Contemporary Clinical Trials Course online

Designing, running, and evaluating clinical trials requires specialist knowledge across a team of people. Their complexity often means many early-career researchers don’t get exposed to sufficient clinical trial design of modern methods or the practical considerations and the impact that these choices have on the quality of the research. The purpose of this training course is to provide researchers with the opportunity to access advice and support from experienced trialists and their peer-group through a bespoke programme of work.

The course is aimed at emerging Lead Investigators who are interested in developing the essential skills needed to plan and conduct their own clinical trial.

You will be asked to bring a research question that you have discussed with your academic mentor to the first session. During the course you will learn all the key statistical and operational considerations which are needed to run a clinical trial effectively. You will use this knowledge to develop a protocol based on your chosen research question.

The course involves a mixture of online material and online small group tutorials. It is a bespoke programme of learning with a mix of independent learning and weekly peer-to-peer working.

The course is delivered over several months (April to July 2025). This will include:

♦ 1 introductory online session

♦ 3 in-person full-day tutorials each lasting 5-6 hours

♦ 2 ‘keeping-in-touch’ online sessions and

♦ 1 in-person tutorial / presentation day involving senior academics and a mock funding panel.

Within each learning module, 9 in total, there is a collection of short videos that provide introductions to key topics and associated tasks.  There will be an opportunity to consolidate the topic and apply this to your own clinical trial protocol in discussion with tutors and support from your peers in the group.

1. Introduction to Course, Questions on module ♦ ‘Preparing to design a trial’. Agree the Research Question with course leads: 30 April 2025, 12:00 to 13:30 (*online)
2. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Classification of clinical trials’ ♦ ‘Late phase trial design’ and ♦ ‘Statistical considerations’: 21 May 2025, 10:00 to 16:30 (*in person)
3. ‘Keeping in touch’ / opportunity to ask questions about previous tutorial: 04 June 2025, 12:00 to 13:30 (online)
4. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Protocol development’ ♦ ‘PPIE’ ♦ ‘Trial Operations: 18 June 2025, 10:00 to 16:30 (*in-person)
5. ‘Keeping in touch’ / opportunity to ask questions about previous tutorial: 25 June 2025, 12:00 to 13:30 (online)
6. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Collecting data’ ♦ ‘Analysing and reporting trial outcomes’: 09 July 2025, 10:00 to 16:30 (*in-person)
7. Presentations from Chief Investigator / ICCT alumni and Imperial & Partners Research Support Service on funding. Delegates present to a ‘mock funding panel’, followed by a late lunch: 23 July 2025, 10:00 to 16:30 (in-person)

*Mandatory sessions

Currently only the in-person course is running.

Yes, this version of the course is designed to be delivered online. There are no in-person sessions.

The tutors are experienced ICTU staff working in Clinical Trial Statistics, Methodology, Operations and Clinical Data Systems.

Registration for the online ICCT course is now closed.

Please email icctstats@imperial.ac.uk  if you would like to receive an alert when registration opens for the next course. Please specify if you are interested in the online and/or the in-person ICCT course.

ICTU is unable to provide funding for this course.  If you don’t have access to funds through a training grant, for example a fellowship then we recommend you speak to your supervisor or Head of Department about funding options.

You must have:

• Basic knowledge of clinical research
• Sufficient time to complete the homework
• Availability to attend 9 online sessions (8 tutorials and 1 final presentation)
• A research question to develop during the course
• A named academic supervisor/mentor
• Funding confirmed prior to the course starting.