Research

Current research interests are available on our faculty and student pages.

Dissertations from several PhD Statistics graduates can be downloaded through the UR Research institutional repository. Search "biostatistics" in the search box in the School of Medicine and Dentistry Collection for a full listing of recent graduates in the Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology. Dissertation copies are typically available within three months of degree conferral. However, access may be restricted outside of the University of Rochester community for up to two years.

Completed Statistics PhD Dissertations

2020-Present

"Novel Methods for Understanding the Neural Encoding of Natural Stimuli in the Human Brain"
Student: D. Skrill
Advisor: S. Norman-Haignere

"Image Processing with Optimally Designed Parabolic Partial Differential Equations"
Student: Q. Wu
Advisor: X. Qiu

"Comparison of Longitudinal Trajectories Using a Novel High-Dimensional Partial Linear Semiparametric Mixed-Effects Model"
Student: S. Leon
Advisor: T. Wu

"Statistical Methods for the Analysis of Complex Tissue Bulk RNA-seq Data"
Student: Z. Brehm
Advisor: M. McCall

"Scratching the Surface: Surface-Based Cortical Registration and Analysis of Connectivity Functions"
Student: M. Cole
Advisors: Z. Zhang and X. Qiu

"Spectral Bayesian Network Theory: Graph Theoretic Solutions to Problems in Bayesian Networks"
Student: L. Duttweiler
Advisors: A. Almudevar and S. Thurston

"Methods for Microglia Image Analysis"
Student: E. VonKaenel
Advisor: M. McCall

"Relative Sparsity and Optimality-based Reward Learning with Applications to Medical Decisions and Toxicology"
Student: S. Weisenthal
Advisors: S. Thurston and A. Ertefaie

"The Partial Linear Model in Causal Inference: Estimation, Selection, and Inference Leveraging Machine Learning"
Student: J. Jones
Advisors: A. Ertefaie and R. Strawderman

"Methods for Multidimensional Functional Data Analysis in Modern Neuroimaging"
Student: W. Consagra
Advisor: X. Qiu

"A Quantile-Based Robust P-value Combination Method with Applications in High-Throughput Data Analysis"
Student: Y. Gu
Advisor: X. Qiu

"A Series of Novel Ensemble Procedures with Tree Learners"
Student: M. Corsetti
Advisor: T. Love

"Model-Based Clustering of Longitudinal Data in High Dimensions"
Student: L. Yang
Advisor: T. Wu

"Bayesian Latent Variable Models for Multiple Exposures with Unknown Group Memberships"
Student: A. Zavez
Advisor: S. Thurston

"Generalized Reduced Rank Correlation Structure in Statistical Inference and Multi-Type Data Integration"
Student: J. Sui
Advisor: X. Qiu

2015-2019

"A Novel Variable Selection Procedure in Biomedical Research"
Student: B. Wang
Advisor: C. Feng

"Model Selection and Variable Selection for Mixtures of Factor Analyzers"
Student: X. Lu
Advisor: T. Love

"Methods for Improving Efficiency in Clinical Trials"
Student: S. Ma
Advisors: M. McDermott and D. Oakes

"Statistical Methods for Treatment Evaluation with Application to Longitudinal Studies"
Student: H. Sun
Advisors: B. Johnson and A. Ertefaie

"Statistical Methods for qPCR Data Near the Limit of Detection"
Student: V. Sherina
Advisors: M. McCall and T. Love

"Conditional Tests for Multivariate One-sided Hypotheses with Missing Data"
Student: M. Majumder
Advisor: M. McDermott

"Novel Statistical Methods for Gene Set Enrichment Analysis with Empirical Memberships for Overlapping Genes"
Student: Y. Zhang
Advisors: X. Qiu and J. Thakar

"Finite Mixtures of Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Models for Longitudinal Data"
Student: C. Chen
Advisors: S. Thurston and O. Hyrien

"Mixed-Membership and Spatial Models for Social Network Data"
Student: J. Ciminelli
Advisor: T. Love

"Bayesian Model-Based Clustering Methods: Procedures for Data with Unknown Numbers of Clusters"
Student: A. LaLonde
Advisor: T. Love

"Local Cross-Validated Smoothing Parameter Estimation for Linear Smoothers"
Student: K. Grzesik
Advisor: D. Peterson

"Bayesian Semiparametric Measurement Error Models: Estimation, Variable Selection and Fast Algorithms"
Student: C. Liu
Advisor: S. Thurston

"Global Tests for Multiple Outcomes in Randomized Trials"
Student: D. Hebert
Advisor: M. McDermott

"Variable Selection Methods for Model-Based Clustering: Procedures for Functional Data and Bayesian Inference"
Student: K. Singh
Advisor: T. Love

"Theory and Application of the Mode Centric M-Gaussian Distribution"
Student: Z. Yu
Advisor: G. Mudholkar

"Missing Data in Meta-Analysis"
Student: A. Chowdhry
Advisor: M. McDermott

"A New Class of Functional Response Models for Robust Regression Analysis"
Student: T. Chen
Advisor: X. Tu

"Generalized Semiparametric Linear Mixed-Effects Models"
Student: C. Xia
Advisors: H. Liang and S. Thurston

"Threshold Boolean Network Inference and Experimental Designs"
Student: T. Tran
Advisor: A. Almudevar

"Composite Likelihood Inference for Multivariate Finite Mixture Models and Application to Flow Cytometry"
Student: F. Ma
Advisors: O. Hyrien and X. Tu

2010-2014

"New Semiparametric Methods for Clustered Time-to-Event Data"
Student: Y. Han
Advisors: C. Feng and X. Tu

"Order Restricted Analysis of Covariance with Interactions"
Student: J. Morrissette
Advisor: M. McDermott

"Hypothesis Testing Problems Involving Order Restricted Parameters"
Student: X. Zhang
Advisors: M. McDermott and G. Mudholkar

"Model Selection and Model Averaging for Longitudinal Data with Applications in Personalized Medicine"
Student: H. Yang
Advisor: H. Liang

"Extensions to Model-Based Clustering for Mixed-Type Data:  A New Model Framework, Variable Selection, and Outlier Identification"
Student: K. Evans
Advisors: T. Love and S. Thurston

"Single-index Model with Application in Estimation of ODE and Gene Regulatory Network"
Student: Y. Yu
Advisor: H. Liang

"A New Class of Structural Functional Response Models for Causal Inference and Mediation Analysis"
Student: P. Wu
Advisor: X. Tu

"State Space Models and Differential Equations for Dynamic Gene Regulatory Network Identifications"
Student: J. Chen
Advisor: H. Wu

"A Flexible Copula Model for Bivariate Survival Data"
Student: Z. Chen
Advisors: D. Oakes and O. Hyrien

"Some Contributions to the Theory and Applications of R-Symmetry"
Student: S. Awadalla
Advisors: G. Mudholkar and M. McDermott

"Penalized Variable Selection for Semiparametric Regression Models"
Student: X. Liu
Advisor: H. Liang

"A Class of Distribution-free Models for Longitudinal Mediation Analysis"
Student: D. Gunzler
Advisor: X. Tu

"ODE Based Statistical Models for Dynamic Gene Regulatory Network Identification"
Student: T. Lu
Advisor: H. Wu

"Non-Informative Priors for Structural Inference in Bayesian Networks"
Student: J. LaCombe
Advisor: A. Almudevar

"Estimation, Model Checking and Diagnostics, and Identifiability in Finite Mixture Models for Point Mass Data: Methods in a Bayesian Framework"
Student: M. Lynch
Advisor: S. Thurston

"Distribution-free Models for Latent Population Mixtures"
Student: H. Zhang
Advisor: X. Tu

2005-2009

"Residual Diagnostic Methods for Bayesian Structural Equation Models"
Student: A. Stokes-Riner
Advisor: S. Thurston

"Distribution-free Models for Longitudinal Count Data"
Student: Q. Yu
Advisor: X. Tu

"Empirical Likelihood-Based Inference for Multiple Regression and Treatment Comparison"
Student: H. Su
Advisor: H. Liang

"Subset Selection for High-Dimensional Data, with Applications to Gene Array Data"
Student: A. Pearson
Advisor: D. Peterson

"The Correlation Structure of Microarray Data and Its Statistical Implications"
Student: L. Chen
Advisors: A. Yakovlev and A. Almudevar

"Inference for Instrument Reliability and Rater Agreement within a Multi-rater and Longitudinal Data Setting"
Student: Y. Ma
Advisor: X. Tu

"Correcting Verification Bias in the Assessment of the Accuracy of Diagnostic Tests"
Student: H. He
Advisors: M. McDermott and L. Huang

"Some Skew Models for Quantal Response Analysis"
Student: L. Georger
Advisor: G. Mudholkar

"R-symmetry and Applications"
Student: H. Wang
Advisor: G. Mudholkar

"Stochastic Curtailment in Multi-Armed Trials"
Student: X. He
Advisor: D. Oakes

"Statistical Analysis of Medical Cost and Quality-Adjusted Lifetime with Censored Data"
Student: H. Wang
Advisor: H. Zhao

"Receiver Operating Characteristic Surfaces: Inference and Applications"
Student: C. Beck
Advisor: M. McDermott

2000-2004

"A Study of Two Consistent Tests of Bivariate Independence and Some Applications"
Student: G. Wilding
Advisor: G. Mudholkar

"Some Issues in the Analysis of Cross-over Trials: Order-restricted Inference and Survival Methods"
Student: S. Eapen
Advisor: M. McDermott

"Combining Stratified and Unstratified Log-rank Tests for Correlated Survival Data"
Student: C. Feng
Advisor: D. Oakes

"Parameter Estimation in Bivariate Copula Models"
Student: A. Wang
Advisor: D. Oakes

"Inference Procedures for the Inverse Gaussian Models and the Gaussian, Inverse Gaussian Analogies"
Student: L. Tian
Advisor: G. Mudholkar

"Order Restricted Inference Using Dependent Contrasts"
Student: J. Kost
Advisors: M. McDermott and G. Mudholkar

"Design and Analysis of Triangular Stopping Boundaries for Brownian Motion"
Student: P. Huang
Advisor: W.J. Hall