Database Management Core

Director

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About This Core

The Database Management Core is directed by Aimee Ellender Stewart and resides in the department of Computing Services. Mrs. Stewart has over 17 years' experience in clinical data management and a team with approximately 55 years combined experience. The database management team serves as a comprehensive clinical data coordinating facility. Their primary responsibility is maintaining the clinical research database and bespoke applications that interface with that database. The team works with researchers to ensure the efficient and accurate transfer of data from observation to electronic files for storage and analysis; monitors the data processing throughout each study's duration; and provides investigators with study-specific data sets via web-based desktop data access. The team has developed custom applications for expedited creation of study-specific data sets that may contain both Pennington Biomedical data and Non-Pennington Biomedical data. This development and data storage paradigm allows the team to work with both intramural and extramural researchers. In addition to supporting and maintaining custom applications, the core administers three local installs of REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture). REDCap is a secured web-based application created at Vanderbilt University. REDCap development and support services are also provided by the core.

Guidelines for Good Clinical Practices as they relate to data handling have been documented and implemented in daily tasks. The group maintains current HIPAA Security Rule training and works closely with the Director of Intellectual Property, Legal and Regulatory Affairs. Programmers are provided with the latest software and hardware which allow them to perform their work efficiently.