SRAB conducts and supports statistical research, modeling, and collaboration related to the cancer surveillance and cancer control missions of the NCI. Essential corollaries to the development of cancer surveillance databases and cancer control interventions are the statistical analyses and mathematical modeling that contribute insight into the interpretation of these data.

Research within SRAB is targeted at improving and developing statistical methods and models for use in the analysis and presentation of population-based cancer statistics, as well as in the broader areas of cancer surveillance and cancer control research. SRAB promotes and facilitates the use of these methods and models at NCI, in other federal agencies, as well as throughout the extramural research community. Research under the aegis of SRAB moves forward through sponsorship of extramural research activities, support for the development of software, and in-house analytic activity.

Areas of Research

• Cancer Control Practices and their Effect on the Cancer Burden - development of models and methods to project the effect of new cancer control activities.
  
  
• Cancer Progress Measures - development of new analytic approaches for the presentation and estimation of incidence, survival, mortality, and related cancer statistics.
  
  
• Solutions for Quantitative Problems in Cancer Surveillance and Control - statistical and mathematical modeling which provide a link between data and the assessment of progress in cancer control.
  
  
• Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Analysis, and Data Visualization - research of Geographic Information Systems and the statistical analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of cancer.
  
  
• Program Evaluation, Meta-Analysis and Outcomes Research - assessment of the efficacy and results of various programs and treatments.
  
  
• Survey Methodology, Design & Analysis - development of new statistical methods as well as statistical support related to the design and analysis of sample surveys.
  
  
• Population Risk Assessment Methodology - development of methods to monitor the prevalence of risk factors in the population.
  
  
• General Statistical Methodology - development of and support for statistical research of general applicability.