History of the QSU within The Section of Biostatistics

The Quantitative Sciences Unit (QSU) at Stanford University has a rich history that began in 2009 when Dr. Manisha Desai established the unit as its Founding Director in response to a growing demand for strong statistical collaboration on studies conducted in the Department of Medicine within Stanford’s School of Medicine.  

Dr. Desai's vision was to establish a collaborative data science entity where data scientists contribute first and foremost as peer scientists in the conduct of clinical, basic, and translational research. Thus, team science principles guide how QSU members engage and are integrated into research teams. 

Although initially rooted in the Department of Medicine, the QSU has expanded its collaborative model to encompass a broader range of departments across the School. To that end, the QSU -- operating within the Section of Biostatistics, established in 2018 under Dr. Desai’s leadership -- has forged partnerships with departments and institutes throughout the School of Medicine such as Neurosurgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, Pathology, and Emergency Medicine, thus extending its reach beyond the confines of its origins. 

Today, QSU members -- quantitative experts in areas such as missing data, machine learning, causal inference, predictive modeling, statistical computing, database design and creation, and software development -- are committed to designing and implementing efficient studies and rigorous data analyses.