Mary E. Putt, PhD, ScD

Professor of Biostatistics

Dr. Putt's research interests focus on crossover trials and the analysis of gene-expression data. In a crossover trial, subjects receive more than one treatment sequentially. A crossover design can be an effective research tool for a chronic disease because it is highly efficient. However, the estimate of the treatment effect may be aliased with nuisance parameters and, particularly, carryover. Carryover can be thought of as the effect of a treatment that lingers into the period following its administration. Dr. Putt's research examines both theoretical aspects of analyzing crossover studies and some practical issues involved in making the decision to use a crossover trial in a clinical study.

Dr. Putt's main collaborations are currently in cancer research, mental retardation and developmental disabilities, and heart disease. She also is involved in collaborative research examining the effect of distrust and segregation on disparities in health outcomes among different racial/ethnic groups.