The Biostatistics, Informatics, and
Research Design (BIRD) Program
We make your data soar!
Overview
The Biostatistics, Informatics, and Research Design (BIRD) Program is your resource for research design support and consulting services from health data experts. The BIRD Program provides a central location to access support services and collaboration related to human health data science, informatics, and clinical and translational research design, including
- Clinical and translational research design
- Biomedical informatics database access (e.g., OneFlorida Data Trust, i2b2)
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Informatics and statistical data analysis
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Quantitative data analysis
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Qualitative data analysis
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Access to support services for collecting health data
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Evaluation of power and sample sizes
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Data analysis plans
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Biomedical trial and study designs
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Data privacy and de-identification
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Selection of appropriate statistical methods and models
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Data cleaning, extraction and preparation
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Survey development
Our team members have long-established funding records with NIH, which is a required component for many NIH proposals, and can serve on grants as biostatistical and data science collaborators. Investigators can also consult with the BIRD Team on research design, data acquisition and management, informatics, and data analysis needs that are applicable across the entire translational research spectrum: basic research, preclinical research, clinical research, clinical implementation, population health research, and public health.
Project Consultation with the BIRD Program
We provide one-on-one consultations as needed, and particularly early in the design stage.
Office Hours
The BIRD team now has office hours for anyone who may have questions related to research and trial design, health informatics and AI, electronic health record data, and biostatistics and bioinformatics. In 2026, office hours will be held virtually via Zoom at 10 AM on the third Tuesday of each month.
Vision
To equip clinical and translational researchers with new capabilities to answer questions that cannot be answered today. These capabilities will be enabled by new data sources and types at the UF-FSU CTSA Hub, statewide, and nationwide. We anticipate that FSU researchers, from students to faculty, will use these new capabilities to conduct priority studies that aim to improve health outcomes.
Training & Resources
BIRD Program Canvas Site
- Biostatistics and informatics training resources
- Information about the OneFlorida Data Trust, including i2b2 query examples
- Workshop recordings, including a OneFlorida i2b2 workshop and an All of Us Workbench workshop
Enroll
AIPassport Program
AI Passport is a foundational training program designed to empower predoctoral trainees and early career investigators to integrate AI into biomedical & behavioral research and clinical practice. Participants will explore the fundamentals of AI under the guidance of leading AI researchers and faculty, collaborate with healthcare professionals, and reflect on innovative ways to integrate AI into their research.
Health Data Access
Looking for data? Learn more about available repositories of healthcare data that support clinical and translational research across Florida and beyond.
Learn More
Training Workshops
We offer training workshops on informatics and biostatistics. We will send announcements about upcoming workshops.
BIRD Program Goals
Goal #1
Align resources throughout FSU through collaborations among but not limited to: FSU Health Research Connections, FSU’s College of Medicine, Innovation Hub, College of Nursing, College of Social Work, College of Communication and Information, University Libraries, Departments of Statistics, Scientific Computing, Computer Science, and the Health Data Science Initiative.
Goal #2
Provide support for research design, informatics, and biostatistics in collaboration with the UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute’s Research Design and Data Coordinating Center (for specialized clinical and translational research design support); FSU’s Health Data Science Initiative; and FSU Health Research Connections.
Goal #3
Offer training workshops in research design and core data analytic skills including data acquisition, data cleaning, data analytics software (e.g., SAS, SPSS, R, and Python), statistical analysis, data mining, machine learning, and data visualization.
Goal #4
Provide health data portals for accessing resources, including the OneFlorida Data Trust.
Goal #5
Provide training and access to health data query, collection, and management capabilities including i2b2, Qualtrics, and REDCap.
Goal #6
Provide easy access to collaborators through the BIRD Consulting Suite. Investigators and students can submit service requests through the ticketing system
Meet the BIRD Team
Zhe He, PhD, FIAHSI, FAMIA
Co-Director of BIRD Program for Informatics Support
Director, Institute for Successful Longevity
Professor, School of Information
Chair of AMIA Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Workshop Group
Debajyoti Sinha, Phd, MS
Co-Director of BIRD Program for Biostatistical Support
Ron & Carolyn Hobbs Endowed Professor, Director of Biostatistics Program, Department of Statistics
Jason Chapman, PhD
Research Faculty III, Center for Translational Behavioral Science, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine
