Thomas Debray, PhD , is a distinguished statistician and academic who transitioned from academia into specialized consulting for the pharmaceutical industry, leveraging his expertise in real-world evidence, precision medicine, and evidence synthesis to drive innovation in clinical research. He is currently affiliated with the University Medical Center G]ottingen as a Guest Scientist, where he continues to collaborate on methodological research together with Prof. Tim Friede. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, and held honorary positions at University College London and the University of Oxford. Furthermore, he served as an Associate Editor for Diagnostic and Prognostic Research, where he played a pivotal role in promoting the dissemination of high-quality prediction modeling research. During his academic tenure, Dr. Debray collaborated with leading experts such as Prof. Carl Moons, Prof.
Richard Riley, and Prof. Ewout Steyerberg to advance meta-analysis methods for risk prediction. He contributed to Cochrane methodological guidelines, led the EU-funded RECODID project on data harmonization, and co-developed the TRIPODCluster reporting guidelines to improve transparency in clustered prediction model studies. He has also been active within the European Network of Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (ENCePP), helping to strengthen methodological standards in pharmacoepidemiology and real-world evidence research. As the founder of Smart Data Analysis and Statistics, Thomas leads a team dedicated to advancing clinical trial methodologies and providing tailored statistical support to pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms. The company focuses on non-standard, innovative approaches to clinical trial design, evidence synthesis, comparative effectiveness research, and simulation-based decision making--methods that go beyond traditional analyses to address complex regulatory and scientific challenges. Through its active role in international research consortia and grants, such as the Marie Sk lodowska-Curie SHARE-CTD initiative on data sharing in clinical trials, SDAS provides a gateway for academia, industry, HTA bodies, and regulators to interact and co-develop innovative solutions. As the founder of Smart Data Analysis and Statistics, Thomas leads a team dedicated to advancing clinical trial methodologies and providing tailored statistical support to pharmaceutical companies and biotech firms.
The company focuses on non-standard, innovative approaches to clinical trial design, evidence synthesis, comparative effectiveness research, and simulation-based decision making--methods that go beyond traditional analyses to address complex regulatory and scientific challenges. Through its active role in international research consortia and grants, such as the Marie Sk lodowska-Curie SHARE-CTD initiative on data sharing in clinical trials, SDAS provides a gateway for academia, ndustry, HTA bodies, and regulators to interact and co-develop innovative solutions. Long Nguyen, PhD , is an Associate Professor in the Section of Epidemiology at the University of Copenhagen. His research bridges epidemiological and statistical methodologies, focusing on causal inference and prediction modeling with applications in medicine and public health. Dr. Nguyen is committed to science democratization and public engagement through culture and the arts, exemplified by his creation of nor - bro, a novel platform in Copenhagen''s Nørrebro neighborhood that fosters societal reflections through workshops, art exhibitions, and community events. In his teaching role, Dr. Nguyen leads and contributes to courses at the University of Copenhagen, focusing on themes such as innovative teaching methods, causal inference, precision medicine, and advanced epidemiological techniques.
His dedication to education was recognized with a nomination for the Teacher of the Year Award (Arets Harald) in 2023. Dr. Nguyen''s interdisciplinary approach and commitment to integrating diverse knowledge domains significantly contribute to advancing clinical epidemiology and public health engagement. Robert Platt, PhD, is Director of the School of Population and Global Health, and holds the Albert Boehringer Chair in Pharmacoepidemiology at McGill University. His research focuses on developing advanced statistical methods for causal inference in observational studies and clinical trial data, with particular emphasis on pharmacoepidemiology, pediatric, and perinatal epidemiology. Prof. Platt is the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies (CNODES) and led the CNODES Methods Team from 2011 to 2022. Over its lifespan, CNODES has addressed more than 80 queries from Canadian and international stakeholders on drug safety and effectiveness.
Prof. Platt has authored or co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed articles on statistical methodology and applications. He has supervised more than 50 research trainees in epidemiology, biostatistics, and statistics, fostering the next generation of researchers in these fields. Dr. Platt has served as President of both the Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research and the Statistical Society of Canada. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology, recognizing his significant contributions to statistical science and public health research. In addition to his research and mentorship, Prof. Platt plays a pivotal role in academic publishing.
He is an Editor-in-Chief of Statistics in Medicine, an editor for the American Journal of Epidemiology, and an Associate Editor for both the International Journal of Biostatistics and Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. His leadership and expertise continue to shape the fields of epidemiology and biostatistics globally.