Biostatistics: background and aims
Aims of the Biostatistics group
- To act as a professional focus for all medical statisticians within the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and associated teaching hospitals
- To develop, evaluate and implement new statistical methodology relevant to clinical, epidemiological and health research
- To collaborate with clinical and scientific staff in the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences in the development of high quality interdisciplinary research programmes, paying particular attention to excellence in terms of the statistical components of their design, implementation, analysis and reporting
- To provide high quality and innovative postgraduate training in statistical methodology for statisticians, epidemiologists and research workers from other disciplines involved in clinical and health services research, both within the University's School of Medicine and in the wider research environment
- To provide advice and support to students and research workers in the School of Medicine and associated teaching hospitals
Background
The Biostatistics group is a key component of Health Methodology Research, part of the Health Sciences Research Group within the School of Community Based Medicine, which is based in the Jean McFarlane Building on the main University of Manchester Campus. The Biostatistics group was established in 1997 following the appointment of Professor Graham Dunn as Professor of Biomedical Statistics.
Staff in Biostatistics collaborate with clinical and scientific staff from the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences in the design, implementation, analysis and reporting of medical research. Members of the group also engage in extensive methodological research which is primarily funded by grants from the UK Medical Research Council's Methodology Research Programme.
The group provides undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in medical statistics, epidemiology and clinical trials, and provides advice and support to students and research workers in the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and associated teaching hospitals. Members also provide graduate training in statistical methodology for statisticians, epidemiologists and research workers from other disciplines involved in clinical and health service research, both within the University's Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and in the wider research environment. Biostatistics is also a professional focus for all medical statisticians within the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences.
The group has a monthly internal seminar programme and holds half-yearly, half-day public seminars. It also participates in the seminar programme of other research groups.