Modular design and automated testing in R

This 2-part, 6-hour course will be split over 2 days and offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

Research is relying on increasingly complex code. However, most academics have not received formal training in software development. This course will introduce participants to some of the best practices of professional software development. Participants will learn to structure their R code into reusable functions and store those functions as separate scripts and/or packages. Participants will learn to write automated tests for their functions, to help confirm that results are as expected and to ensure that future changes to code do not cause unexpected changes to results.

In this course, participants will also learn how to create reproducible “environments” that record package versions in use to help avoid package version incompatibilities and ensure that results can be replicated even months or years after the original analysis.

Many R users code using the R markdown or Quarto systems that allow integrating text with code. In this course, participants will learn how these useful tools can affect modular design, and how to use them together. No previous R Markdown or Quarto experience is required. Modular design is best paired with a version control system and integrates with Git and Github.

Register

Big data – big deal or bigger deal breaker: sifting through the hype to uncover quality and conundrums with modern data sources

This workshop offers an overview of big data types and sources as well as a discussion of their potential for survey and social science research as well as their potential pitfalls. Data types discussed through a total data quality lens: social media, digital trace, administrative and sensor data. Quality issues for each type of data will be addressed, including possible error frameworks to use in working with these specific data types. The workshop will end with a discussion of how to maximize data quality for these data sources.

Register

Joint NC BERD Seminar: Interaction and effect modification: what are they and how are they different

This moderate-to-advanced-level session will introduce, describe, and distinguish causal interaction and effect measure modification.

This event is hosted by Wake Forest and being cross-promoted by the NC BERD Consortium, a collaboration of the CTSA-funded BERD cores at UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Duke University School of Medicine.

Presenter: Mike Bancks, PhD, MPH

Sleep Science and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Please join the Department of Health Sciences Office of Research & Scholarship for their April research forum featuring research in sleep science and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

The hybrid forum will take place in person (MacNider 321, LUNCH provided) and via Zoom. Please register to attend.

Presenters:

Mark Shen, PhD
Department of Psychiatry
UNC School of Medicine
Exploring the link between sleep and brain development in infants with neurodevelopmental disabilities

Graham Diering, PhD
Department of Cell Biology & Physiology
UNC School of Medicine
Early life sleep disruption as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorder

Questions? Contact the Department of Health Sciences Office of Research & Scholarship at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Register

Clinical Protocol Development Series

The goal of this two-day series is to provide researchers with the knowledge, tools, and resources to aid in the development of a scientific protocol for a clinical research study. Both sessions will begin at 9:00 AM and a question-and-answer session will follow each presentation.

The first day of the series will provide an introduction and focus on the following key points:
- Who needs a clinical protocol and why it is important
- UNC Scientific Review Committee processes
- Types of clinical protocols, and content expectations for sections of the protocol
- Resources and tools available at UNC to support clinical protocol development

Audience: academic researchers, scientists, study coordinators, and students engaged in clinical research and/or clinical trials.

ACRP Contact Hours: 2.0 Contact Hours of clinical research education on the application for maintenance of ACRP's ccrc®, ccra® or cpi®, certification designations will be available for attendees

Register

Modular design and automated testing in R

This 2-part, 6-hour course will be split over 2 days and offered via Zoom. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded.

Research is relying on increasingly complex code. However, most academics have not received formal training in software development. This course will introduce participants to some of the best practices of professional software development. Participants will learn to structure their R code into reusable functions and store those functions as separate scripts and/or packages. Participants will learn to write automated tests for their functions, to help confirm that results are as expected and to ensure that future changes to code do not cause unexpected changes to results.

In this course, participants will also learn how to create reproducible “environments” that record package versions in use to help avoid package version incompatibilities and ensure that results can be replicated even months or years after the original analysis.

Many R users code using the R markdown or Quarto systems that allow integrating text with code. In this course, participants will learn how these useful tools can affect modular design, and how to use them together. No previous R Markdown or Quarto experience is required. Modular design is best paired with a version control system and integrates with Git and Github.

Register

Why Do We Have IRBs?

Please join Charlote Coley, MACT, CIP, from the UNC Office of Human Research Ethics, and the UNC Network of Research Professionals for a discussion about Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and why we have them.

Research that includes human subjects must be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board prior to enrolling subjects. Why is this both a Federal regulatory and ethical requirement? What prompted this legislation and process?

Objectives:
- Historic background that prompted the need for these national and international statements/declarations about research involving human subjects
- What more recent events have prompted re-examination and interpretation of these regulations and guidelines
- How these events have shaped the purpose and function of the IRB

Register

Clinical Protocol Development Series

The goal of this two-day series is to provide researchers with the knowledge, tools, and resources to aid in the development of a scientific protocol for a clinical research study. Both sessions will begin at 9:00 AM and a question-and-answer session will follow each presentation.

On the second day of the series, we will take a "deeper dive" into clinical study design, statistics, and their impact on clinicaltrials.gov reporting:
- Clinical Protocol Study Design - aims, objectives, endpoints, and outcomes
- Statistical analysis, sample size considerations, data management
- Clinicaltrials.gov - introduction, registration, and outcome measure reporting
- Protocol problem spots and ways to improve protocols

Audience: academic researchers, scientists, study coordinators, and students engaged in clinical research and/or clinical trials.

ACRP Contact Hours: 2.0 Contact Hours of clinical research education on the application for maintenance of ACRP's ccrc®, ccra® or cpi®, certification designations will be available for attendees

Register

Personalised Cooler Dialysate for Patients Receiving Maintenance Haemodialysis (MyTEMP): A Pragmatic, Cluster-randomised Trial

This NIH Collaboratory Rethinking Clinical Trials Grand Rounds features:

Amit Garg, MD, MA (Education) FRCPC, FACP, PhD
Associate Dean, Clinical Research, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry
Past President, Canadian Society of Nephrology
Lead, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences Kidney, Dialysis and Transplantation Provincial Program
Director, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) Western Facility
Nephrologist, London Health Sciences Centre
Professor, Medicine, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Western University

Learn More