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MRC Funded PhD Studentship at the MRC Midland Hub for Trials Methodology Research, University of Birmingham Use of Bayesian Methods for the Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials The MRC Midland Hub for Trials Methodology Research 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. 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. The Midland Hub has a four-year PhD studentship available to start in 2010 at the University of Birmingham. This is the last available PhD studentships of five that were awarded to the Midland Hub by the Medical Research Council. The aim of the research project is to investigate the use of Bayesian methods in the design and analysis of clinical trials. Areas of application that are of particular interest are: randomised phase II trials, rare diseases, paediatric oncology setting and simultaneous modelling of multiple outcome measures. The PhD studentship will be offered to outstanding graduates who wish to pursue a career in clinical trials, health care evaluation, medical statistics and health-related research. We welcome applicants who are in the final year of their undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a numerate subject that includes a substantial element of statistics. Applications are also encouraged from those who are currently working as a statistician and wish to pursue a PhD. PhD students will have the opportunity to undertake a relevant MSc followed by 3 years of PhD research. The studentship will be supervised by Lucinda Billingham, Professor of Biostatistics and Director of the Hub, and Dr Alan Girling, Senior Research Fellow and Hub member. There will be opportunity to work with other leading expert trial methodologists and Biostatisticians both at Birmingham and across the MRC Hub Network. In particular, the project will be in collaboration with Professor Keith Abrams at University of Leicester. The successful applicant will be part of a community of PhD students at Birmingham and across the Network. The studentship will cover full student fees, a research training support grant and conference allowance, and a basic stipend of approximately £16,000 per annum. To be eligible for a full MRC studentship candidates must be: (i) a UK national who can demonstrate a relevant connection to the UK; (ii) an individual who was not born in the UK but has been granted UK citizenship or can has come to settle in the UK and can demonstrate that they have a relevant connection through ordinary residence; (iii) a European Economic Area (EEA) citizen who is a migrant worker (or their spouse or children) and can demonstrate ordinary residence in the EEA; (iv) an EU national who has spent the three years prior to application resident in the UK (this can include residence whilst undertaking undergraduate study). For further details about the project please contact the Senior Administrator for the Hub, Karen Biddle ([log in to unmask]). For informal enquiries please contact Lucinda Billingham ([log in to unmask]). To apply, please e-mail a copy of your CV with details of two referees and a covering letter indicating your interest in this research area (no more than 1 page) to: [log in to unmask] The closing date for applications is April 16th 2010. You may leave the list at any time by sending the command SIGNOFF allstat to [log in to unmask], leaving the subject line blank.