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Richard  Emsley

Professor Richard Emsley

NIHR Research Professor

  • Professor of Medical Statistics and Trials Methodology

Biography

I am an NIHR Research Professor, Professor of Medical Statistics and Trials Methodology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, and Theme Lead for Trials, Genomics and Prediction at the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre. I am also Interim Academic Director of the King’s Clinical Trials Unit and heading up one of the new eight NIHR Research Services Support (RSS) hubs delivered by King's.

Before joining the IoPPN in January 2018, I held a personal Chair at The University of Manchester as Professor of Medical Statistics and was Deputy Director of the Manchester Clinical Trials Unit.

I studied at The University of Manchester for a BSc in Mathematics (2000-2003) and an MRC funded PhD studentship in Biostatistics (2003-2007) under the supervision of Prof Graham Dunn and Prof Andrew Pickles.  Following my PhD, I worked as a Research Associate in the Centre for Biostatistics, and was awarded personal fellowships as an MRC Career Development Award in Biostatistics (2009-2012) and an MRC Early Career Centenary Award (2012-2013), before being appointed as a Lecturer (2012), and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2015 and Professor in 2016.  During my fellowships, I spent several months as a visiting researcher at the Department of Epidemiology and Department of Biostatistics at Harvard Chan School of Public Health.

Research Interests

My research interests are in clinical trials methodology, and developing statistical methods for efficacy and mechanisms evaluation using causal inference approaches. The applications of these methods include randomised trials of complex interventions in mental health, and trial designs and associated analysis methods in precision medicine.

My research programme aims to answer four key questions about treatments when analysing clinical trials:

  1. Are treatments effective?
  2. How do they work?
  3. What factors make them work more effectively?
  4. Which patients are they most effective for?

I develop clinical trial designs which aim to answer questions about treatments more quickly and using fewer patients.

Within the Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, I lead the Clinical Trials Methodology research theme.

Externally, I am an investigator on the MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership, and co-lead of its Statistical Analysis Working Group. I am the founder of the European Causal Inference Meeting (Euro-CIM).

Teaching

For the MSc in Applied Statistical Modelling and Health Informatics and Biostatistics Executive Education programme, I teach on the following courses:

  • Multilevel and Longitudinal Modelling (module lead)
  • Structural Equation Modelling with Stata
  • Causal Modelling and Evaluation

I teach lectures on clinical trials and intervention studies on the MSc in Global Health and the MSc in Psychiatric Research.

I contribute to the annual Epidemiology and Statistics for Mental Health Research course.

Expertise and Public Engagement

I am the lead for the joint department and Maudsley BRC Methodology Patient and Public Involvement group.

I am a member of the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Clinical Evaluation and Trials Committee and the NIHR Clinical Trials Unit Standing Advisory Committee.  I am on the Executive Committee of the NIHR Statistics Group, and an Associate Editor of the journal Clinical Trials.

Key Publications

Evaluation and validation of social and psychological markers in randomised trials of complex interventions in mental health: a methodological research programme (2015) Dunn, Emsley et al. Health Technology Assessment 19(93)

    Research

    avatar logo
    AVATAR2

    AVATAR therapy offers a new approach to working with distressing voices (auditory hallucinations), using digital technology to allow ‘face-to-face’ dialogue between the voice-hearer and a computerised representation of their voice (the avatar). We are now taking this forward in the AVATAR2 trial.

    AVATAR_head_only_large
    The Avatar Project

    The AVATAR Project was a clinical research trial of an innovative new therapeutic treatment designed to help people suffering from distressing voices.

    Project status: Completed

    People walking
    Mental Health & Neuroscience Clinical Trial Statistics Group

    The Mental Health & Neuroscience Clinical Trial Statistics Group leads on the design, conduct and reporting of clinical trials in mental health.

    trials-methodology-research-group-cropped-1903x558
    Trials Methodology Research Group

    The Trials Methodology Research Group is focussed on improving the design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials for the benefit of participants, researchers, and others who use the evidence to make decisions about healthcare.

    Atlantis - 400dpiLogo
    ATLANTIS - AnTiconvuLsant AugmeNtation Trial In Schizophrenia

    NIHR funded multi-centre clinical trial evaluating valproate augmentation of antipsychotic medication in the management of psychosis

    spilled-medication
    STOP-D (Sertraline TO prevent Post-TBI Depression)

    A multi-centre placebo-controlled double blind RCT to investigate the use of sertraline in reducing depressive symptoms in traumatic brain injury patients.

    Project status: Ongoing

    ARTICLE Molecule Model
    Causal Analysis & Evaluation

    The Causal Modelling Group comprises statisticians and methodologists at King’s College London interested in drawing causal inferences from study data.

    ICALD Thumbnail
    Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities

    Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities is a five-year programme led by Vicky Slonims and Martin Knapp aimed at improving communication with adults with learning disabilities in social care settings.

    News

    Multi-site trial uses digital avatars to effectively reduce distressing voices in psychosis

    A novel therapy using computer-generated avatars has found to be an effective way of helping people with psychosis reduce the distress and frequency with...

    Person points at a laptop screen with AVATAR therapy icons displayed on it

    New NIHR Research Support Service established at King's College London

    The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £6.8 million to King’s College London to establish a new Research Support Service that...

    NIHR Research Support

    Events

    06Novresearch trials methodology data

    Trials Methodology Research Showcase

    The Trials Methodology Research Showcase is a key opportunity to find out more about the wide-ranging research undertaken by our team of trial methodologists...

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Features

    Behind the scenes: IoPPN at the International Clinical Trial Methodology Conference

    Dr Merry Martyn and Dr Anca Chis Ster from the Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics take us behind the scenes of the International Clinical Trial...

    Edinburgh

      Research

      avatar logo
      AVATAR2

      AVATAR therapy offers a new approach to working with distressing voices (auditory hallucinations), using digital technology to allow ‘face-to-face’ dialogue between the voice-hearer and a computerised representation of their voice (the avatar). We are now taking this forward in the AVATAR2 trial.

      AVATAR_head_only_large
      The Avatar Project

      The AVATAR Project was a clinical research trial of an innovative new therapeutic treatment designed to help people suffering from distressing voices.

      Project status: Completed

      People walking
      Mental Health & Neuroscience Clinical Trial Statistics Group

      The Mental Health & Neuroscience Clinical Trial Statistics Group leads on the design, conduct and reporting of clinical trials in mental health.

      trials-methodology-research-group-cropped-1903x558
      Trials Methodology Research Group

      The Trials Methodology Research Group is focussed on improving the design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials for the benefit of participants, researchers, and others who use the evidence to make decisions about healthcare.

      Atlantis - 400dpiLogo
      ATLANTIS - AnTiconvuLsant AugmeNtation Trial In Schizophrenia

      NIHR funded multi-centre clinical trial evaluating valproate augmentation of antipsychotic medication in the management of psychosis

      spilled-medication
      STOP-D (Sertraline TO prevent Post-TBI Depression)

      A multi-centre placebo-controlled double blind RCT to investigate the use of sertraline in reducing depressive symptoms in traumatic brain injury patients.

      Project status: Ongoing

      ARTICLE Molecule Model
      Causal Analysis & Evaluation

      The Causal Modelling Group comprises statisticians and methodologists at King’s College London interested in drawing causal inferences from study data.

      ICALD Thumbnail
      Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities

      Improving Communication with Adults with Learning Disabilities is a five-year programme led by Vicky Slonims and Martin Knapp aimed at improving communication with adults with learning disabilities in social care settings.

      News

      Multi-site trial uses digital avatars to effectively reduce distressing voices in psychosis

      A novel therapy using computer-generated avatars has found to be an effective way of helping people with psychosis reduce the distress and frequency with...

      Person points at a laptop screen with AVATAR therapy icons displayed on it

      New NIHR Research Support Service established at King's College London

      The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £6.8 million to King’s College London to establish a new Research Support Service that...

      NIHR Research Support

      Events

      06Novresearch trials methodology data

      Trials Methodology Research Showcase

      The Trials Methodology Research Showcase is a key opportunity to find out more about the wide-ranging research undertaken by our team of trial methodologists...

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Features

      Behind the scenes: IoPPN at the International Clinical Trial Methodology Conference

      Dr Merry Martyn and Dr Anca Chis Ster from the Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics take us behind the scenes of the International Clinical Trial...

      Edinburgh