Biostatistics and Data Management Core

The ARCHER Biostatistics and Data Management (BDM) Core is led by Dr. Tim Heeren from the Department of Biostatistics at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH). The BDM Core will provide comprehensive data management and statistical support for the two ARCHER clinical trials focusing on alcohol use, pain, and physical activity in persons living with HIV. 

The BDM Core will also provide support for secondary analyses of the existing URBAN ARCH Boston Cohort, and provide support and mentoring to trainees and investigators accessing the cohort. The URBAN ARCH Boston cohort enrolled 250 persons living with HIV who also had current or past unhealthy alcohol or substance use. The URBAN ARCH Boston Cohort contains longitudinal data on alcohol and other drug use and disorders, HIV-related treatment and medication use, health-related behaviors, and physical and mental function outcomes collected at twice-yearly study visits, with data available from over 2,000 study visits. Data include biological samples such as serum and plasma, dried blood spots, and saliva samples.

Previous research based on this cohort has looked at food insecurity in the cohort, medication treatment for addiction and health care utilization, lifetime marijuana and alcohol use and cognitive dysfunction in the cohort, polypharmacy use and the risk of non-fatal overdose, polypharmacy use and the risk of falls or fractures, alcohol and drug use and virologic suppression, and alcohol use and bone health in HIV patients. Trainees and investigators who are interested in learning more about the URBAN ARCH Boston Cohort and opportunities for secondary analyses are encouraged to email Kara Magane (maganek@bu.edu), Administrative Director of ARCHER.