SERious EPI
SERious EPI is a podcast hosted by Hailey Banack and Matt Fox where leading epidemiology researchers are interviewed on cutting edge and novel methods. Interviews focus on why these methods are so important, what problems they solve, and how they are currently being used.
Episodes
June 15, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode we follow up on our conversation with Tim Lash on Quantitative Bias Analysis (QBA), something both Hailey and I have experience with. We talk about what QBA is, why you would want to use it and for what sources of bias it is most applicable. We talk about our own experience with QBA and when we find it most useful. We talk about cases where lots of measurement error leads to little bias and cases where small amounts...
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May 15, 2025 • 58 mins
In this episode we talk to Dr. Timothy Lash of Emory University about Quantitative Bias Analysis (QBA). We talk about how QBA is any method that quantifies the impact of non-random error. We talk about direction magnitude and uncertainty. We differentiate from sensitivity analysis, and we talk about how to identify key sources of bias. We talk about bias models and bias parameters and how we draw inferences from bias analyses. We t...
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April 15, 2025 • 52 mins
In this episode Hailey and Matt talk about Matt’s technology troubles (including having his computer just decide not to let him log on) before we discuss regression discontinuity and difference in difference approaches as part of quasi experimental methods. We focus on what quasi experimental means and encompasses and its relation to natural experiments. We talk about who owns interrupted time series (epidemiologists, economists, o...
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March 15, 2025 • 55 mins
In this episode we talk to Dr. Usama Bilal of Drexel University about Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) and Difference-in-Differences (DiD), two quasi experimental methods that fall under the instrumental variables framework which we discussed in previous episodes. We talk about what RDD is, the different types (fuzzy vs sharp) and what we are actually estimating (LATE vs CACE). We talk about the bias vs variance tradeoff in ho...
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February 15, 2025 • 49 mins
In this episode, Hailey and Matt discuss whether IVs are rebellious or magical or the midlife crisis of methods. We talk about how they deal with confounding problems. We talk about how they are used to attempt to mimic randomization and the assumptions for IVs. We talk about why it’s so helpful to think about who gets the exposure and why for causal inference. We talk about how IVs fit in with the target trial framework and wham i...
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January 15, 2025 • 55 mins
In this episode, we discuss instrumental variables with Dr. Rita Hamad of Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health. This episode is focused on the first part of Chapter 28 of Modern Epidemiology 4th edition on quasi experimental methods. We start with what quasi experimental designs are and why we would want to use them (and whether more epidemiologists are being exposed to them). We also talk about why these methods are more comm...
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December 15, 2024 • 52 mins
In this episode we follow up on our conversation about mediation. We talk about what mediation is and when it is useful. We talk about the history of these methods. We debate what direct and indirect effects are. We describe natural and controlled effects. We discuss the importance of the number 666 in Matt’s life. We talk about exposure mediator interaction. Matt learns what kinesiology is. We discuss proportion mediated and prop...
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November 15, 2024 • 58 mins
In this episode, Matt and Hailey talk with Dr. Kara Rudolph and Dr. Ivan Diaz about mediation analysis. We talk through what it is, what it means and when we want to do it. We talk about mechanism of causation and how mediation can help. We cover things like natural direct and indirect effects and controlled direct effects (and why there isn’t a controlled indirect effect – a thing that stumped Matt for some time). And we discuss t...
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October 15, 2024 • 53 mins
In this episode, Hailey and Matt continue on their discussion on study efficiency and realize that we think about efficiency in very different ways. We talk about the difference between statistical efficiency and cost efficiency and we each make our case for one of them being the driving force in how we design and analyze studies. It may be the biggest disagreement we’ve had yet (though maybe that was interaction).We talk about mat...
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September 15, 2024 • 51 mins
In this episode we are joined by Professor Robert Platt of McGill University to talk about study efficiency and the ways we can think about this in terms of study design. We talk about hierarchies of evidence and its relationship to things like target validity. We get into why we think case control studies are so often misunderstood, particularly with respect to missing that they should be nested within a cohort. We talked about t...
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September 3, 2024 • 36 mins
We kick off season 4 by reminiscing about the origins of the podcast and preview what’s upcoming for season 4 where we will continue on our last season of reviewing Modern Epidemiology 4th edition. We touch on a few of the topics we are most excited about for the coming season and we preview some small formatting changes. But then we put each other through the fun questions that we ask our guests so you all can get to know us bette...
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It’s hard to believe this is the final episode of season 3! In this season finale episode, we continue our discussion of topics related to Chapter 26 in Modern Epidemiology (4th Edition) with Dr. Eric Tchetgen Tchetgen. In this conversation we ask Dr. Tchetgen Tchetgen to help us better understand several issues related to interaction, including why it’s so important to study interaction. He provides a helpful framework for thinki...
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January 15, 2024 • 47 mins
Matt and Hailey take a deep dive into Chapter 26 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th Edition, Analysis of Interaction. This episode needs a content warning- it is among the most advanced and conceptually complex topics we have ever covered on SERious Epi. Interaction occurs when the effect of one exposure on outcome depends in some way on the presence or absence of another exposure. Seems like a simple enough concept, right? However, as yo...
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January 9, 2024 • 48 mins
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Sonia Hernandez Diaz for a discussion on Chapter 25 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th edition. This chapter is focused on methods for causal inference in longitudinal settings, with a particular focus on time varying exposures. Dr. Hernandez-Diaz helps to explain some of the conceptual and methodological challenges related to time-varying exposures, including the advanced analytic strategies required...
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October 31, 2023 • 40 mins
This episode is focused on Chapter 25 of Modern Epidemiology 4th edition, Causal Inference with Time Varying Exposures. In this episode, Matt and Hailey talk about how we should think about exposures that change over time. We discuss the concept of feedback loops- scenarios where the exposure affects outcome which affects a later time point of exposure and then that exposure affects a later outcome. We think about whether biologic ...
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September 30, 2023 • 42 mins
Recording from across the globe, in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Margarita Moreno-Betancur joins us for an episode on Chapter 22 in Modern Epidemiology (4th edition) on Time-to-Event Analyses. This is a chapter focused on the methods we use when the timing of the occurrence of the event is of central importance. Dr. Moreno-Betancur answers all our questions about these types of analyses, including: the importance of the time scale, de...
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August 31, 2023 • 48 mins
In this episode Matt and Hailey discuss Chapter 22 of the 4th edition of Modern Epidemiology. This is a chapter focused on time to event analyses including core concepts related to time scales, censoring, and understanding rates. We discuss the issues and challenges related to time to event analyses and analytic approaches in this setting including Kaplan Meier, Cox Proportional Hazards, and other types of fancy models that are fre...
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In this episode we discuss Chapter 18 in the Modern Epidemiology (4th Ed) textbook focused on stratification and standardization with Dr. Rich MacLehose. We invited the illustrious Dr. MacLehose to be the guest for this chapter because it is one of the most important in the book, linking the theoretical concepts discussed in the early chapters with the advanced analytic techniques discussed in subsequent chapters. In this episode w...
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June 30, 2023 • 41 mins
This is an episode focused on ME4 Chapter 18 (Stratification and Standardization). This is a pretty formula-heavy chapter and I’m sure all of our listeners are tuning in to hear Matt’s voice read them to you: “The sum of M1i times T0i….”. So sorry to disappoint, but instead, we focused this issue on big picture conceptual issues discussed in the chapter. Matt and Hailey talk about the importance of stratification, compare pooling a...
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May 30, 2023 • 41 mins
In this episode we feature a super expert on all things related to selection bias, Dr. Chanelle Howe. There are a lot of confusing issues related to selection bias: how it’s defined, how it relates to collider stratification bias, whether it’s a threat to internal or external validity (or both!). Chanelle helps us understand many of the nuances related to selection bias and provides helpful resources for readers interested in learn...
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