UW Biostatistics faculty members Peter Gilbert and Ruth Etzioni and UW Biostat graduate Mary Redman (PhD ’04) are top statisticians at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. They talk about the statistics they often seen misinterpreted by the public and misreported in science news stories, which can spread misunderstandings far and wide.

To cut your risk of catching a respiratory illness on your next flight, experts offer two pieces of common-sense advice: Wash your hands frequently and keep a distance from people who are sick. UW Biostatistics graduate Vicki Hertzberg (PhD, ’80), now a biostatistician at Emory University, talks about the study on flights and disease transmission she co-led with scientists at Boeing.

There aren't any bones or ancient DNA to prove that 50,000 years ago ancient humans in what is now West Africa procreated with another group of ancient humans that scientists didn't know existed, but researchers say the evidence is in the genes of modern West Africans. UW Research Professor of Biostatistics Sharon Browning comments that ghost DNA appears frequently in the genetic material. "That tells us that these archaic populations might have had some DNA that did some useful stuff that's proved to be useful to the modern population."

The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) – a 20-year study of the characteristics, predictors and progression of subclinical cardiovascular disease and other risk markers – has been renewed for another five years with nearly $15.6 million in funding from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The study’s coordinating center is housed in the University of Washington School of Public Health’s Department of Biostatistics, at the Collaborative Health Studies Coordinating Center.

A Q&A with public health researcher and UW Professor of Biostatistics Ross Prentice on how to assess and improve studies of diet and chronic disease.

Joseph Unger (MS Biostat ’93, PhD Health Services ’13), a researcher and biostatistician at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, led a new study published in JAMA Oncology that explores loosening strict eligibility criteria for cancer clinical trials.

UW biostatisticians teach scientists how to mine massive genetic data for Precision Medicine Initiative.

Susan Shortreed, PhD, senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) and a UW affiliate associate professor of biostatistics, was recently elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.