The Data and Methods Core (DMC) is dedicated to enhancing clinical and translational research by providing methodological expertise and analytical services throughout the research project lifecycle, ensuring robust support for investigators. We do this by providing expert consultation and grant planning support, data management, and statistical analysis.
DMC services are accessible to all research staff at BUMC, including BMC and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Special emphasis is placed on supporting early-to-mid career clinical investigators, fostering their development and success in research.
Services we provide
How to request our services
To request support for data management, analysis, or grant proposal preparation, please fill out this form. This form provides our team with basic information about your project and an opportunity to upload relevant materials we can review prior to an initial meeting.
Once you have submitted a request form, our team will review your request and respond within ten business days to schedule an initial consultation meeting. This meeting will be an opportunity to ensure your project is a good fit for our services, and allow both your research team and the Data and Methods Core teams to ask questions.
Contact us
If you have additional questions about the Data and Methods Core, please reach out to Tim Hesselton at Timothy.Hesselton@bmc.org.
Our Team
Michael Fischer, MD, MS
Tim Hesselton, MPH
Senior Research Project Manager
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Tim Hesselton, MPH
Senior Research Project Manager
Tim Hesselton, MPH, is the Senior Research Project Manager leading the Data and Methods Core. He has worked in a number of settings, including in local and state government, community based organizations, higher education, and in academic healthcare settings. Tim's previous experience includes working to address health inequities in historically marginalized communities, including individuals with behavioral health diagnoses, individuals receiving Medicaid, individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions, older adults, and communities of color in Boston. He specializes in project management, systems level interventions and change management, and implementation of evidence-based public health programming. Tim also participated in the twelfth cohort of the Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership, a statewide program focused on leadership development and racial justice, sponsored by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 2021 with a master's degree in public health and was a recipient of The Dartmouth Institute's 2021 Social Justice Award.
Menglin Xu, PhD
Research Scientist and Biostatistician
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Menglin Xu, PhD
Research Scientist and Biostatistician
Dr. Menglin Xu, PhD is a research scientist/biostatistician working on the Data and Methods Core Team. She is a Ph.D. graduate from the Quantitative Research, Evaluation, and Measurement (QREM) program of the Ohio State University. Menglin has research and teaching experience in multivariate statistics, psychometrics, structural equation modeling, causal inference, longitudinal data analysis, Bayesian statistics, meta-analysis, and survival analysis, among others. Prior to joining BMC, she served as a research statistician at Wexner Medical Center of OSU, where she used expertise in experimental design, statistics, and professional writing to support professional works of clinical trials, grant proposals, and journal manuscripts in diversified areas of medicine, health sciences, and psychology.
Jianjun Hua, MS
Senior Data Analyst
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Jianjun Hua, MS
Senior Data Analyst
Jianjun Hua, MS is a Senior Data Analyst on the Data and Methods Core Team. Jianjun has over a decade of experience in statistical analysis, data science, and machine learning. He specializes in predictive modeling, data visualization, and advanced analytics to support data-driven decision-making. Jianjun has a proven track record of collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, transforming complex data into actionable insights, and delivering impactful results. Jianjun is passionate about leveraging data to improve patient outcomes and healthcare operations.
Ruogu Li, MS, MPH
Senior Data Analyst
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Ruogu Li, MS, MPH
Senior Data Analyst
Ruogu Li, MS, MPH is a Senior Data Analyst on the Data and Methods Core Team. Ruogu earned her MS-MPH dual degree from Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and School of Medicine. She previously worked as a data analyst at Brigham and Women's Hospital, focusing on cohort registry data and EMR. Additionally, she has experience conducting systematic reviews. Her career goal is to become a public health professional who translates health-related data into scientific evidence and impacts real-world practice.