Christopher Beck, PhD

Associate Professor of Biostatistics
Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
Ph.D. (2005) University of Rochester

Contact Information:

University of Rochester
Dept of Biostatistics and Computational Biology
601 Elmwood Avenue Box 630
Rochester, New York 14642
 
Office: Saunders Research Building 4146
Phone: (585) 275-6781
Fax: (585) 273-1031
E-mail: Beck@bst.rochester.edu

Research Interests

The area of statistical research that most interests me is the analysis of the performance of diagnostic tests.  Most of my work in this area involves inference concerning receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and surfaces.  I am actively developing statistical methods for ROC surfaces that generalize the methodology associated with ROC curves to accommodate the analysis of diagnostic tests that classify experimental units into three or more categories.  My other major research interests include change-point problems and clinical trials.

Most of my collaborative work is with researchers in the Department of Neurology and the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, where I hold a joint appointment.  I am currently involved with studies in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Batten disease, periodic paralysis, orthopaedic trauma care, smoking cessation, and cardiomyopathy.  I am a member of an international team of researchers from several disciplines and universities that conducts studies to investigate the effects of neurotoxicants such as methyl mercury on the neurodevelopment of children.

I received a B.A. in Mathematics and Statistics and an M.A. in Statistics from State University of New York at Buffalo, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Statistics from University of Rochester.  I am a member of the American Statistical Association and the International Biometric Society (ENAR).

Selected References

  • Myers, G. J., Davidson, P. W., Shamlaye, C., Cox, C., Kost, J., Beck, C., Huang, L., Weiss, B. (2004).  The Seychelles Child Development Study of methyl mercury from fish consumption: analysis of subscales from the Child Behaviour Checklist at age 107 months in the main cohort.  Seychelles Medical & Dental Journal 7:107-114.
  • Kim, S. Y. H., Holloway, R. G., Frank, S., Beck, C. A., Zimmerman, C., Wilson, R., Kieburtz, K. (2006).  Volunteering for early phase gene transfer research in Parkinson disease.  Neurology 66:1010-1015.
  • van Wijngaarden, E., Beck, C., Shamlaye, C. F., Cernichiari, E., Davidson, P. W., Myers, G. J., Clarkson, T. W. (2006).  Benchmark concentrations for methyl mercury obtained from the 9-year follow-up of the Seychelles Child Development Study.  NeuroToxicology 27:702-709.
  • Davidson, P. W., Weiss, B., Beck, C., Cory-Slechta, D. A., Orlando, M., Loiselle, D., Young, E. C., Sloane-Reeves, J., Myers, G. J. (2006).  Development and validation of a test battery to assess subtle neurodevelopmental differences in children.  NeuroToxicology 27:951-969.
  • Bazarian, J. J., Beck, C., Blyth, B., von Ashen, N., Hasselblatt, M. (2006).  Impact of creatine kinase correction on the predictive value of S-100B after mild traumatic brain injury.  Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience 24:163-172.
  • Kim, S. Y. H., Holloway, R. G., Beck, C. A., Frank, S., Wilson, R. M., Kieburtz, K. (2007).  Volunteering for early phase gene transfer research in Parkinson disease - Response.  Neurology 68:877-878.
  • Reynolds, D. G., Hock, C., Shaikh, S., Jacobson, J., Zhang, X., Rubery, P. T., Beck, C. A., O’Keefe, R. J., Lerner, A. L., Schwarz, E. M., Awad, H. A. (2007).  Micro-computed tomography prediction of biomechanical strength in murine structural bone grafts.  Journal of Biomechanics 40:3178-3186.
  • Proulx, S. T., Kwok, E., You, Z., Beck, C. A., Shealy, D. J., Ritchlin, C. T., Boyce, B. F., Xing, L., Schwarz, E. M. (2007).  MRI and quantification of draining lymph node function in inflammatory arthritis.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1117:106-123.
  • Proulx, S. T., Kwok, E., You, Z., Papuga, M. O., Beck, C. A., Shealy, D. J., Ritchlin, C. T., Awad, H. A., Boyce, B. F., Xing, L., Schwarz, E. M. (2007).  Longitudinal assessment of synovial, lymph node, and bone volumes in inflammatory arthritis in mice by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging and microfocal computed tomography.  Arthritis and Rheumatism 56:4024-4037.
  • Proulx, S. T., Kwok, E., You, Z., Papuga, M. O., Beck, C. A., Shealy, D. J., Calvi, L. M., Ritchlin, C. T., Awad, H. A., Boyce, B. F., Xing, L., Schwarz, E. M. (2008).  Elucidating bone marrow edema and myelopoiesis in murine arthritis using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.  Arthritis and Rheumatism 58:2019-2029.
  • Dorsey, E. R., Beck, C. A., Adams, M., Chadwick, G., de Blieck, E. A., McCallum, C., Briner, L., Deuel, L., Clarke, A., Stewart, R., Shoulson, I., Huntington Study Group TREND-HD Investigators. (2008).  Communicating Clinical Trial Results to Research Participants.  Archives of Neurology 65:1590-1595.
  • Huntington Study Group TREND-HD Investigators. (2008).  Randomized Controlled Trial of Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Huntington Disease: The TREND-HD Study.  Archives of Neurology 65:1582-1589.
  • Lancianese, S. L., Kwok, E., Beck, C. A., Lerner, A. L. (2008).  Predicting regional variations in trabecular bone mechanical properties within the human proximal tibia using MR imaging.  Bone 43:1039-1046.
  • Dorsey, E. R., Van Wuyckhuyse, B. C., Beck, C. A., Passalacqua, W. P., Guzick, D. S. (2009).  The Economics of New Faculty Hires in Basic Science.  Academic Medicine 84:26-31.
  • Beck, C. A. (2009).  Selection bias in observational studies: Out of control?  Neurology 72:108-109.
  • Diener, H. C., Beck, C. A. (2009).  Migraine and risk of cardiovascular disease in women: Learning about relative and absolute risk.  Neurology 73:576-577.

  • Mitsumoto, J., Dorsey, E. R., Beck, C. A., Kieburtz, K., Griggs, R. C. (2009).  Pivotal studies of orphan drugs approved for neurological diseases.  Annals of Neurology 66:184-190.