The Romanian National Group of International Society for Clinical Biostatistics (RNG-ISCB) was re-established in 2010 as a research and training unit of the Faculty of Computer Science, "Al. I. Cuza" University of Iasi.

Aims

The National Group is organized and shall be operated for educational and scientific purposes according to the aims stipulated in ISCB Constitution:

• to stimulate research on the biostatistical principles and methodology used in clinical research;
• to increase the relevance of statistical theory to clinical medicine;
• to promote high and harmonized standards of statistical practice;
• to work with other societies and organizations in the advancement of biostatistics;
• to promote better understanding of the use and interpretation of biostatistics by the general public, and by national and international organizations and agencies within the public and commercial sectors with an interest;
• to provide a common forum for clinicians and statisticians through meetings, seminars and publications.

Services to provide

To fulfill the aims stipulated in the ISCB Constitution and Romanian National Group Rules and Regulations, the fundamental services provided by the Romanian National Group Committee in collaboration with the Romanian National Group members are the following:

• assist Romanian academic community by helping researchers/professors to gain access to cutting-edge knowledge through the highest quality in-country training courses on statistical and computer science theory to clinical medicine offered by ISCB international experts in collaboration with universities and other institutions recognized as world-wide centers of excellence in the field;

• facilitate and encourage collaboration among the Romanian National Group members by creating a powerful and high professional communication network for the exchange of experiences, expertise, views and concerns in biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues;

• enable the Romanian National Group members to gain new knowledge and share practice by:

• attending regularly scientific meetings in a virtual space (ex. participation on video conferences organized once a month, participation at discussions on group forum as often as is needed);

• attending team building workshops held during weekend at each three months;

• organizing during each year an International Summer School on advancements in biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues;

• strengthen capacity in the research process (e.g. grant writing, research methodology, communication of research);

• attending an annual general meeting regarding the evaluation of the Romanian National Group management activities and establishing the new general Agenda for the following year;

• design a virtual library on biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues, including a comprehensive documentation from heterogeneous sources such as to insure an adequate collection, management and dissemination of: data, reports, articles, books, projects outcomes, educational materials, based on most recent Web technologies;

• facilitate and encourage Romanian National Group members to participate at ISCB international conferences/workshops and training courses;

• facilitate and encourage collaboration among National Groups by organizing workshops, trainings and drawing funds for developing joint projects on biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues;

• provide training for high profile Ph. D. students and/or post doctoral researchers in statistical theory to clinical medicine and facilitate participation of ISCB experts as invited professors;

• create o proper environment for founding a laboratory on biostatistics and bioinformatics at European standards available to all interested ISCB members;

• encourage exchange programs of Ph.D. and post-doctorate students, professors and researchers among universities and research centers recommended by ISCB.

Potential Impact

Since the Romanian national capacity and experience in biostatistics and bioinformatics is scarce, collaboration with ISCB members and ISCB National Groups is vital.

• a strong national network of young relevant scientists from various fields with broad knowledge and technical skills prepared to generate and execute research projects in the field of biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues, able to solve specific problems with increased accuracy and ready to make a key contribution to the decision-making processes of population health;

• collaboration on multidisciplinary projects between universities and excellence centers in collaboration with ISCB members will enable researchers to compare experiences and learn what approaches to strengthening policy, management and service delivery are feasible and effective in what circumstances;

• build “prepared minds” – to make sure that, Master, Ph.D students and/or post doctoral researchers from Romania have a solid understanding of phenomena based on multidisciplinary approach, problem solving strategies and the assumptions behind that strategies, thereby making it possible to respond swiftly to health challenges and opportunities as they occur in real time;

• scientific identification and recruitment of talented young scientists, with appropriate gender balance, and provision of high-level training will lead to the development of a critical mass of scientists backed by good technical staff and good esprit de corps;

• opportunity for young scientists with strong interest in biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues to develop a fulminate career by learning and collaborating with ISCB experts;

• establish good linkages to strong institutions doing similar work and fostering of good partnership and networks;

• build up the capacity to support Romanian National Group to train the local scientists within their own national institutions with support of international experts of ISCB – create a critical mass of researchers from different disciplines to implement national research priorities;

• an adequate balance in biostatistics between the national and European levels;

• a coherent and adaptive approach for managing the rapidly growing knowledge base;

• an integrated knowledge-base platform for strategic decision making – reinforces flows of knowledge and eliminates barriers to access; by stressing connectivity across issues, as well as access to specific knowledge and information, serves as a support system for strategic analysis and decision-making;

• a virtual library adaptive to user needs - facilitate the development and diffusion of patentable knowledge accelerating access to relevant knowledge (basic data, robust information and interpretation);

• access to “best practices” enhances prospects for implementation where they are most needed; a better understanding of the nature and urgency of the problems in biostatistics and bioinformatics.

Value-added

• Information consolidation on biostatistics and bioinformatics related issues;
• Better research policy;
• Create an web-based integration information system in order to response to queries that none of the existing information source can separately answer;
• Create a new generation of “biostatistician” scientists.

Gains from knowledge networking

• Identifying “best practices”;
• Eliminating technology barriers;
• Protecting quality controls;
• Retaining knowledge frontiers;
• Obtaining knowledge of practical experience;
• Increased flexibility in adaptation, innovation and management of interdisciplinary issues;
• Strengthened capacity for making strategic choices;
• Reinforced mechanisms and institutions for capacity-building;
• Building research capacity to measure the resource flows.

Key features and deliverables:

Evaluation criteria and potential indicators of impact: