INVITED SPEAKERS

Prof. Doug ALTMAN, DSc   (Guest of Honour at the Conference) Director of Centre for Statistics  in Medicine , Oxford, UK CONSORT 2010   Prof. Doug Altman graduated in statistics from the University of Bath. His first job was in the Department of Community Medicine at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School. He then spent 11 years working for the Medical Research Council's Clinical Research Centre where he worked almost entirely as a statistical consultant in a wide variety of medical areas. In 1988 he became head of the newly formed Medical Statistics Laboratory (now Medical Statistics Group) at ICRF (now Cancer Research UK), and in 1995 also became founding director of the Centre for Statistics in Medicine (CSM) in Oxford. In 1998 he was made Professor of Statistics in Medicine by the University of Oxford. Doug is statistical advisor to the British Medical Journal, where he is a member of the editorial "hanging committee".    In 1997 he received the Bradford Hill Medal for his contributions to medical statistics and a DSc from the University of London. He is a co-convenor of the statistical Methods Group of the Cochrane Collaboration. He is author of Practical Statistics for Medical Research (1991) and co-editor of Statistics with Confidence (1989 and 2000), Systematic Reviews (1995), and Systematic Reviews in Health Care (2001). His varied research interests include the use and abuse of statistics in medical research, studies of prognosis, regression modelling, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, randomised trials, and studies of medical measurement.            ----------

Prof. Michael F W Festing, PhD, DSc, CStat  Manningtree, UK I am a geneticist, statistician and laboratory animal scientist, retired from the UK Medical Research Council where I worked first at the MRC Laboratory Animals Centre, and subsequently at the MRC Toxicology Unit, now located in Leicester, England. I obtained my B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Agriculture from London University, my Ph.D. in quantitative genetics from Iowa State University, USA., and a D.Sc. from London University. I am also a Chartered Statistician (CStat.) and a Fellow of the Institute of Biology (FIBiol.). I am the author of over 200 scientific papers on laboratory animal genetics and related topics. The use of inbred strains in biomedical research, and the inheritance of susceptibility to lung cancer in mice have been the subject of my more recent work. In recent years I have taken a particular interest in improving the design and statistical analysis of animal experiments in order to reduce the number of animals which are used. Currently I am a member of the UK Animal Procedures Committee (a statutory committee which advises the Government on matters relating to the use of laboratory animals), have just retired from six years on the Council of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) in Washington DC, and  the Board of the NC3Rs (National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction) in the UK where I am chairman of the working party on experimental design. I have received a number of animal welfare-associated awards including the 1996 SmithKline Beecham laboratory animal welfare prize  for "outstanding contribution to the welfare of laboratory animals",  the "Recognition Award" 1996 from Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing for "Contributions in the area of reduction alternatives and animal welfare issues", the Doerenkamp-Zbinden Foundation medal of honour, 1997 for contributions to laboratory animal welfare and Honorary membership of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) in 2000.  "In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the speciality of laboratory animal medicine". --------------------

Elizabeth WAGER, PhD  Chair of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) o Liz Wager, Managing Director of Sideview is an authority on written communication and academic publication. After studying zoology at the Universities of Oxford and Reading, she joined Blackwell Scientific Publications as an editor of medical and scientific books. She later developed training materials for major companies at Breakthrough Technologies, then joined Oxford Analytica as the Editor of Pharm Analytica, a daily news briefing service for senior pharmaceutical industry executives. During this time she also chaired the UK Section of Amnesty International. She has 10 years experience of working within the pharmaceutical industry, first with Janssen-Cilag and, more recently, as the UK Head of Medical Publications at Glaxo Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline). She has spoken at a wide range of international meetings including the Council of Science Editors, European Association of Science Editors, European Medical Writers Association, International Congress on Peer Review and International Cochrane Colloquium. She has run courses and given talks in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.  ---------------

Prof. Şevket Ruacan, MD, PhD Dean Koç University School of Medicine Istanbul,Turkey        Born in Ankara in 1945, graduated from Deneme High School in Ankara and West High School in Phoenix, Arizona,U.S.A. After graduating from Hacettepe Medical Faculty in Ankara in 1969, studied biochemistry at University of Pennsylvania (1969 -1970) and pathology at New York University (1970-1974). At Hacettepe University he was promoted to full professor in 1988. Served as the Chairman of the Department of Pathology, Dean of the Medical Faculty, Director of the Institute of Oncology, Chairman of the Ethics Committe, Chairman of the Publications Committee; on the Executive Board of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) and the Executive Committee of  Higher Education Council of Turkey(YOK), as President of Turkish Association for Medical Education andTurkish Association  for Cancer Research and Control. Currently is a council member of Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA), member of Interuniversity Council Ethics Committee, Vice President  of Asssociation of Asian Academies of Science (AASA) and Executive Committee member of Interacademy Panel (IAMP). Since 2009 he is working as the founding Dean of Koç University School of  Medicine.      He was a former Associate Editor of Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences and is the Editor of Turkish Journal of Cancer. His main areas of interest include cancer pathology, hematopathology, medical education and publication ethics.

Prof. John OVERBEKE, MD, PhD President of World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) John Overbeke (1947) was graduated as physician in 1973 at the Free University in Amsterdam. He specialised as a general surgeon and was registered in 1980. In 1982 he defended his thesis “Perioperative autotransfusion”. He was 4 years chef de clinique in the department of Surgery of the Saint Luke’s Hospital in Amsterdam. In 1984 he was appointed as executive editor of the Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde (Dutch Journal of Medicine). Besides assessing and solliciting scientific articles, he is lecturing and researching the processes around medical scientific publishing. He was secretary of the Association Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, is past president of the Netherlands Association of Scientific Editors,  was member of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (the so called Vancouver Group),  was 11 years treasurer of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) and is now the president of this organazation, he was representative for the Council of Scientific Editors (CSE) to the European Association of Scientific Editors (EASE),  he is member of the council of The British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. and chair of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Cochrane Centre. In July 1999 he was appointed as a associate professor in medical scientific publishing in the department of Medical Informatics in the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center. He left the journal in May 2006 and received the medal of honour in January 2007 at the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the journal.    ---------------

Prof. Ana Marusic, MD, PhD Head, Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health, University of Split School of Medicine    Dr Marušić is Professor of Anatomy and Chair of the Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health at the University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia. She is also co-editor in chief of the Croatian Medical Journal, a member journal of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). She took part in developing statements on mandatory registration of clinical trials and uniform form for declaring conflict of interest. She has been the President of the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), President of the Council of Science Editors (CSE), and Council member of the European Association of Science Editors (EASE)journals. Her primary research interest is focused on the interactions between the immune and bone systems, but also on peer review and medical educational. Apart from teaching anatomy, Prof. Marušić teaches university students the principles of research methodology and scientific communication in a mandatory undergraduate course. She is the co-author of a textbook “Principles of Research in Medicine,” (first edition in 1996), now published both in Croatian and English. Prof. Marušić is an active member of the Croatian branch of the Cochrane Collaboration, Chair of the Board of the Croatian Institute of Global Health, and creator of the first Croatian public registry of clinical trials.    ---------------

Prof. Iskender SAYEK, MD President of Co-ordination Board of Turkish Medical Specialists Association      Professor İskender Sayek , born in 1944 in Iskenderun Turkey was graduated from Talas American College in 1960 and from Tarsus American College in 1963.  He completed his medical educatiıon at Hacettepe Üniversity School of Medicine in 1970. He  started his reidency training in surgery in 1970 at the same university and completed his training at State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo General Hospital .between 1971-1976. On return to Turkey in 1976 he was appointed as Instructor in Surgery  in 1976, Associate Professor at 1981 and Professor in 1988 at Hacettepe University School of Medicine  Department of Surgery. Professor Sayek served as Council Member of Surgical Infection Society (1990-1996) and  was elected as President in 1997. He served as President at Ankara Medical Chamber, Ankara Surgical Society and Turkish Surgical Society. He served as Associate Dean in 1991-1994 and Dean of Hacettepe University School of Medicine 2000-2006. Currently he is chairing Turkish medical Association Coordination Committe of Medical specialty Societies.   He has published over 250 articles in national and international journals and his work has been cited at SCI journals over 1450. He received awards from TUBİTAK (1984) and Eczacıbaşı Science Award (2002) besides various best paper awards from national and international societies.

Assoc. Prof. Orhan YILMAZ, MD President of Turkish Medical Index Committeeo Orhan YILMAZ , M.D. is associate professor of  E.N.T Department in the Yıldırım Beyazıt Research and Training Hospital , Ankara - Turkey.  Dr.Yılmaz is the founder member Professional Voice Society since 2000, founder member Anatomic Research Society since 2003, founder member of Turkish Geriatrics Society since 2003, founder member Meditterannean Otology and Audiology Society since 2005.  Scientific board member of the “Turkish Medical Index”  in the Scientific and Research Council of Turkey-TUBITAK ULAKBIM since 1994, director since 2003.  He has worked as a member of the various scientific society and has been speaker,  and chair on numerous  courses and congresses. He is the founder and associated editor of “ ENT & HNS Journal”  in 1993-2003, founder and associate editor of “Turkish Journal of Geriatrics” (in SCI-E) since 1998, founder and editor “ KBB-Forum”  (e-journal at ENT ) since 2002, founder and publishing editor Mediterannean Journal Of Otology (2005-07) new name International advanced Otology (in SCI-E), he works as a scientific reviewer in eight national journals.  Specific areas of interest: General Otolaryngology, Geriatric Otolaryngology, Voices disorders, Medical journalizm, Communications and the internet, e-learning,  Publications: Dr.Yılmaz has edited one international, and 13 national books, has written 18 chapters in national books, has a total of 128 articles published in the international and national journals. oooo      ---------------

Shelley HURWITZ, PhD Chair of Committee on Professional Ethics, American Statistical Association (ASA)  Dr. Shelley Hurwitz is the Director of Biostatistics in the Center for Clinical Investigation at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Associate Director of the Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center Biostatistics Program, and Assistant Professor of Medicine (Biostatistics) at Harvard Medical School.  Previously she held leadership positions at the Harvard School of Public Health, and the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center and Center for Nursing Research.  Dr. Hurwitz has over 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and has received Partners in Excellence Awards for Leadership and Innovation and for Outstanding Community Contribution for creating and directing the Biostatistics Consulting and Education Programs.  Dr. Hurwitz was appointed to the Committee on Professional Ethics of the American Statistical Association in 2006, and currently chairs this committee, selected for her dedication to the promotion of ethical statistical practice and responsibility among statisticians working in the biomedical sciences.      ---------------

Stephen TROTH Executive Vice PresidentInternational Business Development Elsevier Health Sciences         Currently, Executive Vice President of Elsevier Health Sciences, responsible for international Business Development.   Has over 25 years of experience working as a publishing professional in several major publishing houses, including Harcourt, Pearson, Simon & Schuster and OUP with broad international experience in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Trained originally as a scientist, with first degree in Physics. Subsequent post-graduate research in Philosophy.  Particular interest in the development of regional medical journals publishing.  ---------------

Dr Maria Kouimtzi MRPharmS, PhD Editorial Director, Pharmacy & Informatics, Global Clinical SolutionsWiley-Blackwell, John Wiley & Sons o   Maria Kouimtzi is a pharmacist who, after obtaining her PhD in Pharmaceutics, joined the Pharmaceutical Press editorial team. As an editor of the BNF (British National Formulary), she developed the editorial and publishing procedures, was part of the team that set up the BNF For Children, and developed the mobile BNFversion. In 2006 Maria joined the BMJ Clinical Evidence editorial team and later developed and launched Best Practice as deputy editor, taking the lead in the informatics aspects of the project. Maria has also edited Martindale The Complete Drug Reference, updated the 2008 edition of the WHO Model Formulary and co-authored The Complete Guide to Medical Writing (Pharmaceutical Press). She is currently the Editorial Director of Pharmacy and Informatics in the Global Clinical Solutions division of Wiley-Blackwell where she leads the development of clinical decision support products for clinicians.    ---------------

Iain HRYNASZKIEWICZ Associate Journal Publisher, BioMed Central, UK   Iain Hrynaszkiewicz joined the open access publisher BioMed Central as an Assistant Editor in 2006 and now, as Associate Journal Publisher, has overall responsibility for the strategy, development and peer-review process of BioMed Central’s portfolio of "Special Medical Journals". These journals include well-established translational research titles such as Arthritis Research & Therapy and Breast Cancer Research, and new titles such as Stem Cell Research & Therapy. Iain is also responsible for two journals that, in particular, aim to increase the availability of raw data and negative results – BMC Research Notes and Trials. Iain leads BioMed Central’s Open Data/data sharing initiatives, which include the Open Data Award, and multi-disciplinary projects to promote standards and best practice for sharing raw data – including guidelines for clinical trialists published in the BMJ in 2010. He also chairs BioMed Central’s editorial policy and publication ethics meetings and has written detailed guidance for editors on duplicate publication.

 

 

  

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