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MRC Biostatistics Unit

 

The MRC Biostatistics Unit run a number of successful online and in-person courses in statistics on a range of topics at different levels, for statistical, clinical and other audiences.

Online courses take place through the University of Cambridge’s Moodle platform, while in-person courses normally take place in Cambridge at the East Forvie Building on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

Further information about our upcoming courses is given below.

Genetics in Drug Development, November 2025 – Registration is now open

Description: The majority of biologic and small molecule drugs perturb protein targets to exert their effects. With the recent explosion in the availability of large-scale genetic association data, it is increasingly feasible to identify genetic variants that proxy the effect of perturbing a protein drug target. Such leverage of genetic data thus offers an efficient and cost-effective approach for identifying drug targets and studying their effects. While this course is entirely self-contained, it follows on naturally from the Mendelian Randomization course. Participants who are interested in both topics may wish to apply for both courses.
 
Location: Online
 
Duration: 1 week, 5 live sessions (x2 courses per year)
 
Course Tutors: Dr Dipender Gill, (Sequoia Genetics/Imperial College London), Dr Ville Karhunen (MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge), Dr David Ryan (University College London), Dr Stephen Burgess (MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge)
 
Upcoming course dates: 24th – 28th November 2025
 
Course fee: £350 for all participants
 
 

Introduction to Adaptive Clinical Trials: Ethical and Statistical Considerations - Wednesday 23rd April - Registration is now open

This pre-workshop course aims to provide an introduction to adaptive clinical trial designs, covering both statistical and ethical considerations.

Statistics: the course will explore various types of adaptive designs, including Bayesian approaches, and discuss design and analysis considerations through lectures and case studies.

Ethics: the course will cover research ethics, risk-benefit analysis, and equipoise, using case studies to illustrate complex issues. It will examine informed consent, participant well-being, and the interplay between ethical and statistical aspects of adaptive trials.

The course will run from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM and will blend introductory basic theoretical material with practical case discussions, culminating in an integrated look at the statistical and ethical trade-offs in adaptive clinical trials.

Registration: Introduction to Adaptive Clinical Trials: Ethical and Statistical Considerations, 23 April 2025