Embracing Generalism and Risk-Taking to Unlock Opportunities

Keynote by Manjari Narayan | The Effective Statistician Conference 2024

What You’ll Learn:

✔ Why the 21st century is truly the "century of biology" and what that means for statisticians

✔ The untapped opportunity for statisticians to innovate before clinical trials begin

✔ How AI-guided experiments are changing drug discovery—and the statistical challenges they bring

✔ Why experimental design and decision quality matter more than ever in biotech

✔ The critical need to rethink biomarker discovery through a counterfactual and regulatory lens

✔ How to increase the validity of translational models and bridge the in vitro-to-in vivo gap

✔ Reflections on career risk-taking, generalism, and increasing your “surface area of luck”

Why You Should Listen:

If you're curious about how artificial intelligence is transforming biotechnology—and what role statisticians can and should play—this keynote is for you. Manjari Narayan offers a rare perspective at the intersection of statistical thinking, AI, and early-stage drug development, showing how rigorous methodology can shape better decision-making in start-ups, research labs, and beyond. Whether you work in pharma, clinical research, or academic science, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how to improve experimental design, validate next-generation biomarkers, and contribute to high-impact innovations before clinical trials even begin. Beyond the science, Manjari also shares powerful insights on career growth, risk-taking, and how to increase your “surface area of luck” by stepping outside your comfort zone and pursuing ambitious problems.

Resources & Links:

🔗 Manjari Narayan

🔗 The Effective Statistician Academy – I offer free and premium resources to help you become a more effective statistician.

🔗 Medical Data Leaders Community – Join my network of statisticians and data leaders to enhance your influencing skills.

🔗 My New Book: How to Be an Effective Statistician - Volume 1 – It’s packed with insights to help statisticians, data scientists, and quantitative professionals excel as leaders, collaborators, and change-makers in healthcare and medicine.

🔗 PSI (Statistical Community in Healthcare) – Access webinars, training, and networking opportunities.

If you’re working on evidence generation plans or preparing for joint clinical advice, this episode is packed with insights you don’t want to miss.

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