Statistics expertise for medical and healthcare research
We collaborate with researchers across the UK and the globe to conduct world-class medical and healthcare research, aiming to advance healthcare practice and policy. We are committed to improving the standard of medical research methodology through research on research and methods development. We champion transparent and complete reporting of health research through reporting guidelines and training provision.
>25 years experience in medical statistics
80+ current trials
Team of medical statisticians, epidemiologists, methodologists and systematic review specialists
Home of the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit (OCTRU) and the UK EQUATOR Centre
CSM research
Read about our programme of research and collaboration in the medical and healthcare research community.
Patient and public involvement
Are you a patient, carer, or member of the public interested in getting involved with research? Our research on research quality and methods aims to improve how medical research is planned, done, and shared.
Subscribe to the EQUATOR/NDORMS Research Methodology and Quality PPI Interest Group Mail List to hear about projects and opportunities.
CSM team
Meet the CSM team and get in touch if you would like to collaborate on research projects or clinical trials and studies.
UK EQUATOR Centre Publication School
UK EQUATOR Centre's Publication School is offered online and in person!
This course covers everything you need to plan for publication and write up your health-related research study. It is taught by writing and methodology experts using group work, discussion, and practical writing exercises to reinforce learning. The course is usually offered twice a year.
Latest CSM news
New study shows observational analyses can complement randomised clinical trials findings for the study of HPV vaccine effectiveness
16 March 2026
Led by researchers at NDORMS as part of the Data Analysis and Real World Interrogation Network (DARWIN EU®) initiative, a new European study has shown that carefully designed observational studies can produce robust and reliable vaccine effectiveness estimates. These results highlight that high-quality real-world evidence can play a key role in complementing the findings from randomised clinical trials.
Fair and Safe Medical AI: why local expertise matters
16 March 2026
A Global Grand Challenges case study reveals the potential of large language models (LLMs) to close health gaps in the South Asia, but only when they’re adapted and fine-tuned using local data and expertise.
New study to address heavy menstrual bleeding in low-resource settings
3 December 2025
Sara Khalid’s Planetary Health Informatics group has been awarded funding from the Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges initiative to investigate the epidemiology and impact of heavy menstrual bleeding in low-resource settings.
Global study shows drug shortages affect patient care to varying degrees
23 September 2025
In the largest study of its kind, new global research has revealed that drug shortages can become a systemic issue affecting the health of millions of patients and impacting healthcare systems in Europe and North America.
Featured CSM publications
DELTA2 guidance on choosing the target difference and undertaking and reporting the sample size calculation for a randomised controlled trial.
Journal article
Cook JA. et al, (2018), Trials, 19
Prognostic models for identifying risk of poor outcome in people with acute ankle sprains: the SPRAINED development and external validation study.
Journal article
Keene DJ. et al, (2018), Health Technol Assess, 22, 1 - 112
The effect of rheumatoid arthritis on patient-reported outcomes following knee and hip replacement: evidence from routinely collected data.
Journal article
Burn E. et al, (2019), Rheumatology (Oxford), 58, 1016 - 1024
Royal Statistical Society
We coordinate the Oxford chapter of the Royal Statistical Society. All those with an interest in statistics are welcome to join our events.
DELTA2 guidance
Introduction to Clinical Trials
Assoc Prof Jonathan Cook presents starter information on clinical trials, short articles on topics related to clinical trials, and suggestions for further reading. These pages also feature Prof Cook's book on clinical trials and related download files.