NCI grant targets trial design improvement

A union of statistical and clinical experts is being put to a difficult task: improve the efficiency of the cancer clinical trial process. The multidisciplinary effort is being funded by a $12.5 million, five-year grant from the National Cancer Institute to develop new methods of trial design and analysis.

Statistical researchers will work with clinical investigators to tackle major trial design and analysis challenges. The challenges stem from complex clinical endpoints, diagnostic markers, personalized medicine, and sequential courses of treatment in melanoma, breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer settings.

The project work will support a collaborative effort involving statistical and clinical experts at three campuses and two cancer centers. Chief investigators are Michael Kosorok, University of North Carolina; Marie Davidian, North Carolina State; and Stephen George, Duke. 

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