![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Boyd_Orr_Building.jpg/300px-Boyd_Orr_Building.jpg)
The Robertson Centre for Biostatistics conducts and supports collaborative research in clinical trials and other well conducted studies in all areas of medicine as part of the School of Health & Wellbeing in the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences.
We are a key component of UKCRC (United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration) fully registered Glasgow Clinical Trials Unit and have significant experience of joint working with colleagues in academia, the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry in the West of Scotland, across the UK and internationally.
We are recognised internationally as a centre of excellence due to our: contributions to medicine through our research and its impact on clinical guidelines and clinical practice, contributions to major international multi-centre clinical trials, epidemiological studies and other research projects excellent relations with medical and biological researchers in academia, the pharmaceutical and device industries, the National Health Service and other research organisations We have expertise in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and in the development of novel informatics technologies to support their conduct:
Biostatistics Health Informatics Data Processing and Management Software Development Project Management and Project Development [1]
History
[edit]The Robertson Centre evolved from the Department of Statistics at Glasgow University in 1988 when Ian Ford established the Databases Unit to support a number of clinical research projects. The Unit grew rapidly, specialising in projects in the cardiovascular and neuroscience areas.
In 1993, pump priming support from the Robertson Trust allowed the creation of an expanded group (The Robertson Centre for Biostatistics) with Gordon Murray as its first Director. When Gordon moved to a chair at the University of Edinburgh in 1996, Ian Ford stood down from his position as head of the Department of Statistics to take over as Director. The Centre continued to expand, providing collaborative research support, a biostatistical advisory service and CPD courses to the biomedical community and beyond.
Major contributions to landmark clinical trials established the Centre’s international reputation. Highlights in the cardiovascular area include the WOSCOPS, PROSPER, IONA, CAPRICORN, IMAGES, BEAUTifUL, PERFORM, SHIFT, SIGNIFY, EchoCRT and DOTHF trials.
In 2007, the Robertson Centre, in partnership with the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility and Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS R&I, made a successful application to create a fully registered Clinical Trials Unit (Glasgow Clinical Trials Unit) under the UKCRC Registered Clinical Trials Unit Network.
In 2009 the Centre moved from the Faculty of Information and Mathematical Sciences to the Faculty of Medicine. From there, it became part of the School of Medicine and is currently based in the School of Health and Wellbeing (SHW) within the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (MVLS).[2]