The Effective Statistician - in association with PSI

Emma Crawford, an autism advocate and leader in workplace inclusion, shares personal insights into navigating autism in professional settings. She emphasizes the critical need for inclusive work cultures and proactive leadership that seeks feedback. Topics include embracing neurodiversity, the role of technology in accessibility, and the importance of kindness in leadership. Emma calls for a shift in attitudes towards disability, encouraging workplaces to become environments where everyone feels empowered to express their needs.

Anna Forsythe, a Pharmacologist and healthcare economist, is the founder of Oncoscope, which automates systematic literature reviews to enhance cancer treatment decisions. In this conversation, she explores how daily updates in literature reviews can revolutionize oncology. Anna discusses the balance between innovation and clinical responsibility, and the introduction of AI in improving SLR accuracy. She shares insights on making cancer data accessible to patients and her commitment to altruistic ventures that prioritize patient care over profit.

Join Pavel Mozgunov, a group leader at the MRC Biostatistics Unit, and Julia Geronimi, a principal translational statistician at Servier, as they delve into innovative methodologies for biomarker analysis. They discuss how to effectively pre-specify analysis strategies, enhance predictive modeling, and tackle the challenges of small sample sizes. The conversation unpacks the complex distinctions between prognostic and predictive biomarkers while advocating for structured approaches to optimize clinical trial outcomes. Get ready for fresh insights into the future of biomarker-based trials!

Yannis Jemiai, Chief Scientific Officer at CITEL with 20 years in the field, and Flaminia Chiesa, a statistician with a focus on leadership and innovation, delve into the evolving role of statisticians. They discuss how AI and real-world data are transforming clinical trials and the necessary skills statisticians must develop to remain relevant. The conversation highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and offers insights on building confidence in leadership roles as data science becomes more strategic.

Katrin Kupas, a seasoned Director for Real-World Evidence with a decade of expertise in Health Technology Assessment, shares fascinating insights on integrating RWE with Joint Clinical Assessments. She emphasizes the importance of early evidence planning and when RCTs might fall short, making room for RWE. The conversation reveals the intricacies of indirect comparisons and the risks of non-randomized studies. Katrin also highlights the ROBINS-I tool for effective bias assessment, offering listeners actionable strategies to enhance their evidence generation plans.

Interview with Emma Crawford and Alex Spiers ✔ Why STEM outreach is so important for the future of our industry ✔ How your company, community, and even your own career can benefit from getting involved ✔ The challenges students face (especially girls and those from underserved areas) in seeing themselves in STEM ✔ How PSI’s Schools Outreach team can support you—with ready-made materials, training, and volunteer opportunities ✔ What it's really like to walk into a classroom and talk about your job Why You Should Listen: You don’t need to be a teacher to make an impact. If you’ve ever wished more people knew how rewarding our work is, this episode will show you how to be part of the solution. Whether you join a virtual session or speak at a local school, your story might be the spark that changes a student’s life. Get Involved – Here's How Whether you're based in the UK or elsewhere, there are so many ways to participate: Visit the PSI Schools Outreach HubIncludes career talk templates, outreach resources, and volunteering info Contact the PSI team: careers@psiweb.org Join platforms like: STEM Learning I'm a Scientist Maths4Girls If you're a PSI member, sign up for the Schools Outreach Newsletter in your Glue Up profile ("Outreach Champions Distribution List") You can also download editable school letter templates, contribute your own materials, or join our resource-sharing library to support other members doing outreach. Other Links: 🔗 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. Join the Conversation:Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts! Connect with me on LinkedIn and be part of the discussion. Subscribe & Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Effective Statistician on your favorite podcast platform and continue growing your influence as a statistician.

Interview with Kaspar Rufibach What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔ The true definitions of interim, final, primary, confirmatory, and updated analyses ✔ Why a “final analysis” doesn’t always mean “last analysis” ✔ How language choice can impact stakeholder trust and regulatory interpretation ✔ The operational vs. statistical meaning of “stopping a study” ✔ When to use which data cuts and how to define your analysis set ✔ The nuances of estimation vs. hypothesis testing after stopping a trial ✔ Why clarity in communication is just as critical as technical accuracy Why You Should Listen: Even experienced statisticians often use terms like “final” or “interim” inconsistently, which can cause confusion not just within study teams, but also with regulators, clinicians, and the public. Kaspar provides much-needed clarity on how we as statisticians can: Use more precise terminology when describing study analyses, Align our language with stakeholders, Avoid miscommunication that can erode public and regulatory trust, and Educate others on the importance of estimating vs. testing. Resources & Links: 🔗 LinkedIn article by Kaspar Rufibach on clinical trial 🔗 Preprint Paper (with industry and regulatory co-authors) 🔗 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. Join the Conversation:Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts! Connect with me on LinkedIn and be part of the discussion. Subscribe & Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Effective Statistician on your favorite podcast platform and continue growing your influence as a statistician.

Interview with Holger Fröhlich What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔ What synthetic data actually is – and what it isn’t ✔ The benefits and challenges of using synthetic data in clinical research ✔ Real-world use cases, from early dementia diagnosis to trial simulation ✔ How digital twins could help predict patient outcomes ✔ Why synthetic data might be especially useful in areas with limited patient access ✔ The regulatory and ethical considerations we’ll need to navigate Resources & Links: 🔗 Fraunhofer SCAI - AI in Data Analysis and Simulation (AI-DAS) 🔗 Cynthia Project (IHI) 🔗 PredictOM Project 🔗 IDERHA Project 🔗 CERTAINTY Project (Virtual Twins) 🔗 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. Key Publications from Holger and Team: 🔗 A synthetic data generation framework for Alzheimer's disease 🔗 Generative learning for deep biomarker discovery 🔗 Longitudinal digital twins in Parkinson’s Disease 🔗 Digital twins for clinical research – opportunities and limitations Join the Conversation:Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts! Connect with me on LinkedIn and be part of the discussion. Subscribe & Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Effective Statistician on your favorite podcast platform and continue growing your influence as a statistician.

Friday Episode with Alexander 🧠 What You’ll Learn: ✔ How I improved my English on the job (despite not having great grades in school) ✔ Why consuming high-quality English content (like podcasts, TED Talks, and books) made a big difference ✔ Tips for writing regularly—even journaling—and using tools like ProWritingAid ✔ How slowing down when speaking actually makes you sound more confident ✔ Why making mistakes is part of the process—and doesn’t reflect on your intelligence ✔ Simple phrases I use to clarify or ask questions in meetings ✔ How to shift your mindset from perfection to communication ✔ The power of practicing with others and surrounding yourself with supportive people 🔧 Who It's For: ✔ If you’re working in a global team, attending meetings in English, or just want to become more confident in how you communicate at work, this episode is for you—especially if English isn’t your first language. 🎯 Final Thought: Being a non-native speaker means you’re already multilingual—and that’s a strength. With practice and the right mindset, you’ll thrive in any English-speaking work environment. Resources & Links 🔗 ProWritingAid – A helpful writing assistant tool I personally use🔗 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. Join the Conversation:Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts! Connect with me on LinkedIn and be part of the discussion. Subscribe & Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Effective Statistician on your favorite podcast platform and continue growing your influence as a statistician. Let’s keep learning, growing, and making an impact—Reach your potential, lead great science, and serve patients. Just be an effective statistician.

Interview with Daniel Sabanés Bové What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔ Why interactive visualizations are such a game changer ✔ How R-Shiny makes scenario planning and data exploration easier ✔ What to consider before you even start coding ✔ Common mistakes to avoid with larger Shiny apps ✔ How to structure your code for long-term success and maintainability ✔ Tips to improve usability and ensure better stakeholder engagement **We also discuss**: ✔ The TEAL framework by Roche for clinical trial analysis ✔ How to use AI to quickly generate Shiny prototypes ✔ Tools like shinytest2 and the Shiny UI Editor ✔ Why designing for your user’s workflow is critical ✔ When it’s time to call in an expert for help Resources & Links 👉 Shiny Apps: teal framework Lessons for Shiny Apps Tutorial Shiny Assistant Shiny UI Editor Tours of Shiny apps RPACT Cloud 🔗 Rconis 🔗 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. Join the Conversation:Did you find this episode helpful? Share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts! Connect with me on LinkedIn and be part of the discussion. Subscribe & Stay Updated:Never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Effective Statistician on your favorite podcast platform and continue growing your influence as a statistician.