Contemporary Clinical Trial Course in person

Designing, running, and evaluating clinical trials requires specialist knowledge across a team of people. Their complexity often means many early-career researchers don’t get exposed to sufficient clinical trial design of modern methods or the practical considerations and the impact that these choices have on the quality of the research. The purpose of this training course is to provide researchers with the opportunity to access advice and support from experienced trialists and their peer-group through a bespoke programme of work.

The course is aimed at emerging Lead Investigators who are interested in developing the essential skills needed to plan and conduct their own clinical trial.

You will be asked to bring a research question, discussed with your academic supervisor/mentor, to the first session. To gain the most from the course, we are looking for questions that can be addressed using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design.

During the course, you will:

• Learn the key statistical and operational considerations required to run a clinical trial effectively
• Apply this knowledge to develop a protocol based on your chosen research question

The course involves a mixture of online material and face to face small group tutorials. It is a bespoke programme of learning with a mix of independent learning and peer-to-peer working.

The course is delivered over several months (April to July 2026). This will include ♦ 1 introductory online session ♦ 3 in-person full-day tutorials (including a drop-in clinic at the end of the tutorial) lasting 6-7 hours ♦ 2 ‘keeping-in-touch’ online sessions and ♦ 1 in-person tutorial / presentation day involving senior academics and a mock funding panel. 

Within each learning module, 9 in total, there is a collection of short videos that provide introductions to key topics and associated tasks.  There will be an opportunity to consolidate the topic and apply this to your own clinical trial protocol in discussion with tutors and support from your peers in the group.

1. Introduction to Course, Questions on module ♦ ‘Preparing to design a trial’. Agree the Research Question with course leads: 15 April 2026, 15:00 to 16:30 (*online)

2. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Classification of clinical trials’ ♦ ‘Late phase trial design’ and ♦ ‘Statistical considerations’: 29 April 2026, 10:00 to 17:00 (*in person) 

3. ‘Keeping in touch’ / opportunity to ask questions about previous tutorial: 13 May 2026, 15:00 to 16:30 (online)

4. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Protocol development’ ♦ ‘PPIE’ ♦ ‘Trial Operations: 20 May 2026, 10:00 to 17:00 (*in-person)

5. ‘Keeping in touch’ / opportunity to ask questions about previous tutorial: 10 June 2026, 15:00 to 16:30 (online)

6. Tutors deliver learning modules on ♦ ‘Collecting data’ ♦ ‘Analysing and reporting trial outcomes’: 24 Jun 2026, 10:00 to 17:00 (*in-person)

7. Presentations from Chief Investigator / ICCT alumni and Imperial & Partners Research Support Service on funding. Delegates present to a ‘mock funding panel’, followed by a late lunch: 22 July 2026, 10:00 to 16:00 (in-person)

*Mandatory sessions

The next course will start in April 2026.

In-person sessions will take place on Wednesdays, 10:00 to 17:00 at the White City Campus.

The tutorials are designed to be delivered face to face in small groups of 8 to 10 people. We cannot  offer the in-person tutorials as hybrid sessions.

The tutors are experienced ICTU staff working in Clinical Trial Statistics, Methodology, Operations and Clinical Data Systems and Public Involvement & Engagement.

Our tutor team includes: Victoria Cornelius, Leila Janani, Daphne Babalis, Ana Boshoff, Suzie Cro, Kenan Direk, Emanuela Falaschetti, Francesco Lala, Verity Leeson, Marie Miller, Claire Smith, Ed Waddingham and Louise Ward.

The course application system is open. Please follow this link to apply: ICCT IN PERSON course registration form 2026

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis every few weeks, with places confirmed as selections are made. Registration will close once all places are filled so we encourage you to apply early to avoid disappointment.

You must have:

• Basic knowledge of clinical research
• Sufficient time to complete the homework
• Availability to attend the online introductory session and the three in-person tutorials (as a minimum)
• A research question that can be addressed using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design
• A named academic supervisor/mentor
• Funding confirmed prior to the course starting.

The course costs £1,100.

If your place is confirmed, you will be asked to transfer funds in full no later than 3 weeks before the course starts.

ICTU is unable to provide funding for this course.  If you don’t have access to funds through a training grant, for example a fellowship then we recommend you speak to your supervisor or Head of Department about funding options.