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Dear All

Re: Biostatistics Seminars in Limerick

Biostatistics Seminar Series Academic 2006/7 
some details still to be confirmed .

First Semester

1. H-likelihood approach to spatio-temporal modelling
   Prof. Youngjo Lee,  Seoul National University,.South Korea.
   October 3rd, 3:15 Room A2002.

  2. Double Hierarchical Generalized Linear Models
     Prof. John Nelder,  Imperial College, London , UK
     October 24th, 3:00 Room A2002.
     [Postponed due to illness ]

  3.  Title: Modelling of mean-covariance structures in
       generalised estimating equations for longitudinal data
 
         Prof . Jianxin Pan , University of Manchester, UK.
         November  15th, 3pm Room A2002

Abstarct: When used for modelling longitudinal data generalised 
estimating equations specify a working structure for the within-subject 
covariance matrices, aiming to produce efficient parameter estimators. 
However, misspecification of the working covariance structure may lead 
to a large loss of efficiency of the estimators of the mean parameters. 
In this talk I will introduce an approach for joint modelling of the 
mean and covariance structures for longitudinal data within the 
framework of generalised estimating equations. The resulting estimators 
for the mean and covariance parameters are consistent and asymptotically 
Normally distributed. Real data analysis and simulation studies show 
that the proposed approach produces efficient estimators for both the 
mean and covariance parameters.


   4. Analysis of Multivariate Survival Data via HGLMs

      Prof. Il Do Ha,  Daegu Haany University, Daegu City, South Korea.
      November 22nd 3pm Room, A2002.

Abstract: Recently, random-effect survival models such as frailty models 
or mixed-effect models have been widely used to analyze multivariate (or 
correlated) survival data in the form of recurrent or multiple-event 
times which often arise in the research fields of medicine or 
econometrics. In particular, these data can be unbalanced and/or 
correlated including the bivariate form, and also can be censored and/or 
truncated due to the study design as in classical univariate survival 
data. For the
inference marginal likelihood methods (e.g. MCEM, GHQ), which require 
integration out the random effects, have been mainly developed, but 
becomes computationally heavier as the number of
random components increases (Gueorguieva, 2001; Huber et al., 2004). 
This difficulty has limited the wider application of such models.
Random-effect models have been recently extended to HGLMs  (hierarchical 
generalized linear models, Lee and Nelder, 1996, 2001,2006), which allow 
various random structures such as crossed and/ornested structures, 
structured dispersion, or spatial and temporal correlations. The HGLM 
method based on h-likelihood (or hierarchica llikelihood) provides a 
statistically efficient and simple unified framework for various 
random-effect models. Thus, random-effect survival models can be 
modelled and fitted via the HGLM (Ha and Lee,2003, 2005; Ha, Lee and 
MacKenzie, 2006).
In this talk, we introduce the various forms of multivariate survival 
data and then show how to model, fit and analyze such data via the HGLM. 
We also discuss about the practical uses and further work..


5. Improvement of Watterson's and related estimates for the 
recombination rate based on shrinkage.

   Prof. Andreas Futschik, University of Vienna, Austria
   December 1st, 3pm, Room A2002
   Abstract: to follow
 
___________________________________________________________________

Second Semester

1. Why I hate minimisation
Prof. Stephen Senn , University of Glasgow,  UK
January 26th (Friday), 15:00 Room A2002.

Minimisation is a technique of sequentially marginally balancing 
clinical trials. It is not based on sound design theory, brings marginal 
advantages compared to randomisation as regards orthogonality and some 
disadvantages as regards blinding. Furthermore its very debatable merits 
have been over-exaggerated by its proponents who tend to use the fact 
that they have minimised as an excuse to ignore prognostic information. 
In this talk I shall argue that conditioning is the way to make 
inferences valid in the presence of covariate information and that 
minimisation has no useful role in designing clinical trials.
 
  2. Fisher information & design of quantum experiments
     Prof. Peter Jupp, University of St.Andrew's, Scotland,UK
     February 16th (Friday), 15:00, Room A2002.

 Quantum theory is (by its very nature) probabilistic, and so gives rise 
to problems in statistical inference.  In classical parametric inference 
an important question is `What parts of the data are informative about 
parameters of interest?'. Key concepts here are those of Fisher 
information, sufficient statistic, and cut. This talk will explore some 
analogous concepts for quantum statistical inference.


  3. Examining Spatial Heterogeneity through Geographically Weighted 
Regression

     Prof . Stewart Fotheringham, NUI .
     March  7th (Wednesday) ,15:00, Room A2002
     Abstract: to follow.

   4. Stochastic Models for Patient Care
      Prof. Sally McClean, University of Ulster, UK
      March 28th (Wednesday),  15:00,  Room A2002.
      Abstract: to follow.

    5. Hidden Markov Chain Models in Statistical Genetics
      Dr. David Ramsey,  University of Limerick,  Ireland
      April 18th  (Wednesday),  15:00,  Room A2002
      Abstract: to follow.

    6. TBA * 
        Prof. Goeran Kaumerman,  Bielefeld University, Germany.
        May 11th (Friday) 15:00 Room A2002
       Abstract: to follow.

    7.  Modelling of molecular biological processes with genomic data
         Prof Ernst Wit, Lancaster University, UK
         May 25th  (Friday) 15:00  Room A2002.

The current flood of all types of genomic data raises the challenge to 
make our  models for the underlying biological processes both relevant 
and feasible. We give several approaches of model-based inference of 
such biological processes using e.g. microarray data.
     
*Some details to be confirmed.

All welcome
We take tea before the lectures around 14:45

Best

Gilbert


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_____________________________

Prof. Gilbert MacKenzie
Dept. of Mathematics & Statistics,
University of Limerick,
Limerick 
Ireland

CoB ~ http://www.ul.ie/biostatistics

ISA ~ http://www.istat.ie.

Gilbert ~ http://www.staff.ul.ie/mackenzieg

Email: [log in to unmask]

Tel: +353 (0)61 213499
Fax: +353 (0)61 334927

_________________________