Marion Campbell
Trialist; Methodologist; Statistician; Professor of Health Services Research; University of Aberdeen. Views my own. Hebridean.
abdn.ac.uk/people/m.k.campbell
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe Chief Scientist Office has opened their Early Postdoctoral Fellowships for application, providing three years of salary and consumable support to early career health researchers to enable then to develop their careers. Apply now 🔗 tinyurl.com/wxa8k75h
- Are you passionate about supporting the funding of high-quality methods research in health? If so, please consider applying for the role of Deputy Chair of the NIHR/MRC Better Methods Better Research funding Committee - closing date 22 Jan. See: www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved...
- Reposted by Marion Campbell3/ He established not one but 3 statistics depts at Aberdeen, BARC & Edinburgh. He later said if it wasn’t for typhoid he would have been “a rather poor schoolteacher of mathematics.”
- Reposted by Marion Campbell#OTD 1917 David Finney b (d 12 Nov 2018) CBE FRS; ASA Fellow 1951; Royal Statistical Society President 1973. Pioneered statistical methods of experimental design, statistical computing, pharmacovigilance, biological assay & probit analysis. 1/3
- Reposted by Marion CampbellOn the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… 🎶 📊 Three key outcomes 🫀 Two boluses of bicarb ⚡ And ROSC in the BIHCA cardiac arrest trial 🎄 #CCR26 criticalcarereviews.com/meetings/ccr26
- Reposted by Marion CampbellWriting Genres: First draft: Horror Abstract: Action thriller Hypothesis section: Fantasy Results section: Tragedy Limitations section: True crime Implications section: Satire Grant application: Science fiction
- It’s the run up to the holidays so there can only be one #MethodologyMonday topic - the scientific way to cut your Christmas cake. Published c1906 in Nature by the statistician Francis Galton 🎂🎄🔪😊 Enjoy! galton.org/essays/1900-...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellIt's the 12 Days of Christmas, CCR Style! Over the rest of December, we'll be announcing the CCR26 trials 1st up - the LOGICAL trial, investigating conservative oxygenation for the attenuation of hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy post cardiac arrest Registration opens soon!
- Reposted by Marion CampbellDoug Altman was an internationally renowned statistician who served as The BMJ’s chief statistical adviser. Read about life and work that made this statistician a "citation millionaire" #BMJChristmas www.bmj.com/content/391/...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe Chief Scientist Office has opened their Early Postdoctoral Fellowships for application, providing three years of salary and consumable support to early career health researchers to enable then to develop their careers. Apply now 🔗 tinyurl.com/wxa8k75h
- Reposted by Marion CampbellWant to improve your knowledge & practice of clinical trials? #UKCTUNetwork members offer a wide variety of learning & development opportunities covering all aspects of academic clinical research. Find out more here: tinyurl.com/mueyhau7 #ClinicalTrials #Training
- The stepped wedge design came up in the #CCRDownUnder meeting last week so it seemed a good time to revisit the pros and cons of this design 1/6 #MethodologyMonday #128
- A stepped wedge design is a variant of the cluster trial that allows interventions to be evaluated as they are rolled out. Each cluster moves from control to intervention in a random sequence 2/6
- Karla Hemming et al wrote a useful paper describing the design and its special considerations in the BMJ 3/6 www.bmj.com/content/350/...
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View full threadA review of stepped wedge trials has shown that while use of the design has increased rapidly over recent years, there is still a significant proportion of trials that do not account for the time effect or for the intracluster correlation 6/6 journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellNew fully funded PhD opportunity to come and work with me at the University of Glasgow exploring the role of data-driven interventions (audit and feedback) to improve environmental sustainability of the NHS. Deadline to apply: 12th Jan 2026. Find out more here: www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvl...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe 10 year follow-up results of the TOPKAT trial of total (TKR) vs partial (PKR) knee replacement are out! Similar clinical outcomes, but PKR more cost effective. t.co/V4O7s6MvZe
- Reposted by Marion CampbellOne of my 2026 goals is to be more present on BlueSky! Another is to recruit a great candidate to this 4-yr PhD studentship with us at the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation -applying behavioural science to the design and delivery of clinical trials. Please share. www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellJust 4 weeks to CCR Down Under 2025! Join us to hear the results of 8 major critical care trials - in person or virtually ➡️ ImmunoSep ➡️ iRehab ➡️ CLIP II ➡️ ACTiVE ➡️ ARISE AFRICA ➡️ RSI ➡️ VITaCCA ➡️ ECMO REHAB criticalcarereviews.com/meetings/ccr-down-u…
- Reposted by Marion CampbellBeginning Nov 1924, studies on the effect of lighting on worker productivity were performed at the Western Electric Hawthorn Plant. These were the basis for the concept of the Hawthorne Effect 1/2
- The term #estimand is now part of the technical language of trials - but it remains a concept that many find hard to understand. Recent work has aimed to make the term more accessible to researchers, patients & public 1/8 #MethodologyMonday #127
- An #estimand is effectively a more precise specification of the research question(s) and how the treatment effect is to be estimated (hence estimand). It also specifically describes how so called “intercurrent events” will be handled in the analysis. 2/8
- “Intercurrent events” are post-randomisation events (eg discontinuation of treatment or treatment switching) and the estimand describes precisely how these events will be handled in the analysis. 3/8
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View full threadThe work provides accessible definitions of the core elements of an estimand which will help aid understanding and should ease the use of the estimand framework across the range of stakeholders 8/8
- Reposted by Marion CampbellIn the EVERDAC trial involving patients with shock, results for death at day 28 indicated that management without early arterial catheter insertion was noninferior to early catheter insertion. Full trial results and Research Summary: nej.md/3LmOO0D #MedSky #PulmSky
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe world’s largest and longest clinical trial in critical care, SuDDICU found a significant reduction in hospital-acquired infection in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, when given antibiotics preventatively before a new infection can develop.
- Reposted by Marion CampbellIn the SuDDICU trial of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit, selective decontamination of the digestive tract did not result in a lower incidence of in-hospital death than standard care alone. Full trial results: nej.md/4nhyeN8 #LIVES2025 | @esicm.bsky.social
- Reposted by Marion Campbell📢 Interested in a PhD in clinical trials methodology? The Trials Methodology Research Partnership are advertising projects for PhDs starting Oct 2026, in statistics, health economics, epidemiology, social science, and more, hosted at one of 12 UK partner institutions. mrctmrpdtp.com/current-oppo...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellRecruitment has begun for a new National Statistician (£200k). Important role as the strategic head of the UK statistical system. There is less operational work as there is now a Perm Sec for ONS. So they are seeking an ‘internationally recognised leader in statistics’ www.saxbam.com/appointment/...
- Reposted by Marion Campbell📢 As one of the next round of TRMP PhD students (below) you could join me, Clare Robinson, @averoniki.bsky.social and @marionkcampbell.bsky.social to work on developing a typology of research outputs in trials methodology, based at @wiphcem.bsky.social. Details here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
- 📢 Interested in a PhD in clinical trials methodology? The Trials Methodology Research Partnership are advertising projects for PhDs starting Oct 2026, in statistics, health economics, epidemiology, social science, and more, hosted at one of 12 UK partner institutions. mrctmrpdtp.com/current-oppo...
- It’s the UN #WorldStatisticsDay today! Perfect time to celebrate all the awesome statisticians who ensure robust data, design and analysis 😊
- One of the adaptive designs we are seeing more frequently is the Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomised Trial (or SMART trial) 1/7 #MethodologyMonday #126
- In a SMART trial each individual can undergo multiple randomisations. All get initially randomised in stage 1, but non-responders can then get randomised in stage 2 to further treatment options etc 2/7
- These designs are often seen as attractive to patients as the intervention they receive can be changed if they see no improvement 3/7
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View full threadBigirumurame et al also published a useful review of SMART trials and highlighted the need for accurate reporting 7/7 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe 8th & final trial for CCR Down Under is ECMO Rehab ➡️100-patient RCT testing early mobilisation during ECMO to reduce 6-month disability ➡️Will mobilisation improve outcomes? Join us in Melbourne, December 9/10 criticalcarereviews.com/meetings/ccr...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellA special issue from Critical Care Resuscitation Journal honouring the legacy of Rinaldo Bellomo Grab a coffee, sit back, read and smile. Such an incredible person. An uplifting tribute. Kudos to the authors for sharing their experiences www.sciencedirect.com/journal/crit...
- Lovely autumn colours on campus 🍂🍁 @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social
- Reposted by Marion CampbellI'm doing a webinar in two weeks (15 Oct 1-2pm BST), part of NIHR Research Support Service's Methods Academy series, on the age-old question: should I do a stepped wedge trial? Free registration, details here: tinyurl.com/z6cjvce3 @nihr-rss.bsky.social @wiphcem.bsky.social @qmul-wiph.bsky.social
- Reposted by Marion CampbellExcellent three days in Bristol as part of the #BOASTiC (Bristol Oxford Aberdeen Surgical Trials Course). We've enjoyed the in-depth look at surgical trials with delegates designing their own studies by the end of the 3rd day! @marionkcampbell.bsky.social @situ-oxford.bsky.social
- Reposted by Marion CampbellGreat #MethodologyMonday post on assessing acceptability in a pilot trial. Highlights the MRC complex intervention framework that AIMS Periop has used in its frailty research.
- One of the key things to address when undertaking a feasibility study ahead of a trial is the acceptability of different aspects of the proposed trial (intervention, trial processes, proposed outcomes etc) to all relevant parties 1/7 #MethodologyMonday #125
- One of the key things to address when undertaking a feasibility study ahead of a trial is the acceptability of different aspects of the proposed trial (intervention, trial processes, proposed outcomes etc) to all relevant parties 1/7 #MethodologyMonday #125
- This is particularly the case when planning for the evaluation of complex interventions as they are often multi-faceted and involve/impact many different parties (including at patient, professional and system levels) 2/7
- The MRC complex intervention framework gives a useful summary of the range of people whose views should be considered. It also encourages adopting a diverse approach. 3/7 See www.bmj.com/content/374/...
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View full threadThe measure can help highlight how an intervention may need to be improved ahead of full evaluation 7/7
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe use of Bayesian methods in the design of trials and the analysis of the findings provides several potential benefits, which may be particularly applicable in Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery. #ClinicalTrials #BayesianStatistics #RCTs #OrthoSky @docfarrow.bsky.social ow.ly/xeXm50WRwZN
- Reposted by Marion CampbellWe're currently looking for a Trials Methodologist/Senior Trials Methodologist to join our team. You can find out more about the role and how to apply here: jobs.icr.ac.uk/vacancies/13... #ResearchJobs #TrialsMethodology🧪
- This👇 …. often unseen but crucial role
- Statisticians are central to patient safety in clinical trials. From designing stopping rules to monitoring adverse events, we ensure risks are detected early - protecting participants while maintaining trial integrity. 🔗 ukcrc-ctu.org.uk #Statistics #UKCTUNetwork #WorldPatientSafetyDay2025
- Reposted by Marion CampbellMonday wisdom
- 📣FUNDING ALERT: The NIHR/MRC Better Methods Better Research Programme has three new calls open: - Researcher-Led - Methodology for the incorporation of health and environmental impacts in health/social care - Guidance development Closing 2nd Dec See: www.nihr.ac.uk/funding-oppo...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellFor Monday crowd. INSPECT-SR, a tool to help you identify problematic (inc. fraudulent) RCTs, now available.
- www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1... INSPECT-SR: A tool for assessing trustworthiness of randomised controlled trials.
- I seem to have been discussing pilot and feasibility studies a lot this week. One question often asked is how big should my pilot/feasibility study be? 1/6 #MethodologyMonday #124
- It is first important to stress that pilot and feasibility studies are *not* about detecting intervention effects. They are about exploring key uncertainties ahead of the main trial 2/6
- Uncertainties may include estimating likely recruitment rates, rates of consent, follow up and so on … so the approach to sample size is generally about estimation and precision not significance testing 3/6
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View full threadA recent paper in the BMJ (by Ying et al) is a good read - with worked examples, tables and code to help calculate an appropriate pilot sample size. It also stresses the importance of aligning sample sizes with the objectives of the pilot study 6/6 www.bmj.com/content/bmj/...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellWe are co-authors on 2 new papers in @bonejointjournal.bsky.social - one on the potential of Bayesian trials in T&O and a Bayesian reanalysis of the WHiTE8 trial. And … our own Jemma Hudson is the featured author 😊 @docfarrow.bsky.social @marionkcampbell.bsky.social Links to papers below 👇
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThe four UK higher education funding bodies confirm the pause in the criteria setting and publication of final guidance for REF 2029 for a short period, as announced by the UK Science Minister Lord Vallance today at the Universities UK conference. 2029.ref.ac.uk/news/pause-t...
- Reposted by Marion CampbellScottish beach advice for the Summer. Arrive early to grab a spot 🏴
- Reposted by Marion CampbellThere has been a lot of debate recently about the promise of real world data - the routine (observational) data collected on patients eg treatments received, clinical outcomes etc – for estimating treatment effects. But can they deliver? 1/9 #MethodologyMonday #123
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View full threadReposted by Marion CampbellAhoy! Learn about the importance of randomisation through history in my library at www.jameslindlibrary.org. For example, read how the GISSI trials embedded patient and public health oriented randomised trials into the Italian health service 40 years ago www.jameslindlibrary.org/articles/emb...
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View full threadReal world data have many strengths - coverage; scale; & ease of access. Proponents suggest they are thus ideal for estimating treatment effects – suggesting results will be more generalisable than those from randomised trials (and avoid the costs/labour of running trials) 2/9
- Whilst the scale and coverage of real world data is appealing, there remain problems with their use. A recent paper by Ali Abbasi, Rob Califf et al flagged some of the core issues – confounding, inadequate documentation, incomplete capture etc 3/9 www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
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View full threadThe ideal, of course, is to have randomisation embedded into routine practice … then, the real world data of the future will be randomised data giving the best of both worlds 9/9
