5 Ways a biostatistician can improve your grant application

Academics are routinely under pressure to obtain funding as carrying out research can be costly.i Crafting a strong grant application is often essential for a successful career in research. Statistical planning and analysis play a crucial role in the success of a biomedical research grant application. This article outlines five things a biostatistician can help you ensure while preparing your grant application.  

1. Statistical hypotheses follow from study objectives and are clear. Clear and well-defined statistical hypotheses are critical to the success of any biomedical research study. Statistical hypotheses should be linked to the study objectives and formulated in a way that they can be easily tested. By making sure that statistical hypotheses are well-formulated and well-defined, researchers can ensure that their research questions are appropriately answered and that the data they collect will be relevant and useful. For example, if your aim is to determine the efficacy of a new agent to reduce post-surgical scar formation, your hypothesis might involve a statistically significant difference in scores on the scar rating scale you will use, between the intervention and control groups.  

2. General study design matches study aims and hypotheses. The design of a study is a critical factor in ensuring the validity of study results. Researchers should ensure that the general study design matches the study aims and hypotheses. For example, if the study aims to explore the long-term effects of exposure to X chemical, the study design should incorporate a longitudinal design and matched controls. 

3. Sample size is appropriate and study has sufficient power. Sample size is an essential component of any biomedical research study, and researchers should ensure that their study has a sufficient sample size to achieve their objectives. An appropriately sized sample can ensure that the study has sufficient power to detect clinically meaningful differences between groups and reduce the likelihood of false-positive or false-negative results. 

4. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, participant recruitment and screening processes have minimal bias. Inclusion and exclusion criteria, participant recruitment, and screening processes should be designed to minimize bias and ensure that the study sample is representative of the target population. A biostatistician can verify whether the study recruitment processes are well defined, and that inclusion and exclusion criteria are such that the risk of bias is minimized and the generalizability of the results is increased. For example, if you are investigating the utility of diabetes alert dogs in community settings, you may choose to exclude participants with dog allergies or dog phobias, but it may not be appropriate to exclude participants living in urban areas.  

5. Choice of the response variable and other measures is consistent with study objectives. The choice of response variable and other measures is essential in ensuring that study objectives are achieved. A biostatistician can help researchers ensure that their choice of response variable is relevant and that other measures are consistent with study objectives. By doing so, researchers can ensure that their study results are meaningful, useful, and relevant to the target population. For instance, if you are examining the efficacy of an app-based mobility intervention for young-old women, your response variables could include both incidence of falls and performance on (preferably gold standard) tests of gait adaptability, balance, etc.  

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In conclusion, these five key inputs from a biostatistician can help senior researchers in the biomedical sciences to craft a strong grant application. By ensuring that statistical hypotheses are clear and well-defined, that the general study design matches study aims and hypotheses, that the sample size is appropriate and has sufficient power, that inclusion and exclusion criteria and participant recruitment and screening processes have minimal bias, and that the choice of the response variable and other measures is consistent with study objectives, researchers can increase their chances of securing grant funding and producing meaningful, useful, and relevant research. 

Do you want personalized, expert advice from a biostatistician that can increase your chances of securing funding? Editage’s Statistical Analysis & Review Services can help!