Clinical trials and the hierarchy of evidence

Description

A jointly designed and taught training course to develop expertise in evidence-based health methodology focussing on in clinical trial design and hierarchy of evidence, among participants at the Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and other academic, research or medical institutions.

Objectives

Presenters

1. Miss Eleanor Ochodo
   A medical doctor, research scientist and an associate professor extraordinary of clinical epidemiology. She has a joint affiliation with KEMRI (permanent position) and Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She is based full time at the KEMRI-Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) in Kisumu, where she leads the evidence synthesis and policy research unit. She is a founding member and technical advisor to Cochrane Kenya, and evidence-based unit in KEMRI. She has eleven years work experience in research work about research methods, evidence synthesis, health guidelines, translating research to policy and research. She has received funding as lead researcher from the UK MRC/DFID African research leader grant award scheme, UK NIHR, Wellcome Trust, WHO and Stellenbosch University. She is an academic editor with the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group. She serves as a health guideline methodologist for WHO (International Health and Travel Guideline Group) and Ministry of health Kenya guidelines (Kenya’s Essential Diagnostic List guideline). In 2018, she was recognised by the National Research Foundation of South Africa as a promising young researcher. In 2021, she was recognized as one of the top forty promising young scientists in Africa by the African Academy of Sciences and in 2022, recognized as an African Evidence Leader, runners up in the Africa Evidence Leader Award program. In 2022, she received the prestigious Cochrane Kenneth Warren Prize on publishing a high quality Cochrane systematic review.
   Assistant Principal Research Scientist, KEMRI and Associate Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Stellenbosch University


2. Prof. Simon Kariuki
   is Chief Research Officer at the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Centre for Global Health Research (KEMRI/CGHR) and the Malaria Branch Chief at the KEMRI and CDC Research and Public Health Collaborative Program in Kisumu, Kenya. Simon has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in human health research focusing on the clinical trials, the epidemiology and mechanisms of acquired immunity to infectious diseases, health systems research, entomology, disease surveillance, monitoring and evaluation and capacity strengthening. He is the recipient of several ongoing and completed research grants. Dr Kariuki has strong scientific, leadership and management skills through development and review of proposals, implementation of research projects, data analysis/interpretation, mentoring and supervision of graduate students and staff at different levels, dissemination of research findings and preparation and review of manuscripts. Dr Kariuki has established strong linkages and collaborations with scientists in Africa, Asia, Europe and USA. Dr. Kariuki is chair of the National Malaria Control Programme Operational Research Technical Working Group (TWG) and a member of other TWGs. Currently as chief of the Malaria Branch, he oversees and provides scientific leadership and administrative support to >150 staff working in >10 research projects.
   


3. Prof. Sue Mallet
   Professor in diagnostic and prognostic medical statistics, leading a team at the Centre for Medical Imaging UCL. Sue specialises in diagnostic accuracy clinical trial design, methodology, and systematic reviews for 20 years, publishing over 120 papers. She works with clinical teams to improve diagnostic pathways, by designing studies and identifying best methods and evidence to inform clinical practice and guidelines. Prof. Mallett has been lead trial statistician and co-applicant on 14 NIHR/ CRUK funded trials. Prof Mallett has multi-disciplinary skills in statistics and immunology/virology, and an excellent record in communicating statistics for non-statisticians for over 10 years, using interactive teaching. She taught workshops at 4 international Cochrane Colloquia and is currently recording videos on Designing Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies. Sue leads the NIHR Statistics Imaging Group (https://statistics-group.nihr.ac.uk/research/imaging-studies/) and is a member of international steering committees for risk-of-bias tools (QUADAS-2, QUADAS-2C, PROBAST, QUADAS-AI).