ECHO Program for Clinical Trialists, Investigators, and Biostatisticians
Our ECHO program is accredited for CME credits under Royal College Maintenance of Certification Section 1, and is designed to provide a collaborative platform for healthcare professionals, researchers, and trainees to share knowledge, best practices, and challenges in clinical trial design and conduct. Each session will feature a 20-minute didactic lecture by an expert, followed by open discussion of issues submitted by community members. Through these virtual learning sessions, participants gain access to expert guidance, real-time case discussions, and a supportive community that fosters continuous education and networking with peers.
During each ECHO session, participants will have the opportunity to present a problem for group discussion. These can include questions about a specific study protocol you're working on or areas where you seek further clarity or even a common challenge in clinical research methodology or execution. Learn more about presenting a problem.
Attendance at all sessions is not required. We recommend that participants attend at least 60% of the program to derive the greatest benefit.
Join a Canadian community to enhance your clinical trial design expertise and connect with mentors and peers nationwide.
Learning Objectives
Participants will:
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Gain the ability to rapidly and effectively design and implement clinical trials, essential for gathering the data needed to adjust therapies for new diseases.
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Learn to adapt to constraints and shortages within the healthcare system.
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Enhance their ability to collaborate with various experts, including medical specialists (physicians, surgeons, nurses, allied health professionals), scientific staff (biostatisticians, scientists, graduate students, epidemiologists), and operational staff (data and study coordinators, regulatory personnel, medical writers).
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Be better equipped to conduct high-quality clinical trials, thereby improving their job prospects.
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Develop skills to share knowledge, collaborate effectively, and address challenges in clinical trials.
Topics
All Sessions are 12:00- 1:30 PM ET
Wed, Sept 23, 2026
Topic: Considering Equity in the Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials
Speaker: Dr. Lawrence Mbuagbaw
Wed, Oct 7, 2026
Topic: Don’t Leave Randomization to Chance: Why, When, and How to Randomize—from Simple to Adaptive
Speaker: Andrew Day
Wed, Oct 28, 2026
Topic: Rescue Strategies When Recruitment Fails
Speaker: Dr Dean Fergusson
Wed, Nov 11, 2026
Topic: Bayesian Statistics, Challenges People Face
Speaker: Dr. George Tomlinson
Wed, Nov 25, 2026
Topic: Innovative trial designs: from MAMS to PRACTical
Speaker: Professor Ian White
Wed, Dec 16, 2026
Topic: Writing Successful Grants – What Reviewers Like to See
Speaker: Dr. Nancy Butcher
Wed, Jan 13, 2027
Topic: Machine Learning: An Introduction and a Use Case in Clinical Trials
Speaker: Dr. Philippe Boileau
Wed, Jan 27, 2027
Topic: Developing Knowledge Translation (KT) and Implementation Plans Alongside Trial Protocols So Results Are Ready to Be Adopted, Not Just Published
Speaker: Dr. Julia Moore
Wed, Feb 10, 2027
Topic: Applying AI to clinical research workflows
Speaker: Dr. Jeremy Petch
Wed, Feb 24, 2027
Topic: Equipoise: A Core Ethical Concept for Clinical Trials
Speaker: Dr. Charles Weijer
Wed, Mar 10, 2027
Topic: What Would Make You Stop a Trial?
Speaker: Dr. Lawrence Mbuagbaw
Wed, Mar 31, 2027
Topic: Whose Interests? Bias, Conflicts, and Good Science in Clinical Trials
Speaker: Professor Bryn Williams-Jones
Wed, Apr 21, 2027
Topic: Target Trial Emulation: When Is It Appropriate?
Speaker: Dr. Robert Platt
Wed, May 5, 2027
Topic: Scientific Communication
Speaker: Dr. Lehana Thabane
Wed, May 19, 2027
Topic: Patient-reported Outcomes in Clinical Trials
Speaker: Dr. Ranjani Somayaji
Wed, June 2, 2027
Topic: TBD
Speaker: TBD
Wed, June 16, 2027
Topic: How to Develop a Protocol and Write a Grant
Speaker: TBC
Wed, June 30, 2027
Topic: CAREERS PANEL
Speakers: TBC
Interprofessional Hub Team
Lora Giangregorio, PhD
Professor and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Bone Health and Exercise Science
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
University of Waterloo
she/her
Dr. George Tomlinson
Senior Scientist, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute,
Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Dr. Grace Lam
Clinician Scientist
Adult Respirologist Assistant Professor,
University of Alberta, Division of Pulmonary Medicine
Dr. Monica Taljaard
Senior Scientist, Clinical Epidemiology Program at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Full Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa
Dr. Lawrence Mbuagbaw
Research Methods Consultant and Clinical Epidemiologist
Associate Professor, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University
Director, Biostatistics Unit, St Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
Catherine Birken MD, MSc
General Paediatrician, Paediatric Medicine
Professor, University of Toronto (U of T)
Senior Scientist, Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute
Dr. Jonathon Maguire
Professor, Paediatrics and Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto
General pediatrician, Department of Pediatrics, St. Michael’s Hospital
Scientist, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Unity Health Toronto
Andrew Day, MSc
Head Biostatistician, Kingston Health Sciences Centre
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University
Biostatistical Consultant, CMAJ
Kevin Thorpe
Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Scientific Lead, Clinical Trials Design and Analysis, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
Lehana Thabane, PhD
Vice President of Research, St Joseph’s Healthcare
Scientific Director, Research Institute, St Joseph’s Healthcare
Professor of Biostatistics