Center for Statistics in Big Data (CSBD)
Advancing statistical and computational methods to transform high-dimensional multi-modal biomedical data into actionable insights for precision health.
About CSBD
The Center for Statistics in Biomedical Big Data (CSBBD) develops statistical and artificial intelligence methods that transform complex biomedical and population-level data into reliable scientific knowledge and actionable health insights. Our research integrates rigorous statistical principles with modern AI to analyze multimodal data, including genomics, single-cell and spatial omics, microbiome and virome data, electronic health records, medical imaging, wearable sensors, and population health data.
The Center brings together statisticians, data scientists, biomedical investigators, and clinicians to address fundamental challenges in study design, data integration, causal inference, prediction, uncertainty quantification, and generalization across populations. Our goal is to advance both the foundations of biomedical data science and their translation into improved understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease.
Big Data & Biomedical Research
Big data is transforming biomedical research by enabling new insights into the biological mechanisms of disease and paving the way for precision medicine. In human genetics and genomics, high-throughput assays measure millions of biological states in a single sample, while microbiome studies now explore complex host-microbe interactions. Mobile devices, wearables, and neuroimaging technologies add detailed, longitudinal data. These sources create enormous, complex datasets that hold the potential to reveal specific genomic disruptions causing disease and tailor treatments accordingly. However, such data requires sophisticated statistical and computational methods to navigate challenges like sampling biases, reproducibility, and identification of clinically relevant features in health data.
Contact Us
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
3600 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Marissa Fox, Administrative Director
Phone: 215-573-7393