Biography
Christina Yap is Professor in Clinical Trials Biostatistics at The Institute of Cancer Research, Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU). Christina is a chartered statistician with over 20 years’ experience and has expertise in both trials methodology and the conduct of clinical trials. She is motivated by a desire to ensure that trials are utilised to their best potential to influence clinical practice. Her research focuses on developing and translating innovative methodologies into real-world practice, enabling more effective trial delivery for the ultimate benefit to patients.
Christina completed a MSc in Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Glasgow and was awarded the William M. Mercer Ltd. Prize for Most Outstanding Statistics Graduate, following which she undertook a PhD in Statistics. Prior to joining the Institute of Cancer Research in 2019, Christina led the early phase cancer trials portfolio (which comprised of over 25 trials in solid tumours and haematological diseases and non-cancer trials), and late phase trial portfolios in head and neck cancer and skin cancer at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham.
Within the ICR’s Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit, Christina leads the Early Phase and Adaptive Trials group. She works in close partnership with the ICR/RMH Drug Development Unit and external organisations (including the CRUK Centre for Drug Development, Imperial College and Kings College London) to design innovative adaptive designs in early phase trials. She is co-principal investigator/co-applicant of over 20 trials (past and present), where she has led the design and practical implementation of innovative, efficient designs, ranging from early phase I/II to multi-arm multi-stage randomised Phase II/III designs, including basket, umbrella and platform designs and the application of Bayesian approaches to such settings, successfully translating novel designs into practice. Her specialist methodology interest is in adaptive designs, stratified medicine and platform trials, including basket, umbrella designs, where she has published widely. She is currently leading an international consensus-driven development of the SPIRT and CONSORT extensions for early phase dose-finding trials, and has a keen interest in the incorporation of patient-reported outcomes in early phase trials.
Christina is an investigator within the MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership, co-leads its Stratified Medicine Working Group, leads its Rare Disease Subgroup, and is a core committee member of the Statistical Analysis Working Group and a member of the Adaptive Designs Working Group. She is also part of the Leadership team of the newly established MRC TMRP Doctoral Training Fellowship. She is an NIHR Statistics Group Steering Committee member and co-leads its Early Phase Clinical Trials Group, as well as an MHRA Biologicals & Vaccines Expert Advisory Group member and sits on funding panel for the Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Committee. She is an associate editor for the Trials journal, as well as a scientific committee member for ESMO TAT 2020, 2021 and 2023 and part of the ESMO-TAT Methodology for the Development of Innovative Cancer Therapies Taskforce. She has delivered several invited talks at international conferences and symposia, organised training courses for statisticians, clinicians and trialists (for academia and industry), and sits on national and international data monitoring committees.
Outside of work, Christina enjoys walking, craft and listening to music.