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Suzanne M. Dufault, PhD

Postdoctoral Scholar in Biostatistics

University of California, San Francisco

Biography

I am a biostatistics postdoctoral researcher and TB RAMP scholar at the University of California, San Francisco’s Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Working in close collaboration with UNITE4TB, my current research explores statistical approaches for decision-making in multi-arm regimen-building Phase IIB trials.

I continue to collaborate with the World Mosquito Program to develop and apply novel statistical methodology for the analysis of data from (quasi-)experimental trial designs aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Wolbachia in the control of dengue.

Through consultancies and shorter-term research opportunities, I have also gained experience working with occupational cohort data, survey data, and biomedical big data.

Interests

  • biostatistics
  • epidemiology
  • social epidemiology
  • cluster randomized trials
  • phase IIB trials
  • test negative design
  • infectious diseases
  • reproducible research
  • innovative approaches to teaching

Education

  • PhD in Biostatistics, 2020

    University of California, Berkeley

  • MA in Biostatistics, 2017

    University of California, Berkeley

  • BA in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, 2015

    Macalester College

Featured Publications

June 2022 Scientific Reports

Disruption of spatiotemporal clustering in dengue cases by wMel Wolbachia in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Introgression of wMel into A. aegypti populations is effective in reducing the focal transmission of dengue virus, leading to reduced case incidence.

DOI
June 2021 New England Journal of Medicine

Efficacy of Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Deployments for the Control of Dengue

Introgression of wMel into A. aegypti populations was effective in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue and resulted in fewer hospitalizations for dengue among the participants.

DOI

Recent Publications

Disruption of spatiotemporal clustering in dengue cases by wMel Wolbachia in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Introgression of wMel into A. aegypti populations is effective in reducing the focal transmission of dengue virus, leading to reduced …
DOI

The impact of job loss on self-injury mortality in a cohort of autoworkers: Application of a novel causal approach

Leaving active employment in shrinking industries may increase the risk of death due to suicide or drug overdose.
DOI

Randomization inference for cluster-randomized test-negative designs with application to dengue studies: unbiased estimation, partial compliance, and stepped-wedge design

We propose the log-contrast estimator that can eliminate bias caused by differential healthcare-seeking behavior in cluster-randomized …
DOI

Efficacy of Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Deployments for the Control of Dengue

Introgression of wMel into A. aegypti populations was effective in reducing the incidence of symptomatic dengue and resulted in fewer …
DOI

Suicide, overdose and worker exit in a cohort of Michigan autoworkers

US suicide and overdose mortality rates are rising for working-age adults with no college education. Manufacturing has been declining …
DOI
See all publications

Recent Media

Notable Articles of 2021

New England Journal of Medicine Dec 2021
Our article (Utarini et al) reporting the primary results from the Applying Wolbachia to Eliminate Dengue (AWED) study was highlighted by the NEJM as one of the thirteen most clinically important articles published in the journal in 2021.

Breaking New Ground in Biostatistics

Macalester Today Jan 2021
Suzanne Dufault ‘15 applies a biostatistics lens to pressing public health problems including dengue fever.

Les annees lumieres: Wolbachia, une alliee microscopique dans la lutte contre les virus.

CBC Radio, Montreal Sep 2020
Lutter contre la dengue avec une bacterie: Les details avec Renaud Manuguerra.

Study Shows Efficacy of Method for Reducing Dengue Fever Incidence

The Daily Cal Aug 2020
They found that using the Wolbachia method reduced the occurrence of dengue in the treated population by 77%, according to Jewell. This method involves introducing Wolbachia, a type of bacteria, into populations of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for spreading dengue, according to Dufault.

Projects

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All Breast Cancer Deaths of Despair Dengue

Deaths of Despair

Working with Ellen Eisen, ScD at the University of California, Berkeley, we used an iconic occupational cohort database to explore the …

Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials of TB Therapeutics

My postdoctoral research at UCSF has focused on the development of a Bayesian-supported framework for decision-making in adaptive Phase …

Breast Cancer Research

Working with Mark Powell, MD MPH at the Buck Institute, I help examine genotype and blood biomarkers and their associations with …

Statistical Methods for Vector-Borne Disease Prevention

Vector-borne diseases are a growing threat to global health. I help develop statistical methods to rigorously evaluate the impact of …

Awards and Certificates

Chin Long Chiang Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student

University of California, Berkeley Department of Biostatistics May 2020

UC Dissertation-Year Fellowship

University of California Aug 2019 – May 2020

Statistical Significance Poster Award Runner Up

American Statistical Association’s Scientific and Public Affairs Advisory Committee Jul 2018

Joint Statistical Meetings Student Travel Award

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the American Statistical Association Jul 2018

Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor

University of California, Berkeley May 2018

Group 1 Biomedical Research Investigators Certification

CITI Program, A Division of BRANY Sep 2017 – Sep 2022
See certificate

Research Aspects of HIPAA

UCSD Human Research Protections Program Sep 2017 – Sep 2019

Reshetko Family Scholarship in Honor of Chin Long Chiang

University of California, Berkeley Department of Biostatistics May 2017

Gallery

Photos from research, teaching, and conference trips

Popular Topics

Academic Aedes aegypti biostatistics breast cancer clinical trials cluster randomized trials deaths of despair dengue dissertation research genotypes incremental propensity scores methods negative controls occupational health permutation tests suicide test negative design UAW-GM vector-borne disease wolbachia