Research Methodology in the Biomedical Field
6,25 CFU
Schedule: First year, Second year, Third year
Programme
Residential 'Spring' School at Abbazia Matildica di Marola di Carpineti, Reggio Emilia.
Course program:
- Principles of causation: causal inference, directed acyclic graphs, relation between variables (bias, confounding, effect modification). Principles of statistical inference. Sample size and power
- Calculation.Practical exercise on calculating power and sample size for experimental study. Choice of adequate statistical test.
- Overview of epidemiological study designs: Basics of experimental studies. Theoretical exercise on types of experimental studies and types of clinical trials. Statistical analysis in experimental design: Basics of correlation - use and misuse. Regression - basic principles: Linear regression and multiple linear regression. Practical exercise with statistical softwares.
- Logistic regression - basic concepts: Single and multiple logistic regression.
- Logistic regression - variable selection and model building.
- Logistic regression - statistical adjustment - interaction and confounding.
- Regression - diagnostics.
- Analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Repeated measures analysis.Basic concepts of time-to-event data. Testing for equivalency of time distributions (comparing survival curves). Regression models for time-to-event data (Cox regression).
- Systematic reviews and meta-analysis: principles, methods, network meta-analysis, dose-response meta-analysis, risk of bias analysis. Principles to write a scientific paper and to review a scientific manuscript.
