Elena Losina, PhD
Adjunct Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Biostatistics

PhD, Boston University
MSc, Odessa I. I. Mechnikov National University



For nearly two decades I have been dedicated to bringing rigorous research methods to bear on pressing clinical and policy questions. I enjoy working closely with clinical investigators in two spheres – rheumatology and orthopaedics. I serve as the principal investigator on several NIH-funded projects and
as the collaborating methodologist on several others. My work focuses on: application of decision analytic models to the analysis of long-term clinical and economic implications of treatment or prevention strategies; statistical analysis of data collected longitudinally or via complex hierarchical surveys; design
and conduct of non-pharmacologic clinical trials.

I am the principal investigator of a multidisciplinary team that has developed the Osteoarthritis (OA) Policy Model, a computer simulation model of prevention, natural history and treatment for knee OA. This model is supported by an RO1 from NIAMS. I am also the Analytic Core Director of a multidisciplinary, international project assessing the prognostic value of serum and imaging biomarkers in knee OA.

Studies of surgery raise especially challenging methodologic problems. I serve as the principal statistician of a NIAMS-funded multicenter RCT of the efficacy of arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in persons with meniscal tear and knee osteoarthritis; principal investigator of an RCT that investigates the efficacy of a patient navigator intervention to enhance recovery following total knee replacement; and principal statistician on a multidimensional population-based study examining the association of hospital volume and outcomes of total hip and knee replacement.

I am a passionate, dedicated educator. Since 2007 I have served as a Core faculty member of EPI 208, the keystone course of the Harvard School of Public Health Program in Clinical Effectiveness. As a core faculty member I lead workshops and seminars and help students to shape research ideas into feasible
research projects. I am also a co-Director of a T32 funded training program in musculoskeletal clinical research based at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

For more than a decade I have served as Principal Investigator of the Methodology Core of the NIAMSfunded P60 Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The core provides direction and support for study design, data management, programming, statistical analysis, psychometric testing, training and education of post-doctoral fellows and other trainees.

In recent years I became interested in implementing methods of behavior economics into workplace wellness programs and to increase physical activity in persons with arthritis. I led the R21 supported pilot RCT and currently work on planning a multicenter RCT to examine the efficacy of two interventions –
financial incentives and telephonic coaching to improve physical activity post total knee replacements.

I spend about a quarter of my time providing methodological mentorship to fellows, medical and doctoral students, and junior faculty. This work is funded in part by a NIAMS K24 Mentoring award. I co-founded and co-directed a short course “Essentials of Clinical Research in Orthopaedics” for orthopaedic fellows. I lead monthly research seminars and co-direct the PRIDE (Pilot Research Incubation and Development) Program in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. This innovative program creates collaborations between clinical investigators and our methodology team to move the clinicians’ research ideas toward feasible projects and publications. I also serve as a Deputy Editor for Methodology and Biostatistics for the premier orthopaedic journal, the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

The breadth of clinical and methodological topics encompassed in my research and mentoring has enabled me to translate methods and concepts across disciplines and cultures.

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

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  1. Fernainy P, Cohen AA, Murray E, Losina E, Lamontagne F, Sourial N. Correction: Rethinking the pros and cons of randomized controlled trials and observational studies in the era of big data and advanced methods: a panel discussion. BMC Proc. 2024 Aug 16; 18(1):16. PMID: 39152441; PMCID: PMC11328414; DOI: 10.1186/s12919-024-00299-w;
     
  2. Becker JE, Shebl FM, Losina E, Wilson A, Levison JH, Donelan K, Fung V, Trieu H, Panella C, Qian Y, Kazemian P, Bird B, Skotko BG, Bartels S, Freedberg KA. Using simulation modeling to inform intervention and implementation selection in a rapid stakeholder-engaged hybrid effectiveness-implementation randomized trial. Implement Sci Commun. 2024 Jun 24; 5(1):70. PMID: 38915130; PMCID: PMC11194878; DOI: 10.1186/s43058-024-00593-w;
     
  3. Yang HY, Song ZS, Collins JE, Losina E. Impact of depressive symptoms on direct medical cost among medicare recipients with knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2024 Jul; 32(7):922-930. PMID: 38710438
     
  4. Kopp PT, Yang C, Yang H, Katz JN, Paltiel AD, Hunter DJ, Callahan LF, Mihalko SL, Newman JJ, DeVita P, Loeser RF, Miller GD, Messier SP, Losina E. Cost-Effectiveness of Community-Based Diet and Exercise for Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis and Obesity or Overweight. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Jul; 76(7):1018-1027. PMID: 38450873
     
  5. Kumara MT, Cleveland RJ, Kostic AM, Weisner SE, Allen KD, Golightly YM, Welch H, Dale M, Messier SP, Hunter DJ, Katz JN, Callahan LF, Losina E. Budget impact of the Walk With Ease program for knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2024 Jun; 6(2):100463. PMID: 38562164; PMCID: PMC10982564; DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100463;
     
  6. Jarman MP, Jin G, Chen A, Losina E, Weissman JS, Berry SD, Salim A. Short-term outcomes of prehospital opioid pain management for older adults with fall-related injury. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 May; 72(5):1384-1395. PMID: 38418369; PMCID: PMC11090711; DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18830;
     
  7. Waddell LM, Musbahi O, Collins JE, Jones MH, Selzer F, Losina E, Katz JN. Responsiveness of Subjective and Objective Measures of Pain and Function Following Operative Interventions for Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Narrative Review. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Jun; 76(6):882-888. PMID: 38221714; PMCID: PMC11132946; DOI: 10.1002/acr.25298;
     
  8. Whittaker JL, Kalsoum R, Bilzon J, Conaghan PG, Crossley K, Dodge GR, Getgood A, Li X, Losina E, Mason DJ, Pietrosimone B, Risberg MA, Roemer F, Felson D, Culvenor AG, Meuffels D, Gerwin N, Simon LS, Lohmander LS, Englund M, Watt FE. Toward designing human intervention studies to prevent osteoarthritis after knee injury: A report from an interdisciplinary OARSI 2023 workshop. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2024 Jun; 6(2):100449.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38440780; PMCID: PMC10910316; DOI: 10.1016/j.ocarto.2024.100449;
     
  9. Luz PM, Spaeth H, Scott JA, Grinsztejn B, Veloso VG, Freedberg KA, Losina E. Variability in life expectancy among people with HIV in Brazil by gender and sexual orientation. Braz J Infect Dis. 2024; 28(1):103722. PMID: 38369294; PMCID: PMC10897846; DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2024.103722;
     
  10. Fernainy P, Cohen AA, Murray E, Losina E, Lamontagne F, Sourial N. Rethinking the pros and cons of randomized controlled trials and observational studies in the era of big data and advanced methods: a panel discussion. BMC Proc. 2024 Jan 18; 18(Suppl 2):1. PMID: 38233894; PMCID: PMC10795211; DOI: 10.1186/s12919-023-00285-8;
     
Showing 10 of 520 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 519 publications over 28 distinct years, with a maximum of 40 publications in 2011

YearPublications
19961
19971
19982
19992
20018
20029
20038
20047
200516
200618
200716
200812
200922
201031
201140
201231
201335
201424
201528
201633
201734
201822
201926
202031
202116
202217
202318
202411


2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International: Clinical Research Award
2012 Association for Rheumatology Health Professionals, Division of American College of Rheumatology: Distinguished Scholar Award
2011 Harvard Medical School: Young Mentor Award
2010-Pres National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Midcareer Mentoring Award
2008 Arthritis Foundation: Innovative Research Grant
2002 American College of Rheumatology (ACR): Arthritis Health Professional Investigator Award
2001 National Institutes of Health (NIH): Mentored Quantitative Research Career Development Award
Contact for Mentoring:

801 Massachusetts Ave
Boston MA 02118
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