As a research center embedded within Kaiser Permanente’s large and dynamic health care system, our investigators have a unique opportunity to apply scientific expertise to real-world clinical problems, translate findings into practice, and share what we learn with the broader community.
Dr. Ali Ghobadi is an emergency medicine physician for the Kaiser Permanente Orange County medical service area. He is vice area research chair for Orange County on the Southern California Permanente Medical Group’s Regional Research Committee. He is the regional assistant physician lead of the e-Autopsy Study Program for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group. He is also an assistant professor of Clinical Science and course director at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson of Medicine.
Dr. ...
Over the years, clinical trials have led to amazing advances in treatment—even cures—for devastating illnesses. William Towner, MD, FACP, FIDSA, regional physician director for clinical trials, describes how trials at Kaiser Permanente contribute to the development of more effective and safer treatments for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis C, cancer, and more. (2:15)
Mingsum Lee, MD, PhD, has been named as the 2025 Southern California Permanente Medical Group Physician Researcher of the Year. Commenting about her selection for the award, one nominator said Dr. Lee “is a true quadruple threat as an exceptional clinician, educator, administrator, and prolific researcher, but also has a humility and generosity which defines ...
In January 2025, when wildfires swept from the foothills above Los Angeles into the densely populated urban areas below, evacuations ensued and a thick layer of smoke spread across the region. Air quality plummeted. The number of virtual visits soared and in person visits also increased. Research led by Kaiser Permanente Southern California and the ...
Researchers have developed a new risk calculation model to help predict the risks of heart problems for breast cancer survivors. Their research was published in JAMA Oncology in October 2025. “There is limited information about how breast cancer treatments can affect the development of cardiovascular disease,” said study co-senior author Reina Haque, PhD, MPH, a ...
A new study led by Kaiser Permanente researchers compared how well 4 different types of glucose-lowering medications reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke for patients with type 2 diabetes, providing important new information for these patients and their physicians. The study, published in JAMA Network Open in October, 2025, analyzed data collected on ...
Breast cancer survivors face a high risk of major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, particularly if they also have insomnia, according to findings from a new study of Kaiser Permanente members. “We determined that the risk of major depression disorder was markedly higher in breast cancer survivors than in a matched group of ...
Check out our latest issue for a roundup of our most recent research and profiles on a few of our newest postdocs. This issue features new findings on opioid tapering programs that show that patients on long-term high-dose opioids who gradually reduced their dose within 3 months faced a lower risk of overdose within a year. It also shares important recent findings that the COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of tinnitus, as well as findings about patterns of breast cancer imaging and Type 2 diabetes remission.
Investigators with the Division of Biostatistics Research collaborate closely with scientists from the department’s other scientific divisions, as well as physician researchers at medical centers across Kaiser Permanente Southern California. They provide expertise and guidance on study design, power and sample size calculations, data management, data analysis and interpretation, and statistical methodology.
Investigators from the division have expertise in study design and data analysis for observational studies and clinical trials to address study questions. Their expertise spans standard and modern methods that deal with complex and big data for population and causal inferences as well as disease prediction.
Each division has at least one dedicated collaborative biostatistician research scientist assigned to provide statistical guidance on its research studies. In addition, one of the collaborative biostatistician researcher scientists leads the Regional Research Statistical Support team, which supports medical center-based researchers.