Designing, managing, analyzing, and interpreting data in health research studies
Griffith Biostatistics Unit (GBU) is an expert at designing, managing, analysing, and interpreting data in health research studies. Maintaining the highest quality standards in health research involving human participants is essential, and design and statistical methods play a vital role in ensuring the validity and reliability of study results.
Given its significance, our work has far-reaching implications in clinical, public health, and health service research areas. Our researchers take a proactive approach to advancing the field through both methodological and applied research, while also collaborating with many clinical and biomedical investigators at Griffith University and Gold Coast University Hospital to advance cutting-edge findings.
Upcoming Seminar
Reflections
Advancing Clinical Science: Reflections on Computational Biostatistics in Practice
Statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for efficient citizenship as the ability to read and write. H.G. Wells
The role of the biostatistician has never been more vital or more complex. In the current era of clinical research, data is not merely large, it is high-dimensional, heterogeneous, and often messy. Computational biostatistics has emerged as the critical interface between these data and the inferences that shape clinical decision-making, policy, and patient outcomes.
Where classical biostatistics once focused on fixed models and fixed datasets, today’s computational biostatisticians must navigate ever-evolving data streams, scalable algorithms, and real-time analyses. From imputation of missing values using multiple chained equations, to high-performance estimation of survival curves; the work now requires fluency in both methodological foundations and the computational tools that bring them to life.
Importantly, the shift toward computational approaches has not diminished the need for statistical thinking it has heightened it. Automated pipelines, machine learning classifiers, and flexible Bayesian models all offer power, but not without trade-offs. Overfitting, interpretability, and reproducibility remain core concerns. The ability to critically assess model assumptions, validate performance, and communicate findings clearly remains a distinctly human skill, and a core function of the biostatistician.
At its best, computational biostatistics supports the entire lifecycle of clinical research. It informs study design through simulation-based power calculations, enables robust interim monitoring via adaptive trial methods, and strengthens final analyses through transparent, script-based workflows. These capabilities are further amplified when paired with version control systems, literate programming tools, and reproducibility frameworks.
As research becomes more interdisciplinary, computational biostatisticians are increasingly embedded in collaborative teams. Understanding clinical context, regulatory implications, and data provenance enhances not only the technical quality of analyses but also their relevance. In this environment, we are not just service providers, we are co-investigators, methodologists, and custodians of analytical integrity.
Looking ahead, the field must continue to foster skill development in both computational and communication domains. Workshops, mentoring, and curriculum innovation will be essential to train the next generation to think critically, code responsibly, and collaborate effectively.
In reflection, computational biostatistics is not merely an extension of classical methods, but an evolution of how we conduct science. It is a discipline that balances speed with scrutiny, innovation with integrity. As data complexity grows, so too does our responsibility to ensure that our methods remain transparent, our code reproducible, and our inferences grounded in both theory and context.
Reflections, June-July 2025
What we do
Research
We lead our own research programs and collaborate both within Griffith and externally to enable the delivery of high-quality research. We work with a wide variety of partners and undertake a wide variety of research activities, including partnering on large grant applications, leading methodological research, and advising on and conducting the data management and analysis phases of research projects.
Education
We provide a series of research training activities, including seminars and short courses in our expert areas. We provide supervision and mentoring to early career researchers, and have extensive experience supervising higher degree research students who either want to undertake methodological work, or who could benefit from specific quantitative expertise.
ConsultancyWe have extensive experience providing support to large and small projects. We have experience partnering with academic and commercial organisations, and can advise on all stages of the research journey, from study design to data collection to analysis and presentation. When partnering with the GBU team, health researchers will receive expert guidance and consultancy services based on rigorous, evidence-based approaches. |
Our strengths
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Our strengths define us as a cohesive and accomplished team, setting the foundation for our exceptional capabilities. With a team of dedicated professionals and academics at our core, we consistently showcase impressive expertise in addressing intricate challenges head-on. We seamlessly integrate various disciplines, including biostatistics, bioinformatics, data management, and epidemiology, to establish ourselves as a driving force in contemporary health research. Our collaborative approach fuels synergies that lead to pioneering insights, while our adept use of advanced computational techniques propels us toward innovative solutions that push the boundaries of health science. Our unwavering commitment to enhancing healthcare outcomes through rigorous research, insightful data analysis, and methodologies rooted in robust research practices underscores our determination to make a tangible impact in the field. By merging Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Data Management, we emphasize the pursuit of top-tier research, leaving a lasting imprint on the trajectory of health advancements. Our strengths encompass not only our skill set but also our resolute pursuit of excellence, solidifying our role in shaping a healthier future for all.
Research team
Professor Robert Ware
Professor Ware is a biostatistician and clinical epidemiologist who has worked as an academic biostatistician for more than 20-years. He has extensive experience working with clinical colleagues on both randomised trials and cohort studies and has developed an extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of the design, conduct and analysis of both observational and experimental studies. Robert has led the Biostatistics team at Griffith since 2016.
Professor Angus Ng
Professor Ng is an experienced biostatistician, with expertise in statistical modelling and computation, image analysis, machine learning, and survival analysis. In the field of mixture model-based cluster analysis he has pioneered the theoretical development of random-effects models for the analysis of complex heterogeneous and correlated data. Angus is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation and a member of the ARC College of Experts.
Dr Ping Zhang
Dr Zhang is a health informatician and bioinformatician. Ping’s passion is utilising data analysis and computational modelling to get the maximum value from complex real-world data. She has developed computational modelling techniques and applied them to various health related research, such as diagnosis of cancers, influenza, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, prediction of progression of Alzheimer’s, vaccine target identification and vaccine scheduling optimisation.
Dr Diana Hermith-Ramirez
Dr Hermith-Ramirez is a Senior Clinical Researcher and Data Manager with expertise in biostatistics and data science. She supports NHMRC- and MRFF-funded projects, oversees the Griffith Biostatistics Unit website, and manages the Griffith Randomisation Service, providing expert support for complex trial designs. Her work integrates clinical insight with advanced analytics to strengthen public health and biomedical research.
Ms Lyn McPherson
With a background in librarianship, Lyn McPherson worked as a research assistant in cancer prevention research. After managing a large NHMRC funded RCT she became research coordinator of the Queensland Centre for Intellectual and Developmental Disability. She has expertise in all stages of the research process from literature review and project design to publication. She has worked at Griffith University part-time since February 2018.
Dr Asmaa El-Heneidy
Dr El-Heneidy is a Research Fellow in Biostatistics. Her PhD studies were focused on Infectious Disease epidemiology. These applied interests reflect her passion for understanding the transmission dynamics, risk factors, and prevention strategies associated with these specific health concerns. By conducting research in these areas, Asmaa contributes valuable insights to the development of effective interventions and evidence-based policies.
Dr Brett Dyer
Dr Brett Dyer is a biostatistics research fellow whose research has focused on longitudinal observational epidemiology methods and applied research, with a thorough understanding in these fields. His main passion is for causal inference (especially causal mediation analysis), prediction/prognosis research, and meta-analysis. Brett has also gained experience in analysing electronic health records, survival analysis, joint modelling of longitudinal and time-to-event data, and many other statistical methods.
Dr Mari Takashima
Dr Mari Takashima is a nurse researcher, certified health informatician (CHIA), and early career epidemiologist /applied biostatistician. Inspired by Florence Nightingale's use of statistics to improve health outcomes, she's passionate about enhancing patient care through robust methodology and data analytics skills. Mari's research interests include paediatric respiratory infections, vascular access, nursing education, research methodologies, clinical trials, meta-analysis, and causal inference methods.
Ms Hasitha Kuruwita
Hasitha Kuruwita is an early career researcher in the field of computational modelling. Her primary research focus is around the implementation of artificial intelligence methods in healthcare, with a specific interest in big data analytics. Currently, she is pursuing her industrial Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr Ping Zhang, focusing on utilizing machine learning to develop predictive models for intensive care outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury.
Dr Ajeevan Gautam
Ajeevan Gautam has seven years of experience as a clinical anatomist and medical doctor. He is currently enrolled as a full-time PhD student under the supervision of Prof Angus Ng. His PhD Thesis focuses on optimising analytical methods when investigating clinical and interventional techniques in the field of cardiovascular medicine. Ajeevan is committed to having a positive influence on medical research and health. Ajeevan has worked internationally as a clinician and biostatistician.
Ms Nazneen Sultana
Nazneen Sultana is an early-career biostatistician who is currently undertaking a PhD focusing on healthcare in mass gathering events. Nazneen’s PhD study is within the School of Nursing and Midwifery where she is under the supervision of A/Prof Jamie Ranse, Prof. Julia Crilly and Prof. Robert Ware. With an education background in statistics, her research interests include statistical modelling, missing data analysis, and time series modelling.
Dr Morgan Dutton
Dr Morgan Dutton has a background in laboratory-based biomedical science and has completed research in the fields of stem cells, paediatric burns, proteomics and saliva analysis. She also has experience in clinical research coordination. She has recently joined the team as a data manager, in collaboration with the Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre. She has particular interest in database creation, optimising efficiency of data collection and data management.
Mrs Emily Young
Emily Young has a BHthSc and completed her Masters in Epidemiology while working as a biostatistican for Professor Ware. She has been the biostatistician for two large NHMRC funded clinical studies: one birth cohort study and one stepped-wedge randomised trial. Emily has developed methodological and practical expertise in the design and analysis of experimental and observational data. Having recently resigned from the Griffith Biostatistics Unit, she continues in an adjunct position.
Dr Philip Jones
Philip Jones is an emergency medicine physician and biostatistician who currently works at Logan Hospital. As well as his clinical work, Philip undertakes biostatical analysis with emergency department colleagues from the Gold Coast University and Logan Hopitals. Philip recently graduated with an M.Biostat, degree from UQ, and has ongoing collaborations with the COVERED COVID research program and multiple ultrasound research studies through the Sonar Group
Dr Iresha Udayamalee
Iresha Udayamalee is a dental surgeon with more than 17 years experience who has Master's and MD degrees in Dental Public Health. She is a research fellow at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University and her passion for big data analysis and computational modelling led her to pursue her PhD in Artificial intelligence-mediated personalized treatment planning for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in which she is currently enrolled under the primary supervision of Dr Ping Zhang.
Mrs Nikki Fozzard
Nikki Fozzard is a biostatistician who has worked at Griffith University since 2012. She has a background in biomedical science, particularly in molecular biology and genetics. Nikki completed her Master of Biostatistics in 2021 and is currently pursuing a PhD under the supervision of Professor Robert Ware. Nikki has a full-time role as an academic in the School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences as a lecturer in undergraduate biostatistics, where she has received awards for her innovative teaching.
Ms Laura McCosker
Laura McCosker is an early career researcher in public health. Laura has a background in nursing, and as well as being enrolled in her PhD is completing an MPH through UNSW. Laura has a passion for improving health outcomes for at-risk, hard-to-reach populations. Her PhD focuses on vaccination delivery in people experiencing homelessness. As part of her studies Laura has conducted RCTs testing different strategies to improve vaccination uptake in this hard to reach population.
Dr Adenike Soogun
Dr Adenike Soogun recently completed her PhD in Statistics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Adenike is an Adjunct Research Fellow at Griffith University. She has expertise in statistical modelling, data analysis of complex data, teaching and research supervision across multidisciplinary areas. Her research interests include Bayesian spatial modelling, survival analysis, machine learning, predictive and copula modelling. Adenike has over 10 years’ experience in research and teaching.
Sameen Fatima Ansari
Sameen holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and an MPhil in Pharmacology. Her professional journey includes working as a Research Associate on an HEC NRPU project, as well as gaining valuable experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She has also worked as a short-term lecturer at a Pharmacy college. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in the Biostatistics Unit, focusing on the Epidemiology of Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Queensland infants.
Publications
Highlights
Ullman, A. J., D. August, T. M. Kleidon, R. M. Walker, N. Marsh, A. C. Bulmer, … P. N. A. Harris and R. S. Ware (2025)." A Comparison of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Materials." New England Journal of Medicine 392: 161-172.
A multicentre RCT showed that when peripherally inserted central catheters were inserted, the risk of device failure was not lower with hydrophobic or chlorhexidine catheters than with standard polyurethane catheters. Prof Ware was Senior Author.
Ng, S. K., R. Tawiah, G. J. McLachlan and V. Gopalan (2023). "Joint frailty modeling of time-to-event data to elicit the evolution pathway of events: a generalized linear mixed model approach." Biostatistics 24(1): 108-123.
This paper is the first to use joint frailty modelling approach in survival analysis of time-to-event data with recurrent and terminal events, providing a powerful and robust method to elicit the pathway of comorbid conditions in cancer patients. Prof Ng was the Lead Author.
Snelling, P. J., P. Jones, D. Bade, R. Bindra, J. Byrnes, M. Davison, S. George, M. Moore, G. Keijzers and R. S. Ware (2023). "Ultrasonography or Radiography for Suspected Pediatric Distal Forearm Fractures." New England Journal of Medicine 388(22): 2049-2057.
A multicentre RCT showed that, in children presenting to an emergency department with a suspected upper arm fracture, initial diagnosis with ultrasound was non-inferior to X-ray in terms of physical function 4-weeks after injury. Prof Ware was Senior Author.
J Xiang, J., H. Xu, S. Pokharel, J. Li, F. Xue and P. Zhang. (2022). “Building a knowledge base for colorectal cancer patient care using formal concept analysis.” BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 21(Suppl 11): 369.
A hierarchical clustering method was used to build a knowledge base with a population of colorectal cancer patients, from which the information retrieved can be used for treatment planning recommendations towards personalised medicine. Dr Zhang was Senior Author.
El-Heneidy, A., R. S. Ware, S. B. Lambert and K. Grimwood (2022). "Sapovirus infections in an 色情网站n community-based healthy birth cohort during the first 2-years of life." Clinical Infectious Diseases 76(6):1043-49.
The epidemiology of sapovirus infections in a high-income country is described using community-based birth cohort data. Sapovirus infections are common in 色情网站n children under 2-years of age. Dr El-Heneidy was the first author.
Dyer, B. P., T. Rathod-Mistry, C. Burton, D. van der Windt and M. Bucknall (2023). "Diabetes as a risk factor for the onset of frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis." BMJ Open 13(1): e062377.
This systematic review and meta-analysis summarised six case-control studies and two cohort studies to conclude that diabetes is associated with the onset of frozen shoulder. Dr Dyer was the first author.
Takashima M. D, Y Ezure, A. J. Ullman and R. S. Ware. (2024). “Methodological Progress Note: Choosing analytic methods for randomized trials.” Journal of Hospital Medicine 19(4): 312-315.
This methodological paper examines how the taget audience, and the value they place on information, should guide choice of whether intention-to-treat or per protocol findings are presented in RCTs. Dr Takashima was the first author.
Innovative Services and Partnerships
Griffith University's Clinical Trial Unit provides state-of-the-art facilities and professional coordination services for phase I-IV clinical trials. We conduct a wide range of investigator-initiated trials across various therapeutic areas including infectious diseases, respiratory and neurological diseases.
The Griffith Randomisation Service provides automated centralised randomisation for research studies, overseen by experienced statisticians, researchers, and with the support of Griffith Information Services. The randomisation service is available for university trialists working in the academic, healthcare and industry sectors.
At the forefront of an evolving healthcare system, the Centre for Applied Health Economics (CAHE) conducts multidisciplinary research, including health economics, health services research, implementation science, and biostatistics. Our work delivers leading advice with significant policy impact. We employ innovative methods and analysis to address complex problems, providing economic and health benefits. The evidence we produce influences health policy and practice, translating into real-world improvements globally. We also contribute to the development of health systems and share knowledge and skills in health technology assessment with other countries.
Through leadership and innovation in teaching, research and community engagement, Griffith Health helps to create sustained improvement in health and healthcare for local, national and international communities. Our degrees provide students with the theoretical guidance and practical experience necessary to ensure their success as they transition into the next generation of health professionals.