The Methods Core is led by Dr. Jason Chapman and the core is structured to provide consulting services to faculty and staff related to various research methodologies. The Methods Core Team supports CTBS Faculty in research data management and analysis. Support includes biomedical informatics and big data expertise including machine learning, data mining, natural language processing, and biomedical ontologies/standards.
The Methods Core Faculty have collaborated with researchers from the Quantitative Methodology and Innovation Division of FCRR for work related to clinical trials analyses, power calculations, and related methodological applications.
Methods Core Team
Jason Chapman, PhD, leads the CTBS Methods Core. Dr. Chapman joined the Center for Translational Behavioral Science in May 2025 as Research Faculty III in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at Florida State University.
Sylvie Naar, PhD, is the Director of the Center for Translational Behavioral Science and co-leads the CTBS Methods Core. Dr. Naar is a Distinguished Endowed Professor at the Florida State University College of Medicine's Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine.
Yuxia O Ha Wang, MPH, supports the CTBS Methods Core as Data Manager and is a Data Core Member in the College of Medicine at FSU. Dr. Wang works "with researchers from the beginning stage of a study and follow the whole process, like questionnaire design, data collection, data cleaning & management, data analyses, and paper publishing."
Zhe He, PhD, FAMIA, is an Associate Professor at the School of Information, College of Communication and Information at FSU. Dr. He is also the Director of the Biostatistics, Informatics, and Research Design (BIRD) Program under the UF+FSU Clinical and Translational Science Award and has been an affiliated faculty member at CTBS and the CTBS Methods Core for over 5 years.
Brenda Echeverri, MS, is the Center Manager & Administrator at CTBS and provides operational support to the Methods Core. For questions about CTBS Methods Core, please email Brenda at brenda.echeverri@med.fsu.edu.
Methods Core Projects
Projects
The ORBIT Institute: Developing Behavioral Treatments to Improve Health (R25)
Methods for Early Phase Translation of Basic Science into Behavioral Treatments to Improve Health (Go to website).
ORBIT Institute Team: Principal Investigator: Sylvie Naar, PhD; Project Director: Sara Green, MSW; Project Manager & Evaluator: Brenda Echeverri, MS; Project Coordinator: Samantha Chahin, MPH
Aims: 1) To successfully recruit and train 100 Fellows dedicated to behavioral intervention develop for cancer prevention/treatment and related health behaviors over the 4-year grant period, with substantial minority representation (25 Fellows per year); 2) to increase the skills of Fellows in a phased approach, with associated innovative methods and designs for T1 translation of BSSR; 3) To conduct an ongoing evaluation of the success of the skills development course based upon three basic metrics: (a) perceived value; (b) the reach of the course based upon website hits, number of applications, and train the trainer activities; and (c) the impact of the course on the career trajectories of the Fellows (publications, grants); and 4) to conduct ongoing curriculum development and refinement, as well as dissemination via technology, based upon results of quantitative and qualitative evaluations and new methodologies emerging over the grant period.
Funding Agency: National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (1R25CA244065-01A1)
Data-Driven Clinical Trial Design and Generalizability Assessment
Principal Investigator: Zhe He, PhD
Aims: Clinical studies are essential in evidence-based medicine. However, participant recruitment has long been a major concern. Although ~60% of new all cancer cases occur among older adults, they comprise merely 25% of participants in cancer clinical studies. Unjustified or overly-restrictive eligibility criteria are the most important modifiable barriers causing low accrual, early termination, and low generalizability.
This in turn can cause the studies to be underpowered and increase the likelihood of adverse drug reactions and toxicity when moved into clinical practice. We are developing data-driven methods and tools to assess the generalizability of clinical studies using the electronic data in clinical trial registries, public patient databases, and clinical data warehouses. This project aims to improve the representation of underserved population subgroups in clinical studies such as older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
Funding Source: National Institute on Aging (R21 AG061431), Amazon, Eli Lilly and Company, FSU Council on Research and Creativity