Research Activities of the Department of Biostatistics

Third-party projects (in line with the “Coordination Centre for Clinical Trials”)
	Capture and evaluation of potential side effects of medications inducing hospitalisations (in cooperation with Institute of Clinical Pharmacology of University of Rostock, funded by the German Federal Institute of Pharmaceutical Drugs and Medical devices (BfARM))
	Prevention of sexual abuse of girls with mentally disability (in cooperation with Clinic for psychiatry, neurology, psychosomatics and psychotherapy for children and youngsters of University of Rostock, funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF))
	Improvement of antibiotic supply in dental general practitioner offices in order to prevent and reduce antibiotic-associated bacterial resistance (in cooperation Institute of General Medicine of University of Rostock, funded by Federal Ministry of Health (BMG))
	Decrement of polypharmacy in patients with chronic diseases – a patient centered approach by using of interfaces between primary and secondary medical care (in cooperation with Institute of General Medicine of University of Rostock, funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF))
	Delta Ceramic Multigen Plus Knee” – An international multicenter prospective study on functional and radiological performance of a total knee arthroplasty with Biolox®Delta ceramic femoral component system (in cooperation with the Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory (ForBioMit) at the Clinic of orthopedics of University of Rostock, funded by Lima Lto., Via Nazionale 36, 33030 Villanova di San Daniele (Italy))
	Clinical and biomechanical evaluation of the surgical spacer system (in cooperation with the Biomechanics and Implant Technology Research Laboratory (ForBioMit) at the Clinic of orthopedics of University of Rostock and Institute of Biomechanics and Orthopedics of German Sport University Cologne, funded by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF))
Collaborations
1.	Research activities in collaborations with medical scientists are motivated and inspired by practical questions. Therefore, a main objective of the Department of Biostatistics is to support the medical and biological research with mathematical and statistical methods. The staff members are focusing on the planning, implementation, evaluation and interpretation of medical studies and experiments. In particular, they make great efforts to increase the efficiency of examinations, e.g. by power analyses, refined randomization procedures and using multivariate statistical methods. As a result, in cooperation with scientists from the respective medical fields, high-ranking publications have arisen. In particular in cooperation with the Department of Cardiac Center, University of Rostock (Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2013), (J Vasc Surg. 2013), (BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2012, Oct 4), (BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2012, Sep 24), (Trials. 2012), (Clin Res Cardiol. 2012), (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011), (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2011), (Tissue Eng Part C Methods. 2011), (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2010), (Circulation. 2009), (J Cell Mol Med. 2009) Department of Orthopedics, University of Rostock (Acta Bioeng Biomech. 2013), (GMS Hyg Infect Control. 2013), (Open Orthop J. 2012), (Open Orthop J. 2011), (Open Orthop J. 2011), (Orthopade. 2011), (Hip Int. 2010), (Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2010) Department of Pediatrics, University of Rostock (Ann Clin Biochem. 2012), (Calcif Tissue Int. 2012), (Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2012), (Isotopes Environ Health Stud. 2011), (Am J Nephrol. 2011), (Kidney Blood Press Res. 2011), (Pediatr Nephrol. 2011), (Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2011), (Ann Clin Biochem. 2009), (Pediatr Transplant. 2009), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Rostock (Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2013), (Ultraschall Med. 2013), (Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2012), (Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2010), (Ann Surg. 2009), (N Engl J Med. 2005) Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rostock (PLoS One. 2013), (Ophthalmologe. 2012), (Curr Eye Res. 2010) Department of Hematology, Oncology, Palliative Care, University of Rostock (Onkologie. 2012), (Transpl Int. 2012), (Anticancer Res. 2012), (BMC Cancer. 2010) Department of Neurology, University of Rostock (J Neurol. 2012), (Neurosci Lett. 2011), (Acta Neurol Belg. 2011) Department of Dentistry, University of Rostock (Rev Stomatol Chir Maxillofac Chir Orale. 2013), (Biomed Tech (Berl). 2013), (J Orofac Orthop. 2011) MPI for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Neurosci Lett. 2011) Others (BJU Int. 2013), (Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2013), (World J Surg Oncol. 2012), (Cen Eur Neurosurg. 2011), (Urol Int. 2011), (Acta Otolaryngol. 2011), (Gesundheitswesen. 2011)
2.	A further important (but small in scale due to time restriction) method-oriented research activity of the Department of Biostatistics is the development of modified randomization procedures for Clinical Trials, with particular regards to well balanced properties. These require an appropriate choice of values of restriction parameters. ( Meth Inf Med. 2012, 2009, 2007, 2005)
3.	As a scientific service, the Department of Biostatistics offers biometrical consultation for research projects, doctoral and habilitation theses regarding the planning and statistical analysis of empirical studies. Employees working in the University Clinical Centre Rostock and in the preclinical institutes as well as to doctorate students from the Medical Faculty of the University of Rostock benefit from this service. Apparently, many of them appreciate these consultations in their research. About 426 consultations were registered in the year 2012 and about 226 in the year 2013 (Position was not filled for 7 months).
	Günther Kundt