MRC Hub for Trials Methodology

Group Lead: Cindy Billingham 

The MRC Midland Hub for Trials Methodology Research (MHTMR) based at the University of Birmingham is one of a national network of seven hubs funded as an exciting new initiative by the Medical Research Council. The Hub’s five year programme was initiated in June 2009 with Lucinda Billingham, Professor of Biostatistics in Cancer Sciences, as the Director.

As a centre of excellence for trials methodology research, we provide local and national researchers undertaking trials with innovative methodology for design, conduct and analysis, thereby improving quality of trials and ultimately patient care.

Methodological expertise includes quality of life evaluation for clinical and health economic assessment, discovery and evaluation of diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, Bayesian methods for the design and analysis of trials and systematic reviews for clinical and health economic evaluation. Specialist clinical areas include cancer, haematology, chronic neurodegenerative disease, cardiovascular, primary care clinical sciences, maternity, women’s health, medical devices and operations, experimental medicine and early phase clinical trials, paediatric medicine and hepatology. The programme of research is driven by the expertise of the researchers and the needs of the trials community and will benefit practitioners on a national level through dissemination, training and advice.