Increasing importance is placed on evidence-based medicine, and the strength and quality of evidence used to guide clinical decisions. Clinical research studies require careful design and analysis in order to permit robust scientific inferences.

Recognising the need for core support in biostatistics and clinical research methodology, in January 2015 the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine created the Biostatistics and Clinical Research Methodology Unit to provide support on quantitative research methods.

The mission of the Unit is to support research activities in the Faculty of Medicine through provision of expert advice on biostatistics and clinical research methodology. The objectives of the Unit are to provide expert advice on various aspects of biostatistics and clinical research methodology, including:

• study design
• sample size calculations
• questionnaire design
• planning and implementation of statistical analysis
• analysis and interpretation of quantitative data

for grant applications, manuscripts for journal publication, and reports.