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Valen E. Johnson

Present Title & Affiliation

Primary Appointment

Deputy Chair of the Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment

Adjunct Professor, Department of Statistics, Rice University, Houston, TX
Adjunct Professor, Department of Statistics, Texas A&M University, Houston, TX

Research Interests

  • Bayesian model diagnostics
  • Bayesian model selection and testing
  • Ordinal data modeling
  • Medical image analysis

My research is directed toward the application of novel statistical techniques for the analysis of high-dimensional, highly structured stochastic systems.  I am particularly interested in developing techniques for determining whether complex statistical models provide an adequate fit to observed data and how to translate information contained in classical testing procedures into more useful summaries of the posterior probability that a hypothesis is true.  I am interested in developing new models for the analysis of ordered categorical data, particularly for data derived from medical diagnostic tests.

Office Address

The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
1400 Pressler St.
Department of Biostatistics and Applied Mathematics
Unit Number: 1411
Houston, TX 77030
Room Number: FCT4.5084
Phone: (713) 563-6758
Fax: (713) 563-4242
Email: vejohnson@mdanderson.org

Education & Training

Degree-Granting Education

1989 University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, PHD, Statistics
1985 University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, MA, Applied Mathematics
1981 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, BS, Mathematics

Honors and Awards

1991 Runner-up, Francois Erbsmann Award for contributions to medical imaging
1989 Savage Award for Outstanding Thesis in Bayesian Statistics and Econometrics

Professional Memberships

American Statistical Association
Fellow, 1999-present
International Statistics Institute
Elected Member, 2005-present
Royal Statistics Society
Fellow, 2005-present

Selected Publications

Peer-Reviewed Original Research Articles
1. Johnson, V.E. And Rossell, D. On the use of non-local prior densities in Bayesian hypothesis tests. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B. In Press.
2. Johnson VE, Cook J. Bayesian Design of Single-Arm Phase II Clinical Trials with Continuous Monitoring. Clinical Trials 6:217-226, 2009.
3. Hu J and Johnson VE. Bayesian Model Selection Using Test Statistics. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 71:143-158, 2009.
4. Hu J, Johnson VE. Log-linear Models for Gene Association. Journal of the American Statistical Association 104:597-607, 2009.
5. Johnson VE. Statistical analysis of the National Institutes of Health peer review system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(32):11076-80, 8/12/2008. e-Pub 7/28/2008. PMCID: PMC2488382.

Books (edited and written)
1. Johnson VE. Grade Inflation: A Crisis in College Education. Springer-Verlag, 2003.
2. Johnson VE, Albert J. Ordinal Data Models. Springer-Verlag, 1999.

Grant & Contract Support

Title: Mechanisms of Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma and Its Therapy Biostats Core (PC-B)
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Core Director
Principal Investigator: Charles Cleeland
Duration: 9/18/2008 - 8/31/2013
 
Title: Reducing the Symptom Burden Produced by Aggressive Cancer Therapies
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Investigator
Principal Investigator: Charles Cleeland
Duration: 8/4/2008 - 6/30/2013
 
Title: Image-guided Adaptive IMRT for Head and Neck Cancer
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: David L. Schwartz
Duration: 7/7/2008 - 6/30/2010
 
Title: Cancer Center Support Grant - Biostatistics Shared Resource (PPSR-21)
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Investigator
Principal Investigator: John Mendelsohn
Duration: 7/1/2008 - 6/30/2013
 
Title: Image-Guided Delivery and Image-Guided Evaluation of Target and Non-Target Tissue, No-cost extension
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Biostatistician
Principal Investigator: Vikus Kundra
Duration: 9/1/2007 - 8/31/2010
 
Title: Experimental Cancer Imaging Research Program (ECIRP), No-cost extension
Funding Source: NIH/NCI
Role: Biostatistician
Principal Investigator: John Hazle
Duration: 3/26/2007 - 2/29/2012
 
Title: 3T Perfluorocarbon-Filled Endorectal Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging of Prostate Carcinoma, No-cost extension
Funding Source: Department of Defense (DOD)
Role: Co-Investigator
Principal Investigator: Haesun Choi
Duration: 1/8/2007 - 2/7/2010

Last updated: 9/16/2009