The Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service (BCES) is a department in the NIH Clinical Center that provides statistical support for research studies detailed below.
BCES Team
Acting Chief and Senior Staff
Ninet Sinaii, PhD, MPH
Phone: 301-978-6693
Email: sinaiin@cc.nih.gov
Senior Staff
Xiaobai Li, PhD
Phone: 301-402-3664
Email: lixiaob@nih.gov
Fellow
Zhanpeng Kuang, MS
Phone: 301-402-93373
Email: zhanpeng.kuang@nih.gov
Interim Staff
Julia Porcino, MS
Phone: 301-402-93373
Email: julia.porcino@nih.gov
History
The BCES was created in July 1999 under the leadership of David Henderson, MD, and was officially announced in the October 1999 issue of Clinical Center News. Statistician Robert Wesley, PhD, and clinical epidemiologist Deloris Koziol, PhD, MPH, were the initial staff members of the new service. After Dr. Wesley retired in 2015, the Service was led by Paul Wakim, PhD, until April 2023, followed by Nusrat Rabbee, PhD, until April 2025. BCES is currently under the leadership of Dr. Ninet Sinaii as Acting Chief.
Expertise and Services
BCES promotes the practice of epidemiology and biostatistics in biomedical and clinical research at the NIH to achieve its mission of enhancing health, lengthening life, and reducing illness and disability.
Specifically, BCES is committed to:
- Providing leadership and expertise in the design, data collection and monitoring, analysis, and reporting of biomedical research studies;
- Developing and implementing innovative approaches for the design, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of biomedical research studies;
- Collaborating with other scientists on the full spectrum of study conduct (i.e., protocol design, study execution, data quality, statistical analysis, interpretation of study results, and writing/presentation of findings) as part of essential interdisciplinary teamwork;
- Providing education and training relevant to biostatistical and epidemiological aspects of biomedical research; and
- Serving on committees and teams for improving and guiding research activities throughout NIH.
The BCES vision is to facilitate the application of high-quality statistical methodology for enhancing research at the NIH.
Primarily, we provide services to Clinical Center staff and scientists in their research studies as well as conducting our own studies. Investigators from other NIH institutes and centers are welcomed to contact us for statistical support that can be coordinated via collaborative agreements. Our services range from single consultations to multi-month, multi-year, or repeat collaborations.
We are also engaged in the teaching and training of scientists and staff through classes at the NIH Library and other programs.
Contact Us
The best way to contact our team is by sending an e-mail to CC-BCES@mail.nih.gov.
The BCES main phone number is 301-402-9337. Someone from our team is also present in Suite 9D38 of the Magnuson Clinical Center (Building 10) on the main NIH campus.
For NIH staff only: we offer virtual office hours on Tuesdays (2-3 pm EST), with exceptions. The link to office hours can be requested via CC-BCES@mail.nih.gov.