Upcoming Events

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Speaker:

Ben (Willem) Mol is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Monash University. He concentrates on the organisation of multi-centric evaluative research in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Fertility. His research focuses mainly upon everyday practices. Born and trained in the Netherlands, Ben was instrumental in setting up a nationwide research consortium in women’s health that produced many landmark studies. Ben came to Australia in 2014 and works as Professor Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Monash University since 2018. He continues to develop extensive relations with Asian universities whilst continuing to collaborate within European networks. Ben has mentored >131 PhD students and has published >1792 papers, many in high impact journals. The publication Nature acknowledged Ben as one of the most prolific medical scientists. The Australian’s Research 2025 ranks Ben as Australia’s and the World’s leading researcher in Reproductive Health. His professional adage is ‘A Day without randomisation is a day without progress.’

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In silico trials (ISTs) and computational medicine are poised to transform medical device development and regulation, embodying the principle of “Do No Harm by Design”. This talk explores how ISTs can address the limitations of traditional clinical trials, including high costs, lengthy timelines, and safety concerns. By simulating device performance in virtual environments, ISTs offer a pathway to accelerate innovation, reduce expenses, and enhance patient safety. We’ll examine compelling examples demonstrating ISTs’ ability to replicate and extend traditional trial insights, tackling challenges like off-label use, device-dependent healthcare inequities, and optimal treatment stratification. Emphasising collaboration between regulators, industry, and patients, we’ll discuss how ISTs can foster safer, more sustainable medical innovation.

Speaker:

Professor Alejandro Frangi FREng FIEEE, a leader in computational medicine and in silico trials, holds the Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine at the University of Manchester. As Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute, he accelerates health tech innovation translation in Greater Manchester. Prof Frangi leads the UK Centre of Excellence on in-silico Regulatory Science and Innovation and the InSilicoUK Pro Innovation Regulations Network (www.insilicouk.org), advancing in silico medicine nationally. His research focuses on AI and in silico technologies, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and regulators to drive healthcare innovation. He works at the intersection of computational modelling and medical science and aims to revolutionise patient care through cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary approaches. Prof Frangi is also committed to disseminating the benefits of in silico technologies to the lay audience through his recently launched podcast, In Silico Trials, Real Impacts (insilicouk.podbean.com).

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Randomised Clinical Trials and Meta-Analysis are seen as the apex of evidence generation to inform clinical practice. In some diseases, progress in improving outcomes has been very slow. I will discuss the need to take a more strategic approach to the design of randomised trials and how this can dramatically improve the pace of progress. I will also discuss why we need to, and how we can, improve the current approach to planning and performing meta-analyses. Examples of how these ideas have already been implemented will be used to illustrate how they might be applied going forwards.

Speaker:

Mahesh (Max) Parmar is Professor of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology and Director of both the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL and the Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology at UCL. Since joining the MRC in 1987, Max has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers. His clinical work has influenced policy and improved patient outcomes, while his methodological contributions—such as multi-arm, multi-stage in platform trials, flexible parametric models, and meta-analyses—have shaped research practice. Under his leadership since 2010, the MRC Clinical Trials Unit has led globally significant studies, especially in cancer, infectious, and neurodegenerative diseases, combining innovative trial designs with methodological advances to accelerate patient impact. He was Associate Director of the National Cancer Research Network for over a decade, helping double patient participation in cancer trials across England. Max was awarded an OBE in 2019 and the Royal Statistical Society’s Bradford Hill Medal in 2024.