Rate My Professor Christina Yap

Christina Yap is Professor in Clinical Trials Biostatistics at The Institute of Cancer Research, Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU), where she leads the Early Phase and Adaptive Trials group. She earned an MSc in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Glasgow, receiving the William M. Mercer Ltd. Prize for Most Outstanding Statistics Graduate, followed by a PhD in Statistics. As a chartered statistician with over 20 years of experience in trials methodology and clinical trial conduct, she previously led portfolios of over 25 early phase cancer trials in solid tumours, haematological diseases, and non-cancer indications, as well as late phase trials in head and neck and skin cancers at the Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, University of Birmingham, before joining ICR in 2019. Her career emphasizes translating innovative methodologies into practice to enhance trial delivery and patient benefit.

Yap's research specializations encompass adaptive designs, stratified medicine, platform trials including basket and umbrella designs, Bayesian approaches, and incorporating patient-reported outcomes into early phase dose-finding trials. She collaborates with the ICR/Royal Marsden Drug Development Unit, CRUK Centre for Drug Development, Imperial College, and Kings College London, serving as co-principal investigator or co-applicant on over 20 trials from phase I/II to multi-arm multi-stage phase II/III designs. She leads international consensus efforts developing SPIRIT and CONSORT extensions for early phase dose-finding trials. Key publications include 'Adaptive designs in clinical trials: why use them, and how to run and report them' (BMC Medicine, 2018), 'Dose Transition Pathways: The Missing Link Between Complex Dose-Finding Designs and Simple Decision-Making' (Clinical Cancer Research, 2017), 'The Adaptive designs CONSORT Extension (ACE) statement' (BMJ, 2020), and 'CONSORT-DEFINE explanation and elaboration: recommendations for enhancing reporting quality and impact of early phase dose-finding clinical trials' (BMJ, 2025). Yap holds positions such as associate editor for Trials journal, member of the NIHR Statistics Group Steering Committee where she co-leads the Early Phase Clinical Trials Group, MHRA Biologicals & Vaccines Expert Advisory Group member, and Cancer Research UK Clinical Research Committee funding panel member. She has delivered invited talks, organized training courses, and served on data monitoring committees, influencing oncology trial standards globally.