Thomas R Belin

Thomas R Belin is a Professor in the Department of Biostatistics at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, with a secondary appointment as Professor in Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. He maintains an active research program focused on statistical methodology for incomplete data, particularly in mental health services research and public health applications.

Dr. Belin's research interests center on biostatistical methods for missing data imputation, with significant contributions to methodology for mental health studies. His work spans epidemiology, substance abuse research (particularly methamphetamine), oral health statistics, and community-partnered participatory research. He has developed innovative approaches for handling incomplete longitudinal data and multi-item scales in health research.

His publication record shows consistent productivity with 15+ publications annually in recent years, with research spanning public health, biostatistics, psychiatry, and dental health. His work demonstrates strong interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple departments at UCLA and with researchers nationwide. His recent publications (2023-2025) continue to focus on methodological advances in missing data, health disparities research, and applications to pressing public health issues including the COVID-19 pandemic and substance use disorders.

Dr. Belin has served as Principal Investigator on significant NIH-funded research including 'Imputation for Moderate Sized Mental Health Studies' (R01MH060213) and 'Methods for Incomplete Mental Health Services Data' (R29MH057082), demonstrating sustained extramural funding for his methodological research.

His work has been widely cited across multiple disciplines, with publications appearing in high-impact journals across biostatistics, public health, psychiatry, and dental research. His research has had significant policy impact, with numerous publications referenced in policy documents, clinical guidelines, and news outlets.