News

Dr. Hua "Judy" Zhong, an esteemed researcher and biostatistician, has been named chief of the Division of Biostatistics in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine, effective July 29.  

Biostatistics is the application of statistical techniques for scientific research in health-related fields, including medicine, biology and public health. It also encompasses development of novel methodologies that translate to better study design and analyses.

In her new role as chief, Dr. Zhong will focus on pioneering innovations that leverage cutting-edge biostatistical methods, fostering collaboration and providing support to the research enterprise across Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Zhong will also direct the Biostatistics Shared Resource at the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, where she will lead and coordinate all biostatistical support.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Zhong," said Dr. Rainu Kaushal, senior associate dean for clinical research and chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences. "She is an expert in biostatistical methods and an institutional leader who will advance our research endeavors across the clinical, translational and basic science disciplines." 

Dr. Zhong's research, which has been continuously supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, focuses on investigating cardiovascular disease risk and disability outcomes in older adults, including data science from electronic health records.

Recruited from NYU Langone Health, Dr. Zhong served as a professor in the Department of Population Health and co-director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource at the Perlmutter Cancer Center. There, she led the statistical reviews for the protocol review & monitoring committee and the data and safety monitoring committee, and served as core director for statistics and data management for their melanoma and lung Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) applications.

“Dr. Zhong’s recruitment brings a wealth of experience, which will ensure rigorous and innovative research in the Meyer Cancer Center,” said Dr. Jedd Wolchok, Meyer Director of the Meyer Cancer Center. “She fills a critical role on our team, which will help advance our efforts toward designation from the National Cancer Institute.” 

"I am honored to join the Department of Population Health Sciences and the Meyer Cancer Center. The unwavering support and vision for excellence in research at Weill Cornell Medicine are truly inspiring," said Dr. Zhong. "I am excited to collaborate with such a talented group of colleagues and to lead our efforts in advancing biostatistical methods. And I look forward to contributing to the institution’s outstanding research environment  and making a meaningful impact on population health." 

Dr. Zhong received her Ph.D. from the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Washington. She has published more than 120 articles in peer-reviewed publications, and is a member of the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics, and the Association of Clinical and Translational Statisticians. She serves on the advisory boards for La Hoffman Roche Biometrics and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the data and safety monitoring committee at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and is part of the NIH Office of Data Science Strategy workgroup to improve AI-readiness and AI-workforce diversity.

Additionally, she is a member of the statistical reviewer boards for The Lancet, The Lancet Hematology, Nature Medicine, JNCI, Stroke, CHEST and Cell. Dr. Zhong holds three patents, which cover methods for predicting the development of melanoma brain metastasis, mRNA-based gene expression for personalizing patient cancer therapy, and methods for personalizing patient cancer therapy.