Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of Global Engagement; Professor, Department of Biostatistics

Department of Biostatistics
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Dr. Meza’s methodological research focuses on statistical issues related to clinical trials and small-area estimation. These methods have been extended to disease mapping applications and combining national and state data to estimate the probability of a rare event. She has been responsible for the statistical design, conduct and analysis of clinical, basic science and public health research in numerous projects. 

Dr. Meza was the former Co-Director of the Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) for the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, past-Director of the Center for Collaboration on Research Design and Analysis at UNMC, and she has served on the NCI Clinical Oncology Study Section and published extensively in the field.The interdisciplinary nature of Dr. Meza’s work has resulted in research in a wide variety of public health-related topics, including rhabdomyosarcoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, smoking, COPD, health insurance and medication errors. 

Dr. Meza is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement at UNMC and the University of Nebraska Omaha.

Professional Summary

• 2020-Present: Interim Executive Director of the Office of Health Safety, University of Nebraska Omaha
• 2018-Present: Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement, University of Nebraska Medicine, University of Nebraska Omaha
• 2014-Present: Senior Associate Dean, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
• 2017-2018: Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Global and Student Support, University of Nebraska Medicine, University of Nebraska Omaha
• 2013-2014: Interim Dean, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center.
• 2010-2017: Chair, Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health.
• 2010-Present: Professor, Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health.
• 2007-Present: Courtesy Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Nursing.
• 2004-Present: Courtesy Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Statistics.
• 2007-Present Director, Center for Collaboration on Research Design and Analysis, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health
• 2001-Present: Graduate Faculty Member, University of Nebraska.
• 2008-2010: Interim Chair, Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health.
• 2006-2010: Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health.
• 2000-2006: Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Preventive and Societal Medicine.
• 2000-Present: University of Nebraska College of Medicine
• 2004-Present: Courtesy Appointment, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dept. of Statistics

Education

• PhD Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2000
• MS Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1998
• BS Mathematics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1996

Courses Taught

• BIOS806, Biostatistics I
• BIOS808, Biostatistics II
• BIOS 818, Biostatistical Methods II

Research Interest & Projects

My methodological research focuses on statistical issues related to small-area estimation. These methods have been extended to disease mapping applications and combining national and state data to estimate the probability of a rare event.

Selected Publications

• Chaturvedi, P., Singh, A. P., Chakraborty, S., Chauhan, S. C., Bafna, S., Meza, J. L., et al. (2008). MUC4 mucin interacts with and stabilizes the HER2 oncoprotein in human pancreatic cancer cells. Cancer Research, 68(7), 2065-2070. PMCID: PMC2835497
• Lin, C., Charlton, M. E., Meza, J. L., Enke, C. A., & Loberiza, F. R.,Jr. (2010). Temporal and regional variations in the use of preoperative radiation therapy for rectal cancer. American Journal of Clinical Oncology, 33(5), 443-447. PMID: 19952718
• Macha MA, Rachagani S, Pai P, Gupta S, Lydiatt WM, Smith RB, Johansson SL, Lele SM, Kakar SS, Lee JH, Meza J, Ganti AK, Jain M, Batra SK. MUC4 regulates cellular senescence in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through p16/Rb pathway. Oncogene. 2014 Apr 21. 10.1038/onc.2014.102. PubMed PMID: 24747969. PMCID: PMC4205229
• Shull JD, Lachel CM, Strecker TE, Spady TJ, Tochacek M, Pennington KL, Murrin CR, Meza JL, Schaffer BS, Flood LA, Gould KA (2006).  Genetic bases of renal agenesis in the ACI rat: mapping of Renag1 to chromosome 14.  Mamm Genome. 17(7):751-9
• Raney RB, Walterhouse DO, Meza JL, Andrassy RJ, Breneman JC, Crist WM, Maurer HM, Meyer WH, Parham DM, Qualman SJ, Wiener ES, and Anderson JR (2011).  Results of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) D9602 protocol, using vincristine and dactinomycin with or without cyclophosphamide and radiation therapy, for newly diagnosed patients with low-risk embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, 1997-2004:  A report from the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group.  Journal of Clinical Oncology 29(10): 1312-1318.  PMID: 21357783. PMCID: PMC3083999
• Russell, H., Swint, J. M., Lal, L., Meza, J., Walterhouse, D., Hawkins, D. S., et al. (2014). Cost minimization analysis of two treatment regimens for low-risk rhabdomyosarcoma in children: A report from the children's oncology group. Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 61(6), 970-976. PMCIC: PMC 4370185
• Walterhouse DO, Meza JL, Breneman JC, Donaldson SS, Hayes-Jordan A, Pappo AS, Arndt C, Raney RB, Meyer WH, and Hawkins DS (2011).  Local control and outcome in children with localized vaginal rhabdomyosarcoma:  A report from the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Children’s Oncology Group.  Pediatric Blood Cancer.  2011 Feb 4. doi: 10.1002/pbc.22928. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 21298768. PMCID: PMC 3459820
• Meza, J. L., Anderson, J., Pappo, A. S., Meyer, W. H., & Children's Oncology Group. (2006). Analysis of prognostic factors in patients with nonmetastatic rhabdomyosarcoma treated on intergroup rhabdomyosarcoma studies III and IV: The children's oncology group. Journal of Clinical Oncology: Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 24(24), 3844-3851

Professional Affiliations

• American Statistical Association
• American Public Health Association
• Public Health Association of Nebraska