Research

Epidemiology: Our Services & Expertise

Among NERI's first studies pursued when it was founded more than 20 years ago were epidemiologic investigations of aging men and women. Building on these seminal studies, dozens of ground-breaking epidemiologic studies have been successfully carried out by NERI researchers.

NERI’s Institute for Epidemiology provides clients with a broad array of state-of-the-science research tools to examine the distribution and determinants of specific medical conditions in a wide range of populations. Our team of epidemiologists, statisticians, and behavioral and social scientists collaborate with clients to help them quickly and accurately achieve their research objectives.

Epidemiology staff members possess extensive experience across all types of studies, including:

  • Observational studies
  • Randomized trials
  • Registries
  • Pilot/feasibility studies
  • Studies of patient-reported outcomes
In addition to its capabilities for designing and running all types of epidemiologic research studies, NERI offers the following specific services:

  • Study quality assessment
    • Internal and external validity
    • Exposure, confounder, endpoint definitions
  • Statistical analysis of large complex surveys or data sets (e.g., Medicare)
  • Protocol, case report form, and informed consent form development
  • Development and validation of instruments to measure patient-reported outcomes (PROs)
  • Literature reviews and meta-analysis
  • Scientific conference presentations
  • Manuscript development and publication

Specific epidemiology expertise:

  • Observational studies (retrospective, case/control, cross-sectional, prospective, field effectiveness, post-marketing surveillance)
  • Disease and product registries
  • Patient-reported outcome studies
  • Pharmacoepidemiology
  • In-home biologic sampling
  • Reaching minority and urban populations
  • Complex data analysis, including survey weighting, longitudinal analysis, and a variety of statistical modeling techniques

Specific therapeutic areas:

  • Cardiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Geriatrics
  • Infectious disease
  • Musculoskeletal health
  • Nutrition
  • Obstetrics/Gynecology
  • Oncology
  • Pediatric
  • Urology/Sexual health
For decades, NERI Epidemiology staff have played pivotal roles in some of the world’s leading studies of health conditions and medical disorders.

Some examples:

  • The Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS)
    Running for more than 20 years, MMAS has contributed to the scientific knowledge base about sex steroids, urology and sexual function, diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular disease, frailty, and prostate cancer.
  • The Boston Area Community Health (BACH)
    Survey BACH is a landmark study of urologic and gynecologic symptoms (not diagnosed conditions) in over 5,500 racially/ethnically diverse men and women from Boston.
  • The BACH/Bone Survey
    BACH/Bone is a study of musculoskeletal health in more than 1,200 BACH men. The largest of its kind in racially/ethnically diverse men, this study examines the fundamental causes of racial/ethnic differences in musculoskeletal health.
  • Patient Registries for:
    • Hypogonadism
      A large, multi-national prospective registry of male patients diagnosed with hypogonadism
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
      The first large-scale prospective registry of combat veterans with PTSD
    • Female Sexual Dysfunction
      A registry of women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Epidemiology

Epidemiology Contact

Andre B. Araujo, PhD
VP, Epidemiology

617-972-3152

aaraujo@neriscience.com
The core strengths of NERI Epidemiology include excellence in study design and the application of epidemiologic methods, our depth of therapeutic knowledge, and an excellent track record of scientific publication resulting in enhanced disease understanding.