Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch | National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Skip Navigation Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch Close the left navigation Add Alison A. Motsinger-Reif, Ph.D. Chief, Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3705 [email protected] Shanshan Zhao, Ph.D. Deputy Chief, Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3702 [email protected] Research Summary The Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch carries out basic and applied research dealing with statistical issues of relevance to environmental health. The branch's members develop new methodologies and apply existing techniques in novel ways to address environmental health problems. Members of the branch also advise institute scientists on computational, study design, database and statistical issues via both long-term and short-term collaboration in research projects throughout NIEHS. The branch also offers training at regular intervals. Research in the Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch focuses on several areas: Design and analysis of laboratory animal toxicology/carcinogenicity experiments and development of improved statistical methods Application and development of methodology for epidemiological and clinical human studies Application and development of new bioinformatics techniques for harvesting information from high-dimensional genomic, gene expression and proteomic data Development of new design and analysis approaches in statistical genetics Development of broadly applicable statistical approaches Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch Software See Software to access the data or computer instructions developed by members of the NIEHS Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch. PubMed Publications Pull No data Principal Investigators Applied Statistics Shanshan Zhao, Ph.D. Deputy Chief, Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3702 [email protected] Bioinformatics Leping Li, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3836 [email protected] Computational Systems Biology Benedict N. Anchang, M.Sc., Ph.D. Stadtman Investigator Tel 984-287-3350 [email protected] Constrained Statistical Inference Shyamal D. Peddada, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-4586 [email protected] Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group Jianliang Li, Ph.D. Director, Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group Tel 984-287-3626 [email protected] Statistical Methods and Applications in Epidemiology Clarice R. Weinberg, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3697 [email protected] Statistical Omics Alison A. Motsinger-Reif, Ph.D. Chief, Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch and Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3705 [email protected] Mary V. Diaz Santana, Ph.D. Principal Investigator Tel 984-287-3823 [email protected] Publications Recent Publications Zhou H, Zhai X, Zhou C, Chen J, Wang X, Li L, Shi W, Sun S, Chen G, Hu G, Zuo E, Zhang M. Chemical reprogramming directly resets mouse post-implantation epiblast cells to a totipotent state. Cell research 2026 May;36(5):381-384. Abstract Zhou H, Zhai X, Zhou C, Chen J, Wang X, Li L, Shi W, Sun S, Chen G, Hu G, Zuo E, Zhang M. Chemical reprogramming directly resets mouse post-implantation epiblast cells to a totipotent state. Cell research. 2026 May Akhtari F, Madenspacher J, D'Agostin D, Shuptrine S, MacNell N, Ritter R, Burkholder A, Xu Z, Mack J, House J, Schaid D, McDonnell S, Schurman S, Fargo D, Schmitt C, Hall J, Motsinger-Reif A. Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) Dataset-a resource for genomic, exposomic, and geospatial data. Scientific data 2026 Apr 02 [Epub ahead of print]. Abstract Akhtari F, Madenspacher J, D'Agostin D, Shuptrine S, MacNell N, Ritter R, Burkholder A, Xu Z, Mack J, House J, Schaid D, McDonnell S, Schurman S, Fargo D, Schmitt C, Hall J, Motsinger-Reif A. Personalized Environment and Genes Study (PEGS) Dataset-a resource for genomic, exposomic, and geospatial data. Scientific data. 2026 Apr 02 Kockler Z, Bostan H, Klimczak L, Hsiao Y, Dennen M, Cook M, Mertz T, Perelygina L, Kazanov M, Li J, Roberts S, Gordenin D. APOBEC3A is the predominant global editor of cytosines in human mRNAs and in single-strand RNA viruses. G3 (Bethesda, Md.) 2026 Mar 28 [Epub ahead of print]. Abstract Kockler Z, Bostan H, Klimczak L, Hsiao Y, Dennen M, Cook M, Mertz T, Perelygina L, Kazanov M, Li J, Roberts S, Gordenin D. APOBEC3A is the predominant global editor of cytosines in human mRNAs and in single-strand RNA viruses. G3 (Bethesda, Md.). 2026 Mar 28 Bai L, Feng Z, Zhang X, Li J, Wang Y, Jiang G. Ultraviolet Absorbers Exhibit Dual Modulatory Effects on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Exposed Populations. Environment & health (Washington, D.C.) 2026 Mar 20;4(3):522-532. Abstract Bai L, Feng Z, Zhang X, Li J, Wang Y, Jiang G. Ultraviolet Absorbers Exhibit Dual Modulatory Effects on Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Exposed Populations. Environment & health (Washington, D.C.). 2026 Mar 20 Egbon O, Atitey K, Li J, Anchang B. Spatial-ZEDNet : a unified spatial transcriptomics framework for detecting differential gene activation and expression. Briefings in bioinformatics 2026 Mar 01;27(2):. Abstract Egbon O, Atitey K, Li J, Anchang B. Spatial-ZEDNet : a unified spatial transcriptomics framework for detecting differential gene activation and expression. Briefings in bioinformatics. 2026 Mar 01 More Recent Publications from PubMed Related Links Pandemic vulnerability tool provides county-level snapshots - Environmental Factor, February 2021 NIEHS mourns passing of statistical geneticist Dmitri Zaykin - Environmental Factor, February 2021 Back to Top Last Reviewed: April 22, 2026