Ph.D. (2005) University of Rochester

Christopher Beck Assistant Professor of Biostatistics Assistant Professor of Orthopaedics     Contact Information: University of Rochester Dept of Biostatistics and Computational Biology 601 Elmwood Avenue Box 630 Rochester, New York 14642   Office: MRBX G-11311J 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., Carter Young, E., 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., 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 Tissue, Lymph Node, and Bone Volumes in Inflammatory Arthritis in Mice by In Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Microfocal Computed Tomography.  Arthritis & Rheumatism doi:10.1002/art.070525.