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Eric Laber

James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Statistical Science
Statistical Science
Box 90251, Durham, NC 27708-0251
221 Old Chem Bldg, Durham, NC 27708

Overview


My work is focused on the use of statistical reinforcement learning to inform decision making in complex and dynamic environments.

Current Appointments & Affiliations


James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Statistical Science · 2023 - Present Statistical Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Statistical Science · 2021 - Present Statistical Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Co-Director of the Duke Computing Initiative · 2025 - Present Statistical Science, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences
Professor of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics · 2021 - Present Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Basic Science Departments
Research Professor of Global Health · 2021 - Present Duke Global Health Institute, University Institutes and Centers

In the News


Published May 4, 2023
Duke Awards 44 Distinguished Professorships
Published February 22, 2021
Increasing Access to Care with the Help of Big Data
Published September 30, 2020
Eric Laber: From Awe-Inspiring Magic to Problem-Solving Statistics

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Recent Publications


Hand Grip Strength Predicts Mortality and Quality of Life in Heart Failure: Insights From the Singapore Cohort of Patients With Advanced Heart Failure.

Journal Article J Card Fail · June 2023 BACKGROUND: Frailty is prevalent among patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality rates and worse patient-centered outcomes. Hand grip strength (GS) has been proposed as a single-item marker of frailty and a potential scree ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reinforcement Learning Methods in Public Health.

Journal Article Clinical therapeutics · January 2022 PurposeReinforcement learning (RL) is the subfield of machine learning focused on optimal sequential decision making under uncertainty. An optimal RL strategy maximizes cumulative utility by experimenting only if and when the information generated ... Full text Cite

Sample Size Calculations for SMARTs

Journal Article · June 16, 2019 Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trials (SMARTs) are considered the gold standard for estimation and evaluation of treatment regimes. SMARTs are typically sized to ensure sufficient power for a simple comparison, e.g., the comparison of two fixed ... Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants


Next-generation SMARTs for Discovery and Evaluation of Sequential Cancer Therapeutic Strategies

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Cancer Institute · 2023 - 2028

Digital mental health intervention for middle-aged and older adults with depression and/or anxiety and coexisting chronic pain

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Washington University in St. Louis · 2024 - 2028

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Education, Training & Certifications


University of Michigan, Ann Arbor · 2011 Ph.D.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor · 2007 M.A.