What we do

BRISR Team

The Biomedical Research Informatics Shared Resource (BRISR) provides data services to investigators in support of translational research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

We provide structured access to real-time reliable clinical data for the advancement of non-interventional studies at Roswell Park. Data is delivered in a HIPAA-compliant manner and we ensure that all regulations and data safety standards are met to ensure our patient’s privacy.

We offer the infrastructure and processes to establish and monitor data standards, quality, integration and distribution across Roswell Park. BRISR’s highly trained staff support translational, clinical, and basic science researchers by making Roswell Park research data persistently findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) through the use of cutting-edge informatics technology and methods. We work to train and assist researchers in using current informatics tools available and continually research new tools that may benefit our customers. BRISR staff are also able to develop and implement custom tools and methods to streamline the collection, storage, processing and distribution of data to researchers.

The BRISR team also works closely with Roswell Park biobanks to annotate biospecimens and facilitate the process for patient cohort identification and case selections. Our access to detailed clinical data can be paired with tissue samples from  the Pathology Network Shared Resource  or blood samples from the Data Bank and BioRepository (DBBR) Shared Resource while supporting the data needs for investigators working in preclinical subject research efforts.

We provide the leadership and resources necessary to meet data management needs for each specific research project in a cost-effective manner.

Services & fees

The Biomedical Research Informatics Shared Resource (BRISR) currently provides the following biocuration and data management services to investigators:

Clinical data requests

BRISR works with investigators to provide clinical data for non-interventional studies. Data Managers can integrate clinical data from multiple sources to best serve investigators’ studies. Data requests can be sample based or data only.

REDCap survey/database design and development

BRISR will work with investigators and clinicians to design, build and administer REDCap surveys and databases. Data managers can also assist in data abstraction into any database.

Cohort selection

BRISR utilizes available clinical data to assist the biobanks with cohort selection based on project needs.

REDCap support

BRISR provides Roswell Park investigators with REDCap training and support.

Project feasibility consultation

BRISR data managers will work with investigators to run preliminary searches to help determine project feasibility.

Honest Broker services

BRISR data managers are certified Honest Brokers and can provide de-identification services for your research projects

Grant application support

BRISR will provide reports for potential sample/patient numbers needed for grant applications, contribute to grant text, recommend required computing resources, provide budgets for informatics and data management.

Fees

Project pricing will vary based on request. To get started, please fill out the BRISR Data Request Survey.

Request survey

Clinical data available for researchers

  • Cancer registry: Tumors diagnosed and treated here at Roswell Park are kept in a registry,  providing access to basic tumor information, treatment and first recurrence details.
  • Electronic health record: Includes drug treatment at Roswell Park, patient vitals (height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, etc), visits, orders (scans, scopes, tests, etc.), comorbidities and family history.
  • Finance database: Billing data which helps to identify procedures, treatments and other information for each patient.
  • Cerner lab results: Information from blood and other laboratory tests completed at Roswell Park such as urinalysis and cultures.
  • OmniSeq and Foundation Medicine results: Outcomes from all clinically ordered panels such as the OmniSeq Comprehensive Panel and the Immune Report Card.

Software and informatics tools

REDCap

REDCap is a secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases. Available to all researchers at Roswell Park by visiting: https://redcapweb.roswellpark.org

nSight

nSight™ is a web-based tool that allows Roswell users to explore/analyze various data sources to help develop research cohorts for research-ideas, related grants, study designs and publications

Frequently asked questions

Biomedical Research Informatics Shared Resource (BRISR) staff have access to an array of data sources. Please contact us to discuss your research needs and how we can help you! Here is a summary of what we currently have access to:

  • Roswell Park cancer registry data
  • Laboratory results (completed at Roswell Park)
  • Prescriptions prescribed at Roswell Park
  • Drugs administered at Roswell Park (ex. infusions)
  • Patient health issues and family history
  • Finance billing system
  • Genomic results from clinically ordered tests
  • Items ordered through the electronic heath records (ex. scans, scopes, consults, etc.)

A protocol is required for the BRISR staff to deliver clinical data for a research project. If you would like some preliminary information to determine if a project is feasible, we can give potential numbers and basic information without an approved protocol. Please contact us for more information.

Charges billed to an investigator are for cost recovery services. We charge for the effort involved in accessing, pulling and processing of the data or any services provided, with fees based on the time required to complete those services. Please contact us for a cost estimate.

Kelly Jans, MS
Data Management Director

Philip Whalen, MA
Software Development Director

Megan Wansart, MPH
Data Manager II

Jessica Michnik-Rubinstein, BS
Data Manager II

Tyce Schneider, BS
Data Manager I

Philippa Doherty, MS
Programmer

Bryanna Globe, BA
Data Manager I

Ravi Dayani, MS
Programmer

Contact us

Please contact the BRISR office at 716-845-2270 or by email at BRISR@RoswellPark.org

Alan Hutson, PhD
Interim Director
Phone: 716-845-5594
Email: Alan.Hutson@RoswellPark.org

Tao Liu, PhD
Associate Director
Phone: 716-845-5034
Email: Tao.Liu@RoswellPark.org

Kelly Jans
Data Management Director
Phone: 716-845-1014
Email: Kelly.Jans@RoswellPark.org

Location & hours

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
Biomedical Research Informatics Shared Resource
Research Studies Center, Room 404
Elm and Carlton Streets
Buffalo, New York 14263

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Clinical Data Delivery and Honest Broker services for this study were provided by the Biomedical Research Informatics Shared Resource, which is funded by NCI P30CA16056 and is a Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Cancer Center Support Grant shared resource. Two copies of the publication acknowledging the core grant should also be submitted to the facility at Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263.

Publications

  • Suresh K, Lugade A, Miller A, Iyer R, Thanavala Y. Higher frequencies of GARP(+)CTLA-4(+)Foxp3(+) T regulatory cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients are associated with impaired T-cell functionality. Cancer Res 2013; 73(8): 2435-2444. PMC3645275
  • Koboldt DC, Fulton RS, McLellan MD,…, Morrison CD, Gaudioso C, et al. Comprehensive molecular portraits of human breast tumors. Nature. 2012; 7418(490): 61-70. PMCID: PMC3465532
  • Hammerman PS, Lawrence MS, Voet D,…, Morrison CD, Gaudioso C, et al. Comprehensive genomic characterization of squamous cell lung cancers. Nature. 2012; 7417(489): 519-525. PMCID: PMC3466113
  • Bell D, Berchuck A, Birrer M, Chien J,…, Morrison CD, Gaudioso C, et al. Integrated genomic analyses of ovarian carcinoma. Nature. 2011; 7353(474): 609-615. PMCID: PMC3163504
  • Yang N, Morrison CD, Liu P, Miecznikowski J, Bshara W, Han S, Zhu Q, Omilian AR, Li X, Zhang J. TAZ induces growth factor-independent proliferation through activation of EGFR ligand amphiregulin. Cell Cycle 2012; 15(11): 2922-2930. PMCID: PMC3419062
  • Warren G, Kasza K, Reid M, Cummings K, Marshall J. Smoking at diagnosis and survival in cancer patients. Int J Cancer 2013; 132(2): 401-410.
  • Zeitouni N, Paquette A, Housel J, Shi Y, Wilding G, Foster TH, Henderson B. A retrospective review of pain control by a two-step irradiance schedule during topical ALA-photodynamic therapy of non-melanoma skin cancer. Lasers Surg Med 2013; 45(2): 89-94. PMC3685854
  • Roberts M, Hong C, Edge S, Yao S, Bshara W, Higgins M, Freudenheim JL, Ambrosone C. Case-only analyses of the associations between polymorphisms in the metastasis-modifying genes BRMS1 and SIPA1 and breast tumor characteristics, lymph node metastasis, and survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2013; 139(3): 873-885. PMC3819326
  • Bharthuar A, Khorana AA, Hutson A, Wang JG, Key NS, Mackman N, Iyer R. Circulating microparticle tissue factor, thromboembolism and survival in pancreaticobiliary cancers. Thromb Res 2013; 132(2): 180-184