Bridging Math and Medicine

Hi, my name is Nikolaus Greb and I am a senior Mathematics-Statistics major from Seattle. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO. As a participant in the Colorado Summer Institute in Biostatistics (CoSIBS), I was immersed in an interdisciplinary training and research program that introduced me to the fascinating field of biostatistics.

Biostatistics is the theory and application of statistics in biological systems and biomedical research, and now plays a critical role in advancing medical and public health knowledge. CoSIBS exposed me to a diverse array of research areas within the medical and public health settings. The program is designed to provide advanced undergraduate and early-stage graduate students like me with a comprehensive introduction to biostatistics and the frontiers of data sciences.

With new technological advances, there are unprecedented opportunities for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. The development of new methods in biostatistics and data sciences is essential to fully leverage these advances and translate them into clinical care.

During my internship, I worked on a project that involved utilizing programming languages including R and Python in order to develop a Force Directed Algorithm to create correlational radar plots for multivariate datasets, exploring associations between asthma and sleep apnea. This project allowed me to apply and enhance my skills in data analysis, algorithm development, and visualization techniques. It was really exciting to see how data could be transformed into meaningful visual representations that could potentially guide clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes.

One of the highlights of my internship was the opportunity to interact and learn from the excellent faculty across multiple departments and campuses at the University of Colorado. Their expertise and guidance were invaluable in helping me understand the complex concepts and methodologies of the field. Working alongside fellow students who shared a passion for data sciences and biostatistics created a stimulating and collaborative learning environment that was extremely fun and rewarding.

My summer at CoSIBS has been an enriching and transformative experience, as it has not only deepened my understanding of biostats but also ignited a passion for pursuing a career in this field. The program has equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute meaningfully and I am excited to continue exploring and apply what I have learned to make a significant impact in biomedical research and healthcare. And of course, I would like to thank the Whitman Internship Grant for making this and everyone else’s internship experiences possible.