Department of Biostatistics Biostat CIRCL

The Biostatistics Consulting and Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration Lab (Biostat CIRCL) fosters collaborative research partnerships that integrate quantitative expertise into interdisciplinary research teams.

We partner with University of Kentucky researchers to build effective research teams, strengthen quantitative approaches, and enable rigorous, data-driven discoveries. The Biostat CIRCL is not a traditional service core; our biostatisticians serve as team scientists, working alongside researchers to inform study design, guide analysis, and advance research throughout the project lifecycle.

Work With Us

The Biostat CIRCL partners with University of Kentucky researchers to strengthen research teams and advance data-driven discoveries. Opportunities for collaboration depend on your affiliation, project needs, and existing partnerships.

Collaborating on a funded project or grant proposal

If you would like to collaborate with Biostat CIRCL on a funded project or explore including Biostat CIRCL effort on a grant proposal, please contact BiostatCIRCL@uky.edu.

Collaborating on an unfunded project (project-based partnership)

Several programs offer eligible UK researchers the opportunity to collaborate with the Biostat CIRCL on a single unfunded research project via applying for a voucher. Voucher support is limited and not guaranteed; awards depend on available resources and project needs.

University-wide program: Faculty and staff across UK colleges and centers may apply for a voucher to support an unfunded project with the potential to contribute to a future external funding application. This program is supported by the Office of the Vice President for Research.
College of Medicine and College of Public Health programs: Researchers in these colleges may apply for a voucher to support unfunded research projects through programs supported by their respective colleges.

To apply for a voucher, submit a collaboration request using our project request form.

Ongoing collaboration through a sustained partnership

Researchers affiliated with a partnering group can connect with their group's lead biostatistician for ongoing collaboration. Collaborations through these partnerships are not limited to a single project; they support a broad range of research activities, including study design, data analysis, manuscript development, grant preparation, and research team engagement. For more on sustained partnerships, see the ‘Sustained Partnerships’ section below.

Not sure if you’re affiliated with a partnering group? Submit a collaboration request using our project request form, and your request will be triaged appropriately according to your affiliation.

Quick questions

Free 30-minute consultations are available for brief statistical questions or advice that does not involve data analysis. To schedule a consultation, visit https://bit.ly/BiostatCIRCLconsult.

Our Partnership Models

Project-based partnerships provide biostatistical collaboration for a single, short-term research project via a voucher. The scope of collaboration is defined with the assigned biostatistician, based on project needs and available time.

Examples include developing a statistical analysis plan for a grant proposal or conducting data analysis for a manuscript. This model makes biostatistical collaboration available to a broad range of investigators, while keeping each engagement focused on a specific project.

For information about establishing a project-based partnership for your College or other unit, please contact BiostatCIRCL@uky.edu.

Sustained partnerships create meaningful, long-term research collaborations between a lead biostatistician and a group of researchers working in a focused domain area. The partnering group supports a dedicated biostatistician who works with researchers on an ongoing basis.

Researchers can integrate their lead biostatistician into activities such as study design, data analysis, manuscript development, grant preparation, research team meetings, and seminars or workshops. This model fosters continuity, strengthens research teams, and enhances competitiveness for extramural funding.

For information about establishing a sustained partnership for your Department, research group, or other unit, please contact BiostatCIRCL@uky.edu.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, CIRCL biostatisticians are team scientists who work with investigators as research partners. We never analyze data without deeply understanding the research questions, how the data were collected, and what important information may not have been measured. Selecting and interpreting appropriate statistical analyses not only requires expertise in statistical methodology, but it also requires critical assessment of factors related to study design. In fact, the most successful projects include collaboration with biostatisticians in the study design phase as well as the analysis phase of the project.

We follow the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)’s recommendation for criteria warranting authorship on scientific manuscripts which can be found here. Brief statistical advice does not warrant authorship, but in most cases, contributions to projects including study design and/or data analysis would meet these criteria.

Funding and authorship are independent questions. The Biostat CIRCL requires funding in order to employ excellent biostatisticians, and regardless of funding, intellectual contributions to research should be recognized with authorship as they would be for any other team scientist (see ICMJE guidelines mentioned above).

It varies from project to project. When a new voucher is awarded, the lead CIRCL biostatistician will develop a Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) that describes in detail the planned statistical analyses. The SAP serves as the agreement of biostatistician time/effort. If analyses are requested outside of those detailed on the SAP, a new voucher application may need to be submitted.

Biostat CIRCL faculty may be available to join grant proposals as key personnel, subject to their own interest, expertise, and availability. This should be requested and negotiated directly with the individual Biostat CIRCL faculty member, just as it would be for any other team scientist. To discuss options for staff support on funded projects, reach out to BiostatCIRCL@uky.edu. Planned collaborations with the Biostat CIRCL should not be written into grant proposals without explicit approval from the Biostat CIRCL.

Our Team

The Biostat CIRCL team is comprised of both faculty and staff in the Department of Biostatistics (below). Interested in joining us? We’re always looking for biostatisticians who are passionate about team science – just reach out to BiostatCIRCL@uky.edu to learn more!