Alexander Quarshie, M.D., M.Sc., is the Associate Director of the Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) program, MSM. He serves as the Director of the Biostatistics and Data management Core of the Clinical Research Center (CRC) at MSM, and is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine. Dr. Quarshie directs the Laboratory Cores Rotation, Seminar and Mentored Research Project courses.

Jerome Carter, MD, is an adjunct Associate Professor in the department of CHPM. Dr. Carter directs the Introduction to Medical Informatics course, and is nationally recognized expert in this area. His research interests are in clinical database design/computer-based patient record and the immune system as a model for information processing. He has published over thirty articles, books, and book chapters in these areas.

Jose Binongo, PhD, is a lecturer, department of Biostatistics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, and directs our Clinical Trials course. His research interest is in linear modeling, and has published several articles on statistical approaches and linear models.

Brenda Hayes, DSW, MPH, is the Director, Grant and Proposal Development, Office of Sponsored Research Administration (OSRA) and the Director, Community Partnership Development, COEHD. She is a co-Investigator on the NIH, EXPORT award to fund a Center of Excellence. Dr. Hayes has taught several courses and presented several seminars and workshops on proposal development to graduate students, physicians and other faculty/staff since 1997, and currently teaches our Proposal Development course.

Julian Menter, PhD, Research professor, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology is the instructor for Ethics in Vulnerable Populations course. During his own research and as a member of the Institutitional Review Board he has a vast amount of experience in the area of ethics when dealing with clinical research.

Lee Caplan,MD, PhD is an Associate Professor, Department of CHPM, and Assistant Director of Research, Prevention Research Center, MSM. He is an epidemiologist, and has published over thirty-five articles in the area of epidemiology and preventive medicine. He is currently the PI, on a component of the NIH, Export Grant, involving administering a survey on smoking and other risky behaviors of students at the Atlanta University Center. Dr. Caplan directs the Introduction to Epidemiology course for the MPH and MSCR programs.

MSCR Instructors with Courses

Course # Course Title Instructor Year, Semester Credits
GEBS-500 Introduction to Epidemiology Lee Kaplan, MD, PhD (MPH program) Year 1, Spring 3
Course Description: This course provides students with knowledge of patterns of disease occurrence in human populations and factors that influence these patterns. This course is designed to enable students to identify and use systematic procedures that are helpful in determining epidemiological relationships. Principles and methods of epidemiologic investigation, both of infectious and non-infectious diseases are discussed. Prerequisite: GEBS 524 Fundamentals of Biostatistics.
GEBS-501 Introduction to Medical Informatics Alexander Quarshie, MD, MS Year 1, Fall 2
Course Description: The course will address using data from clinical information systems in performing clinical research including the strengths and limitations of these data. Topics include overview of medical informatics, discussion of the nature of computer-based data including medical vocabularies, large databases, the web, and confidentiality-related issues.
GEBS-502 Introduction to Principles of Clinical Research Alexander Quarshie, MD, MS Year 1, Fall & Spring 2
Course Description: This course is offered in collaboration with NIH, and delivered through video-conferencing. This course provides an overview and introduction to the various types of clinical research including Patient-oriented research, epidemiology, behavioral sciences and health services research, and introduction to evidence-based medicine for clinical researchers. The course introduces protocol design, mentoring development, and gathering of evidence, including decision analysis.
GEBS 520 Analysis of Frequency Data Traci Leong, PhD Year 1, Spring 3
Course Description: This course is intended to provide a more detailed approach to the analysis of categorical data in clinical and translational research. Tests and measure of association for contingency table analysis; partitioning chi-square; the odds ratio, comparative trials; analysis of categorical data with matched samples; combining evidence from contingency tables; effects and controls of misclassification errors, multi-way contingency tables. Prerequisite: GEBS 524 Fundamentals of Biostatistics.
GEBS 522 Clinical Trials Priscilla Pemu, MD MS
(CRECD Graduate)
Year 1, Spring 2
Course Description: Principles for the design and conduct of clinical trials are discussed. Emphasis will be given to protocol preparation, randomization, sample size, trial monitoring, ethical issues and data analysis. Prerequisite: GEBS 524 Fundamentals of Biostatistics or permission of instructor.
GEBS 523 Scientific Writing & Proposal Development Gregory Strayhorn, MD, PhD Year 1,Spring 3
Course Description: The objective of this course are to develop 1) the ability to evaluate a variety of funding sources, write concept papers and letters of intent in biomedical sciences, 2) an approach to writing a competitive research proposal, 3) an understanding of the NIH review process. The course provides an overview of these processes in a series of didactic discussions and take-home assignments. Students are required to design a study for specific disease and prepare a scientific protocol and a grant application using Public Health Service Form 398 including the development of a consent form and budget. Emphasis will be placed on grantsmanship and scientific writing, the Institutional Review Board and NIH review process.
GEBS 524 Fundamentals of Biostatistics Traci Leong, PhD Year 1, Fall 3
Course Description: This course introduces various statistical methods used in clinical and translational research and public health management. Students are trained in data analysis theory, data management and interpretation of results using standard statistical packages. Topics include: Probability distributions and conditional probability; descriptive statistics; statistical inference; parametric and non-parametric procedures; regression and correlation methods; repeated measures; survival analysis.
GEBS-532 Community Engagement Raquel Collins, PhD (MSM-ACTSI) Year 1, Fall 2
Course Description: Led by Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) faculty in collaboration with Emory faculty.  The course incorporates social science and behavior theory concepts in understanding of health disparities and research in this area; principles and historical roots of effective community engagement and partnership in clinical and translational research ; community and academic perspectives in developing and sustaining collaborative multidisciplinary research; practical issues in conducting community-based participatory research across the continuum of research including planning, implementation, evaluation, dissemination and translation; and  ethical issues and current community-based participatory research projects at Emory, MSM, the Atlanta area and rural Georgia. Lectures will be supplemented with case studies and community-based small group activities.  Prerequisite: Enrollment in any MSM degree program or permission of the program administration.
GEBS-512 Ethics of CTR in Vulnerable Populations Julian Menter, PhD Year 2, Fall 2
Course Description: This course challenges trainees to incorporate social science and behavior theory concepts in understanding health disparities. This multidisciplinary course will provide social, cultural and historical perspectives on the development of ethical standards for clinical research among special at-risk populations. Participants’ appreciation of culture, as a predominant force in shaping behavior and values will be enhanced. Topics covered include data management, data sharing, conflict of interest and scientific integrity, Informed consent, strategies for recruitment of minority and disadvantaged populations into clinical research, issues related to compliance and policies regarding the use of human and animal subjects. Various methods such as lectures, readings, case presentations, and group discussions are used.
Electives (Second Year)
Electives from biostatistics, epidemiology, basic science or other public health degree tracks may be used to fulfill the remaining credit hours for graduation. The program of study will be subject to approval by the Curriculum Committee and the Program Director.
GEBS 531 Core Laboratories Alexander Quarshie, MD Year 1, Spring 2
Course Description: This course is designed to provide trainees with hands-on exposure to existing core units at the Clinical Research Center and how they support clinical and translational research. These cores are - Noninvasive Cardiovascular and Hemodynamics, Analytical and Protein Profiling, Bionutrition, Nursing, Recruitment/Retention, Biostatistical and Data Management, Clinical Trials, Research Subject Advocate and Data Safety Monitoring Cores.
GEBS 528 Introduction to Genomics Gale Newman, PhD (PhD Program) Year 2, Fall 2