On the evening of April 16, the Public Health Center of FAH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology, organized the first session of the “Public Health Intelligence Hub-Frontier Lecture Series”. The online academic exchange featured a special training on clinical research design and methodology by Professor Duolao Wang, Chair of biostatistics at the Liverpool Shool of Tropical Medicine (LSTM),UK and statistical adviser to The Lancet journal. President Zhang Xufeng attended the event and delivered a speech, while Director Chen Tianyan chaired the session.
In his opening speech, President Zhang Xufeng stated that this lecture is an important initiative to enhance the FAH’s scientific research and innovation capabilities, and to connect with international academic frontiers. He hopes that all researchers in the FAH will take this opportunity to build a high-level research brand.
During the lecture, Professor Duolao Wang delivered a comprehensive presentation on “Different types of clinical research and their Applications”. He systematically explained the five major types of clinical research and the key design points, emphasizing that high-quality research must adhere to five principles: randomization, control groups, blinding, multicenter studies, and large sample sizes. Using examples from top journals such as NEJM and The Lancet, he analyzed the statistical logic and threshold settings of superiority, equivalence, and non-inferiority trials. He also detailed special methods like design-based clustered randomized trials and clarified the complementary application of real-world research and randomized controlled trials, providing professional guidance for clinicians in selecting the optimal research path.
During the exchange session, the young researchers in attendance raised questions about the definition of real-world research, sample size estimation, and the writing of statistical analysis plans. Professor Duolao Wang provided authoritative answers to each question, which sparked a lively interaction at the venue.
It is reported that the Public Health Center will hold a four-day offline workshop from May 25 to 28, where Professor Duolao Wang and his team will provide on-site guidance. The workshop will focus on case discussions in areas such as health economics evaluation, implementation science, and big data analysis, aimed at supporting research project initiation and the production of high-quality outcomes.
