Steering Committee

Dr. Sameer Parpia is an Associate Professor and Senior Biostatistician in the Departments of Oncology and Health Research Methods, Evidence, & Impact at McMaster University. He is a faculty biostatistician at the Ontario Clinical Oncology Group, an academic clinical trials coordinating and methods unit. His research interests are in randomized clinical trials and he provides statistical and methodological leadership on randomized trials in various clinical areas such as cancer, venous thromboembolism, surgery, critical care and emergency medicine.

Dr. Sameer Parpia is an Associate Professor and Senior Biostatistician in the Departments of Oncology and Health Research Methods, Evidence, & Impact at McMaster University. He is a faculty biostatistician at the Ontario Clinical Oncology Group, an academic clinical trials coordinating and methods unit. His research interests are in randomized clinical trials and he provides statistical and methodological leadership on randomized trials in various clinical areas such as cancer, venous thromboembolism, surgery, critical care and emergency medicine.

Dr. Anna Heath is a Scientist in the Child Health and Evaluative Sciences Program at SickKids Research Institute, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Biostatistics, University of Toronto and an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Statistical Science, University College London, UK. She holds an MMath in Mathematics with French Language and a PhD in Statistical Science. Dr. Heath’s research focuses on developing new, innovative statistical methods to design, prioritise and analyse clinical research within a Bayesian framework. She is particularly interested in applying methods from decision theory, the science of determining the best course of action when the consequence of each action is uncertain, to the conception, design and analysis of clinical trials.

Dr. Anna Heath is a Scientist in the Child Health and Evaluative Sciences Program at SickKids Research Institute, an Assistant Professor in the Division of Biostatistics, University of Toronto and an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Statistical Science, University College London, UK. She holds an MMath in Mathematics with French Language and a PhD in Statistical Science. Dr. Heath’s research focuses on developing new, innovative statistical methods to design, prioritise and analyse clinical research within a Bayesian framework. She is particularly interested in applying methods from decision theory, the science of determining the best course of action when the consequence of each action is uncertain, to the conception, design and analysis of clinical trials.

I have been involved in clinical trials for more than 20 years across diverse medical areas including mental health, HIV, emergency medicine, neurology, women & children’s health, and rehabilitation medicine. My methodological research interests are in the design of pragmatic clinical trials, with a current focus on the embedding of trials within learning health systems to support personalized treatment decisions.

I have been involved in clinical trials for more than 20 years across diverse medical areas including mental health, HIV, emergency medicine, neurology, women & children’s health, and rehabilitation medicine. My methodological research interests are in the design of pragmatic clinical trials, with a current focus on the embedding of trials within learning health systems to support personalized treatment decisions.

Shirin Golchi is an assistant professor of biostatistics at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University. Her research interests are Bayesian modelling and computation with a focus on Bayesian adaptive clinical trials. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a PhD in statistics in 2014. Before coming to McGill she worked as a senior statistician at MTEK Sciences, a health research company which was later acquired by Cytel.

Shirin Golchi is an assistant professor of biostatistics at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University. Her research interests are Bayesian modelling and computation with a focus on Bayesian adaptive clinical trials. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a PhD in statistics in 2014. Before coming to McGill she worked as a senior statistician at MTEK Sciences, a health research company which was later acquired by Cytel.

Prof. Thorpe is a statistician, educated at the University of Waterloo, with thirty years of experience with trials and studies spanning a wide range clinical fields including: cerebrovascular disease, nephrology, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, neonatology and oncology. His research interests include the design, conduct, data management and analysis of clinical trials, statistical education and statistical computing.  He was the lead author on the paper that first presented PRECIS, a tool to help trialists design their trials for pragmatic or explanatory purposes.

Prof. Thorpe is a statistician, educated at the University of Waterloo, with thirty years of experience with trials and studies spanning a wide range clinical fields including: cerebrovascular disease, nephrology, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thrombosis, neonatology and oncology. His research interests include the design, conduct, data management and analysis of clinical trials, statistical education and statistical computing.  He was the lead author on the paper that first presented PRECIS, a tool to help trialists design their trials for pragmatic or explanatory purposes.

Dr Tolu Sajobi is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics in the Departments of Community Health Sciences and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary. His research program focuses on measurement and analysis of patient-reported outcomes, design and analysis of clinical trials, and development and implementation of clinical decision aids.

Dr Tolu Sajobi is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics in the Departments of Community Health Sciences and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary. His research program focuses on measurement and analysis of patient-reported outcomes, design and analysis of clinical trials, and development and implementation of clinical decision aids.

Dr Lawrence Mbuagbaw (MD, MPH, PhD) is a Research Methods Consultant and Clinical Epidemiologist.  He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Director of the Biostatistics Unit at St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and Co-Director of Cochrane Cameroon.

Dr Lawrence Mbuagbaw (MD, MPH, PhD) is a Research Methods Consultant and Clinical Epidemiologist.  He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Director of the Biostatistics Unit at St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and Co-Director of Cochrane Cameroon.

Dr. Shun Fu Lee is an Assistant Professor in Biostatistics at HEI, McMaster University, and the course lead for an introductory course on randomized clinical trials. She is also a senior principal biostatistician at the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) since 2013 with extensive experience collaborating with >10 clinical randomized trials in design consultation, assisting grant applications, data monitoring reporting, conducting analysis, interpreting results, and participating in manuscript writing. She completed her Ph.D. at Western University, M.Math. at the University of Waterloo, and B.Sc. at McGill University.

Dr. Shun Fu Lee is an Assistant Professor in Biostatistics at HEI, McMaster University, and the course lead for an introductory course on randomized clinical trials. She is also a senior principal biostatistician at the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) since 2013 with extensive experience collaborating with >10 clinical randomized trials in design consultation, assisting grant applications, data monitoring reporting, conducting analysis, interpreting results, and participating in manuscript writing. She completed her Ph.D. at Western University, M.Math. at the University of Waterloo, and B.Sc. at McGill University.

Thi Ho is the Director of Administration in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. She is the senior administrator for the Department and also holds the role of Director of Operations for the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, a joint Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University research institute that serves as a hub for mentoring young researchers. Ms. Ho supports CANSTAT’s operational excellence in governance, management, finance and communications.

Thi Ho is the Director of Administration in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. She is the senior administrator for the Department and also holds the role of Director of Operations for the Escarpment Cancer Research Institute, a joint Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University research institute that serves as a hub for mentoring young researchers. Ms. Ho supports CANSTAT’s operational excellence in governance, management, finance and communications.