Hispanic man and woman data scientists work on programs together across multiple monitors with data and code

Overview

TiCER’s mission is to identify, understand, and reduce adverse environmental health risks for individuals and populations. To accomplish this goal, TiCER investigators must navigate the challenges of data collection, storage, analysis, and integration.

Goals & Structure:

The need for data science services is a requirement across many environmental health research projects, so the DSFC is closely entwined with the other cores. The DSFC exists to support the data science needs of investigators by providing access to experts and resources available at Texas A&M in the areas of

  • computational toxicological data sciences,
  • biostatistics/bioinformatics, and
  • geospatial sciences.

Through the DSFC, TiCER members have access to cutting-edge research methodologies that improve existing experimental approaches. DSFC members have a track record of innovative data science research and applications, including:

  • Multi-omics, including gene expression, sequence alignment, functional genomics, regulatory pathways, gene-environment interactions, microbiome and metagenomics
  • Bioinformatics tool development and visualization
  • Statistical analysis for complex data frameworks
  • Use of statistical data sparsity methods to improve analysis, e.g., predictions, canonical correlations
  • Chemical exposure assessment, dose- and concentration-response analysis
  • Pharmacokinetics, including population physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling
  • Bayesian approaches to characterizing uncertainty and population variability
  • In vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE)
  • Geospatial data analytics, including geocoding/georeferencing and spatial interpolation
  • Geographic visualization, including interactive dashboards, story maps, and cartography

The components of the DSFC are organized to facilitate broad core utilization across TiCER. The DSFC uses a business model that combines fully supported core administration, data infrastructure, and initial consultations, along with partial support for project-specific services. 

Operations Process:

DSFC operations consist of a decision process for investigator-initiated service requests on a monthly cycle and a set of organizational/coordination/reporting tasks on monthly, quarterly, or annual cycles. The decision process for service requests includes the following steps:

  • Principal Investigator (PI) Request
    PIs submit requests for DSFC services. Request forms require contact and billing data and include a request for responses to data science-centric questions that help the DSFC understand the goals and expectations of a new project or user. These include the scientific question being posed, the technical details of the proposed project, and the relevance of the research to environmental health sciences research and to TiCER themes. The request also identifies a preferred DSFC point of contact (POC). 
  • Triage
    The DSFC director and/or deputy director performs an initial triage of the request. If the request is clearly outside TiCER’s scope, then it will be immediately rejected. Otherwise, a suitable DSFC POC will be identified, and the request will be forwarded to them to set up an initial consultation with the PI. 
  • Initial Consultation
    An initial consultation meeting will be scheduled between the DSFC POC and the requesting PI to determine the appropriate avenue of DSFC support. This meeting will help establish the level of DSFC utilization requested, including any training needs and new methods development. There are three possible outcomes: request for subsidized DSFC support, request for small-effort DSFC support, or cancellation of the request.
  • Monthly Review of Requests
    Prior to allocating support from DSFC, the core director and deputy director review all requests on a monthly basis. Requests will be prioritized for funding based on several key factors, including (a) environmental health and TiCER thematic relevance, (b) appropriate use of DSFC resources, (c) availability of expertise, and (d) availability of funds.
  • Funding Decision
    The DSFC director and deputy director make the final decision regarding funding of service requests. Requests may be approved, denied, or deferred to a later cycle. The highest priority requests will be approved subject to funds availability. Deferred requests will be eligible for consideration in a later cycle, and the investigator will have the option to revise the initial service request. Requests that are low priority will generally be denied.

Services

Computational Toxicology Modeling

Population physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling using a hierarchical Bayesian approach

Toxicokinetic modeling for in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE)

Population-based dose-response modeling

Population-based risk prediction

Bioinformatics

The DSFC provides guidance to facilitate robust bioinformatics analyses and workflows, as well as provide resources for development of novel bioinformatics methods. DSFC personnel are experienced in the design and implementation of software solutions and computational pipelines to biological problems, and will provide computational biology and bioinformatics programming support to assist research faculty, staff, and students with management and analysis of genomic and other biological data. 

Custom Software Pipelines, Apps, and Workflows

Bioinformatics Methods Development

Geospatial Sciences

There is a growing need for geospatial risk analyses, especially in support of community engagement and other community-based participatory research across TiCER.

Spatially explicit study design and modeling

Geospatial data integration for climate and environmental justice assessment

GeoDesign as a community-based participatory research framework

Contact Information

DSFC

588 Raymond Stotzer Parkway
College Station, TX 77843
Tel: 979.845.4106

DSFC Team

Dr. Weihsueh Chiu
Professor
DSFC PI
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Dr. John Blazier
Core Director
DSFC Research Scientist
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Dr. James Cai
Professor
DSFC Co-I
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Dr. Raymond Carroll
Distinguished Professor
DSFC Co-I
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Dr. Gang Han
Professor
DSFC Co-I
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Dr. Ivan Ivanov
Clinical Professor
DSFC Co-I
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Dr. Moumita Karmakar
Instructional Assistant Professor
DSFC Research Scientist
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Dr. Donging Li
Associate Professor
DSFC Co-I
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Peer-Reviewed Research