Professor Sam Norton PhD

Biography

I joined King’s College London in 2012 and currently hold a joint appointment as Professor of Medical Statistics and Applied Health Research across the Department of Psychology, where I am the Deputy Head (Research), and the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases in the Department of Inflammation Biology. My research is interdisciplinary, spanning both mental and physical health, with a particular focus on chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Underpinning my research is and aim to improve patient outcomes by applying robust and appropriate statistical methods in clinical trials, large-scale observational studies, and predictive modelling.

I have extensive experience with large-scale collaborative research projects, frequently employing mixed-methods approaches. Research activities I have been involved with have attracted over £20 million in grant funding, and I have published over 250 peer-reviewed papers. I have served as a senior statistician in several definitive trials and lead the King’s CTU statistics hub based in immunology and microbial sciences. I also actively contribute to the field through my roles with the NIHR Research Support Service, where we provide advice and guidance to researchers developing funding applications, to help advance the quality and impact of research.

In addition to my research, I am committed to teaching and mentoring the next generation of researchers. I regularly teach courses on research methods and statistics, particularly aimed at health care professionals. My teaching philosophy emphasises hands-on learning, integrating flipped classroom techniques and mentorship to foster the academic and professional development of both postgraduate and undergraduate students.

Research interests

• Statistical methods for clinical trials
• Rheumatic diseases and long-term health outcomes
• Predictive modelling and patient outcomes
• Mental health interventions
• Digital health research 

Teaching

• Research methods in psychology
• Advanced statistical techniques
• Research design and data analysis

Expertise and public engagement

• NIHR Research Support Service