That answer could come from biostatistics expert C. Hendricks Brown, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and public health, and his team of researchers. They're experts at combining the results of randomized prevention and intervention studies to develop broader findings that impact public health at a national level. In fact, Brown's most recent National Institutes of Health grant - his fourth renewal - is for new research in "Collaborative Data Synthesis for Adolescent Depression Trials," a project he is working on with Hilda Pantin, Ph.D., and Tatiana Perrino, Psy.D., respectively associate professor and research assistant professor of epidemiology and public health.

Noting Brown is "among the very best in the nation," José Szapocznik, Ph.D., professor and chair of epidemiology and public health, cites a list of accolades, including his consistent NIH funding. His latest grant, for $671,000, likely will receive four more years of funding, for a total of $2.5 million, to help develop new statistical methods to synthesize the vast literature on prevention and treatment of adolescent depression.

Brown, who has a Master of Arts in chemistry from the University of Chicago, switched to statistics when he realized he preferred working with numbers that represent real people and help solve real problems.

While pursuing his Ph.D. in statistics at Chicago, Brown had the opportunity to work with the university's Social Psychology Study Center on a major study of the mental health development of African-American youth from first grade to adolescence. The experience cemented his desire to concentrate on adolescent development, and has made a real difference in the real world.

"Our studies provide more useful guidelines than you could get in one single study about the impact of an intervention, particularly to a group based on its race or ethnicity," says Brown, who is also the director of the Prevention Science and Methodology Group at the Miller School's Center for Family Studies.

"There are many individual programs for intervening and preventing the serious problems youth face today that could have widespread social impact," he continues. "Our challenge is to help show these good programs can be vastly effective on a broader scale so we can realize maximum benefit.''

Not surprisingly, some of the 43 studies Brown has used in his depression research originated at UM, including Familias Unidas, a Center for Family Studies initiative that uses facilitator-led group sessions and in-home discussions to increase parent involvement in the lives of their adolescents. Tested in Miami, the program has proven effective at reducing drug use and high-risk sexual behavior among adolescents, reducing their risk for HIV and other diseases.

Brown says there are indications that Familias Unidas is also beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms. "We think this is more general and could be expanded to other parts of the country, particularly to Hispanic communities,'' he says. "One of the program's strongest effects appears to happen among parents who themselves have dealt with alcohol abuse, and that's very beneficial for families who are seriously challenged in providing good parenting."

As a result, Brown and his team will continue to focus on parenting and the emerging evidence that "particular styles of parenting appear to have benefits in terms of reducing the onset of depressive episodes in adolescents." They'll also continue exploring the findings of national researchers who delved into the role anti-depressants play in adolescent suicides.

Brown, who has two adult children with wife Kathi Cervenka, a family and couples psychotherapist, loves making a difference.

"Every day my work gives me a chance to help improve society by allowing me to work with so many people who are passionate about helping youth in this country."