The Quantitative Analysis Group is a new group at OVG that started in 2023 after merging the statistics & epidemiology group and the bioinformatics group. This was done in order to bring all researchers with numerical backgrounds or interested in quantitative research together to promote collaborations and conduct cutting-edge research. In addition, the new group will provide greater funding stability to maintain the team size as all funds are pooled within the team. With this motivation in mind, we expect to grow further in the coming years and extend our reputation as a highly respected analysis team doing innovative research in statistics, epidemiology, bioinformatics and other quantitative research.

We have experienced substantial growth in recent years, growing from just 2 statisticians in 2018 (Merryn Voysey and Xinxue Liu) to now being one of the largest data analysis teams working in vaccinology in the UK. Our growth was partially due to the pandemic when there was an increased demand for statistical support on the COVID-19 vaccine trials. Following the pandemic, we not only managed to keep the statisticians recruited during the pandemic but also further expanded the team by broadening our research portfolios and bringing in research projects led by our team members.

Although the pandemic was the catalyst for growth initially, in order to maintain and grow our team we developed a diverse range of income sources. Currently, half of our group is funded by project grants led by group members and personal fellowships, and we have been able to generate funds from consulting as well. The remaining half of our funding comes from collaboration on clinical trials and observational studies, where statisticians are co-applicants on grants led by other PIs. Most of these collaborations are with OVG PIs but we are also building our collaboration networks nationally and internationally. Prof Liu is the methodological lead for all major OVG studies and for external collaborators such as Prof Saul Faust in Southampton. Prof Voysey collaborates closely with Prof Kirsty Le Doare and Prof Paul Heath at St George’s University of London, is CI on a clinical trial in Uganda, and has multiple methodological projects underway. Prof O’Connor collaborates actively with researchers in academia and industry, nationally (Dr Darton, Sheffield University; Nicholas Clarkson, Oxford Biomedica) and internationally (Prof Kapulu, KEMRI-Wellcome; Dr Henrion, Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome; Dr Akinduti, Covenant University, Nigeria) to advance his research agenda.

Our group gained substantial experience during the pandemic, subsequent to which we had 100% success in achieving regrades for all eligible team members. We also achieved Assoc Prof titles for Prof Voysey (2021), Prof O’Connor (2022), and Prof Liu (2023). Prof Voysey has subsequently submitted her application for a full professor title and is awaiting that outcome. The team is a cohesive and friendly group with very little staff turnover. Statistics teams are inherently supportive environments as often multiple statisticians will work on the same clinical trial, one supporting the other by independently validating their results. Code generated by all team members is stored centrally so that it can be viewed by anyone on the team, helping us learn from each other. In addition, all our applications for regrades, fellowships, and professor titles are saved on our team server so that all can access them to help each other learn what is required to reach the next stage in their career progression and how to write a successful application.

We are well connected across the Department and University, supporting the department’s Paediatrics Analysis Network, teaching on multiple MSc courses in our department and others, contributing to EDI activities, connecting with others through the Oxford Statistics Network, the OVG Big Data Club. In addition, Prof Voysey and Prof Liu contribute broadly to global policy development through membership of three WHO committees, and Prof O’Connor is a member of the British Society of Immunology Congress committee and the UKRI Talent Peer Review College.