Indianapolis, October 22, 2008 — The Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention today announced that, through an arrangement with the University of North Carolina, Dr. Steve Marshall will serve as Director of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. In this capacity he will oversee and manage all surveillance, research, analysis and health policy activities for the newly launched organization.
Dr. Marshall is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he conducts research on injury prevention, with a specific focus on sports medicine. He is also a faculty member in the Departments of Orthopedics and Exercise and Sport Science, and is a Core Faculty member and Biostatistician at the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center. A noted methodologist, Dr. Marshall has an international reputation for the design and analysis of sports injury studies.
“The Datalys Center seeks to be the preeminent center for sports injury and public health information, and Dr. Marshall’s passion and commitment to this research area will be invaluable to the development of the organization,” said Troy Hege, President of the Datalys Center. “He is an integral member of the sports medicine and epidemiology communities, and his voice will be important in advancing the goals of our organization and in leading research activities that will have a positive impact on human health.”
Dr. Marshall brings a strong track record in research to the Datalys Center. His current research is focused on injuries from sports and recreational physical activities, including severe knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. He is a primary investigator of a National Institutes of Health-funded prospective cohort study of biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury that is based at the three largest U.S. military academies (Air Force, Army and Navy). He has also conducted studies on protective equipment in youth baseball and rugby, and on concussions. He has a strong interest in injury surveillance data and the statistical analysis of multi-year data from injury surveillance systems.
Dr. Marshall earned his B.S. degree in mathematics from the University of Canterbury and conducted his graduate studies in statistics at Lincoln University (both located in Canterbury, New Zealand). Dr. Marshall received his Ph.D. in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1999.
“As an epidemiologist, researcher, instructor, and public health professional, Dr. Marshall’s expertise encompasses all of the critical elements of the Datalys Center – research, analysis and health policy,” said Robert Vowels, Vice President of Educational Services, National Collegiate Athletic Association. “He’ll be an outstanding asset as Datalys moves forward.”
“Too often sports injuries are thought to be largely unavoidable –’just part of the game’ or ’the price you pay to play’ – but in fact sports injuries are highly preventable,” said Dr. Marshall. “Because of the vision of the NCAA, and other organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, National Athletic Trainers Association, and American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the Datalys Center can help decrease the incidence and consequences of sports injuries.”
The Datalys Center also announced today that Susanne Wolf, RN will serve as the organization’s Senior Project Coordinator. Ms. Wolf received her degree in Nursing from Cornell University and a Masters of Public Health from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her experience includes 30 years of
successfully planning and implementing research projects in collaboration with various prominent principal investigators. She has extensive previous experience in surveillance of occupational injuries.
“We are extremely exited to have Ms. Wolf join the Datalys team,” said Hege. “She brings a tremendous amount of relevant experience and expertise to the Datalys Center, and together with Dr. Marshall, represents the core of a scientific team that will be instrumental in helping the Datalys Center become a leading innovator in sports injury research.”
About The Datalys Center
The Datalys Center (www.datalyscenter.org) is a national non-profit organization that conducts and provides research and surveillance expertise to support the sports injury information needs of organizations focused on improving the health and safety of the growing number of Americans who are physically active and/or participate in sports. Through the Center’s collection and analysis of sports participation, injury and treatment data, programs, policies, rules and education can be developed in order to prevent and treat sports injuries more effectively.
Datalys is a combination of the words “data” and “analysis”, symbolizing the Center’s work in sports injury research, data collection and translation of the information into actionable outcomes. In Greek mythology, Daedalus was a clever and skillful inventor and problem solver, a fitting image as the Center will provide answers and solutions to the sports medicine community about sports injury and prevention.