Faculty Profile

Morton Brown

Morton B. Brown, PhD

  • Professor Emeritus, Biostatistics

After receiving his PhD from Princeton, Dr. Brown joined the research faculty of the Department of Biomathematics at UCLA. From 1968 to 1981 he was a faculty member of the Department of Statistics at Tel-Aviv University where he developed the statistical consulting laboratory. During this period he also visited UCLA for three years where he was responsible for the development of the categorical data analysis programs in BMDP. Since joining the Department of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan, he has collaborated with medical school colleagues in developing methods for the analysis of hormone data. From 1998-2007, he built the infrastructure to be the data coordinating center for multicenter trials and was the Principal Investigator on two NIH-funded multicenter networks, as well as the director of the data coordinating center for several other trials. His research interests are: Clinical Trials, Categorical Data Analysis, Statistical Computing, Robust Methods and Model Fitting.

  • PhD, Mathematics (Statistics), Princeton University, 1965
  • B.A., Mathematics, McGill University, 1962

Our current interest is the design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials, both single center and multi-center trials. We have developed infrastructure to conduct multicenter trials using the Biometrics and Outcomes Research Core as the data coordinating center. We are currently the data coordinating center for several NIH funded multi-center trials; including one on pelvic floor disorders and the other on biliary atresia and other cholestatic diseases in the infant. In addition, my students have developed statistical methods and/or models in response to problems in medicine or biology. Examples of such problems are: (1) A statistic to test for differences between groups when the outcome is continuous and there are dropouts from the study; (2) Improved (more robust) methods that will be used for the analysis of assays of hormones; (3) Methods to identify patterns of secretion of hormones into the blood, such as pulses or cycles; (4) Models of secretion of one hormone as a function of the secretion of a second hormone.

Guo W and MB Brown (2000). Structural time series models with feedback mechanisms. Biometrics 56, 686-691.

Isaman, DJM, WH Herman and MB Brown (2006). A discrete-state discrete-time model using indirect observation. Statistics in Medicine 25, 1035-1049.

McClure LA and MB Brown (2006). A Likelihood Approach to Analyzing Clinical Trial Data When Treatments Favor Different Outcomes. Contemporary Clinical Trials 27, 340-352.

N Carlson, T Johnson, MB Brown (2009). A Bayesian approach to modeling associations between pulsatile hormones. Biometrics 65, 650-659.

B Luke, MB Brown, E Wantman, A Lederman, W Gibbons, GL Schattman, RA Lobo, RE Leach, JE Stern, A SART Writing Group (2012). Cumulative birth rates from linked assisted reproductive technology cycles. New England Journal of Medicine 366: 2483-2491.

B Luke, MB Brown, E Wantman, JE Stern, VL Baker, E Widra, CC Coddington III, WE Gibbons, BJ Van Voorhis, GD Ball (2015). Application of a Validated Prediction Model for in Vitro Fertilization: Comparison of Live Birth Rates and Multiple Birth Rates with One Embryo Transferred over Two Cycles versus Two Embryos in One Cycle. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 212: 676e1-e7.

B Luke, MB Brown, SA Missmer, LG Spector, RE Leach, M Williams, L Koch, YR Smith, JE Stern, GD Ball, MJ Schymura (2016). Assisted reproductive technology use and outcomes among women with a history of cancer. Human Reproduction 31, 183-189.

Spector LG, Brown MB, Wantman E, Letterie GS, Toner JP, Doody K, Ginsburg E, Williams M, Koch L, Schymura MJ, Luke B (2019). Association of in vitro fertilization with childhood cancer in the United States. JAMA Pediatrics 173(6):e190392. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.0392.

Luke B, Brown MB, Wantman E, Forestieri NE, Browne ML, Fisher SC, Forestieri NE, Yazdy MM, Ethen MK, Canfield MA, Watkins S, Nichols HB, Farland LV, Oehninger S, Doody KJ, Eisenberg ML, Baker VL (2021). The risk of birth defects with conception by assisted reproductive technology. Human Reproduction 36:116-129.

Luke B, Brown MB, Nichols HB, Schymura MJ, Browne ML, Fisher SC, Forestieri NE, Rao C, Yazdy MM, Gershman ST, Ethen MK, Canfield MA, Williams M, Wantman E, Oehninger S, Doody KJ, Eisenberg ML, Baker VL, Lupo PJ (2020). Assessment of birth defects and cancer risk in children conceived via in vitro fertilization. JAMA Network Open 3(10):e2022927.

M4039 SPH II
1415 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2029

Office: 734-936-0992
Fax: 734-763 2215

Email: [email protected]

Areas of Expertise: Biostatistics