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Robert Makuch, PhD

Professor Emeritus of Biostatistics
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Additional Titles

Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

Director, Regulatory Affairs Track

About

Titles

Professor Emeritus of Biostatistics

Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Director, Regulatory Affairs Track

Biography

Robert Makuch is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the Yale School of Public Health and Director of the Regulatory Affairs Track. A graduate of the University of Connecticut (BA), University of Washington (MA – mathematics), and Yale University (MPhil, PhD), Professor Makuch worked at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer early in his career. He also worked for six months at the National Cancer Research Center in Tokyo, Japan.

He also was heavily involved in HIV research from the mid 80's through the early-mid 90's. He participated on the data monitoring committee for the original AZT vs. placebo randomized clinical trial in AIDS patients, and served on numerous committees for the NCI and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He also worked closely with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), developing and implementing more than 200 HIV studies. He also served as a Special Government Employee (SGE) to the FDA. He returned to Yale in 1986, and has worked extensively on methodologic issues in clinical trials and large population-based studies since. Another area of current interest involves detection of rare adverse drug events, especially in the post-marketing environment.

These areas of methodologic research evolved as a result of his continued interest (since the mid 1980s) in regulatory affairs science. In addition, Makuch developed a regulatory affairs track at YSPH for graduate and post-doctoral level students, and over the past 10 years has been the leader of more than 25 training programs for senior delegations of the Chinese Food and Drug Administration. His areas of medical application include cancer, HIV, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease.

In 2003, Makuch received the American Statistical Association Fellow Award for his numerous contributions to the field. In 2008, Makuch was received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Connecticut. In 2012, Makuch was nominated to serve on the University of Connecticut Dean's Advisory Board for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He also has been a decades-long member of Phi Beta Kappa. He also developed a 5-year biostatistics training program in Japan, in collaboration with the Japanese government. His primary research interests continue to be methodologic issues in the design, conduct, analysis, and interpretation of clinical and large-population/epidemiologic studies. Design and sample size considerations for Phase IV studies is another active research area, in which a new class of hybrid designs has been proposed for scientific and regulatory purposes to detect rare adverse events.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

PhD
Yale University (1977)

Research

Overview

  • Genetic and Brain Image Analysis of Premature Infants
  • Clinical Studies of Methods to Stop/Prevent Smoking
  • Biostatistical Design and Analysis Issues for Detection of Rare Adverse Events

Medical Research Interests

Biostatistics; Clinical Trials, Phase IV as Topic; Infant, Premature; Public Health; Smoking Cessation

Public Health Interests

Maternal & Child Health; Regulatory Affairs; Pharmacoepidemiology

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Robert Makuch's published research.

Publications

2022

2020

2017

2015

2014

2012

2010

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • activity

    Liver Cancer Prevention

  • activity

    Osteoarthritis and Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

  • honor

    Fellow, American Statistical Association

  • honor

    Member, Phi Beta Kappa

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number
Office Fax Number

Locations

  • 60 College Street

    Academic Office

    Ste 203

    New Haven, CT 06510