Dr. Margaret Piper is a Senior Investigator with the Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates Evidence-based Practice Center. She has more than 15 years of experience conducting evidence-based evaluations of new medical technology. In this role, she conducts systematic reviews according to peer-reviewed methods, working on background and problem formulation, study selection, quality review, and quantitative evaluation of evidence for new medical technologies compared to standard practice.
Before joining CHR, Dr. Piper was the director of genomics resources at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center (TEC), which is another AHRQ-funded Evidence-based Practice Center. At TEC, she conducted systematic reviews of medical technology, including topics in autoimmunity and transplantation, oncology, and laboratory medicine, with a particular emphasis in recent years on genomics and genetic testing. Dr. Piper authored more than 35 TEC systematic reviews and reports and co-authored seven EPC reports.
Among other outreach activities, Dr. Piper is a member of the Ontario (Canada) Personalized Medicine Network and advises various organizations regarding evidence-based methods for systematic review and guideline support. She has served on the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee and the Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Working Group, and has done extensive volunteer teaching for professional pathology organizations. Earlier in her career, she directed clinical diagnostic laboratory departments in both academic medical center and commercial settings and designed and evaluated laboratory diagnostics for the biomedical industry.
Dr. Piper has a PhD in immunology from Duke University, an MPH in epidemiology from Emory University, and a BS in molecular biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Recent Publications
- Clayback D, Hostak R, Leahy JA, Minkel J, Piper MA, Smith RO, Vaarwerk T. Standards for assistive technology funding: What are the right criteria? Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits Journal 2015;9(1):38-53.
- Henrikson NB, Webber E, Goddard K, Scrol A, Piper M, Williams MS, Zallen DT, Calonge N, Ganiats TG, Janssens ACJW, Zauber A, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I, van Ballegooijen M, Whitlock E. Family history and the natural history of colorectal cancer: Systematic review. Genet Med. 2015 Jan 15. [Epub 2015 Jan 15]
- Piper MA, Evans CV, Burda BU, Margolis KL, O'Connor E, Smith N, Webber E, Perdue LA, Bigler KD, Whitlock EP. Diagnostic and predictive accuracy of blood pressure screening methods with consideration of rescreening intervals: An updated systematic review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2015 Feb 3;162(3):192-204. doi: 10.7326/M14-1539.
- Parkinson DR, McCormack RT, Keating SM, Gutman SI, Hamilton SR, Mansfield EA, Piper MA, Deverka P, Frueh FW, Jessup JM, McShane LM, Tunis SR, Sigman CC, Kelloff GJ. Evidence of clinical utility: an unmet need in molecular diagnostics for patients with cancer. Clin Cancer Res. 2014 Mar 15;20(6):1428-44. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-13-2961. PubMed PMID: 24634466.
- Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention (EGAPP) Working Group. The EGAPP initiative: lessons learned. Genet Med. 2014 Mar;16(3):217-24. doi: 10.1038/gim.2013.110. Epub 2013 Aug 8. Review. PubMed PMID: 23928914.