Research Core Services

Since 1983, the Department of Public Health Sciences (PHS) at Henry Ford Health has provided scientific, technical, and operational infrastructure supporting clinical, population health, and public health research.

PHS Research Core Services support every stage of the research lifecycle, from study design and data collection to analysis, patient engagement, research operations, and communications. Our researchers lead investigator-initiated, federally funded, and multi-institutional research programs, while our core teams bring together expertise from across PHS and Henry Ford Health to advance research in partnership with clinical, academic, community, and government collaborators.

Who We Are & Who We Partner With

Public Health Sciences works across disciplines and organizations to connect research questions with the expertise, infrastructure, and perspectives needed to address them.

Our Research Core Services

Public Health Sciences Research Core Services bring together specialized scientific, technical, and operational expertise to support research across Henry Ford Health, Michigan State University, and other collaborative research partners.

Biostatistics

The Division of Biostatistics provides expertise in study design, sample size and power calculations, statistical methodology, predictive modeling, data analysis, visualization, and grant development. Biostatisticians collaborate with investigators to apply appropriate statistical methods and clearly interpret research findings.

Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics experts support research involving large and complex molecular datasets, including genetics, genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and microbiome data. Capabilities include project planning, data preparation, computational analysis, bulk and single-cell sequencing analysis, and integration of multiple types of biological information.

Epidemiology

PHS epidemiologists provide expertise in epidemiologic methods, observational study design, protocol development, and analysis of clinical and population health data. The team helps researchers identify patient populations, design study operations, develop data collection methods, examine disease patterns and health outcomes, profile healthcare practices, and address potential sources of bias.

Clinical Research Informatics

Clinical Research Informatics provides technology and application support for the secure collection, management, and analysis of research data. Supported resources include REDCap, SAS, R, Shiny, and high-performance computing capabilities used to support research workflows and complex analyses.

Research Analytics

Research Analytics helps investigators use clinical and population health data to answer complex research questions.

Capabilities include electronic health record data extraction, data mining, database and application development, research data management, geocoding and spatial analysis. These resources can support research examining healthcare utilization, pharmacy information, cancer data, vital signs, neighborhood characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, and other factors related to health and healthcare outcomes.

Medical Record Abstraction

Credentialed medical record abstractors collect detailed research data when information cannot be reliably obtained through automated electronic data extraction.

Abstractors review physician notes, health histories, operative reports, pathology and radiology reports, laboratory results, inpatient records, discharge summaries and other clinical documentation to support epidemiologic, pharmaceutical, clinical, outcomes, and quality research.

Patient Engaged Research Center

The Patient Engaged Research Center (PERC) brings patient and caregiver perspectives into research and healthcare improvement.

Capabilities include focus groups, one-on-one interviews, surveys, patient advisor recruitment, Patient and Family Advisory Councils, committee participation and patient-centered research design. These approaches help researchers better understand and incorporate the priorities and experiences of patients, caregivers, and communities.

Project Management and Research Coordination

Project managers and research coordinators help connect the scientific, regulatory, and operational components of research.

Support can include project planning, study coordination, regulatory activities (Institutional Review Board), research documentation, resource management, data collection oversight, participant activities, stakeholder coordination and reporting to investigators, leadership, and funding organizations.

Research Communications and Marketing

Research Communications and Marketing helps research teams reach and engage appropriate audiences, support study participation, and increase awareness of research across Henry Ford Health and the communities that we serve.

Capabilities include participant recruitment and retention strategy, communications planning, digital outreach, website content development, creative services, print and multimedia development, social media, events, and communications analytics. Digital platforms and data help our teams understand and improve the participant journey from awareness and recruitment through ongoing engagement and retention.

The team also ensures research communications that align with Henry Ford Health, NIH, NCI, and other partners' brand standards while adhering to applicable research and regulatory requirements.

PHS Research Laboratories

PHS Laboratories allow investigators to focus on scientific discovery while leveraging trusted laboratory expertise to support their research goals. Through technical excellence and collaborative consultation, our labs help ensure studies are scientifically rigorous, efficiently executed, and aligned with regulatory requirements, enabling researchers to evaluate samples, accelerate discovery, and expand the impact of their work.

Histology Core

The Histology Core delivers high-quality histology and immunohistochemical services for clinical and basic science research. Services include tissue processing, sectioning, staining, tissue microarrays, genomics support, FISH, and custom IHC or immunofluorescence protocol development.

Specimens accepted:

• Human and animal tissues
• Cell lines
• Circulating tumor cells
• Spheroids
• Tissue microarrays
• Xenografts

Molecular Epidemiology Research Laboratory (MERL)

MERL supports investigator-initiated epidemiologic studies with a basic science component and contributes to NIH-funded research in areas such as allergy and asthma, metabolic disease, and women’s health.

Key capabilities include:

• DNA/RNA isolation
• Sample tracking and storage
• Flow cytometry
• ELISAs
• Multiplex cytokine and chemokine analysis

PHS Flow Cytometry Core

The Flow Cytometry Core provides investigators with access to advanced instrumentation, technical expertise, and full-service support from experimental design through data analysis and publication.

Key capabilities include:

• Multicolor immunophenotyping (up to 12 colors)
• Cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis, and viability assays
• Cytokine and growth factor analysis
• Signal transduction and functional cell assays

Research Across Clinical and Population Health

Explore the broad range of clinical, population health and public health research areas served by Public Health Sciences researchers and core teams. Our expertise supports studies that address disease prevention, healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and health equity, in specialties including but not limited to:

• Cancer
• Precision medicine
• Women’s health
• Pediatrics
• Primary care
• Asthma and allergy
• Health disparities
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Patient and community-engaged research

Our work continues to evolve through collaboration across clinical specialties, scientific disciplines, and emerging areas of health research.

Careers in Public Health Sciences

Public Health Sciences offers opportunities to work at the intersection of research, healthcare and population health.

Our teams include professionals across biostatistics, epidemiology, bioinformatics, data science, research informatics, programming, project management, research coordination, patient engagement, research communications, and other disciplines.

Team members contribute to research ranging from investigator-led studies to large national programs while collaborating with clinicians, scientists and research professionals across Henry Ford Health and partner institutions.

Explore careers at Henry Ford Health