Professor Duolao Wang

Chair in Biostatistics

Professor Wang joined the Liverpool School in March 2014. Previously, he was a lecturer and then senior lecturer in medical statistics at the Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for 15 years.

Research interests

His methodological interests include statistical issues in design, analysis and reporting of clinical trials (e.g., win ratio method, Bayesian method, quasi-experimental design, QT correction methods, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modelling, meta-analysis, and trial simulation) and observational studies (e.g., longitudinal data and multilevel modelling, prognostic models, non-parametric regression, varying-coefficient models, the propensity score approach, data mining, machine learning, and big data analysis). His areas of applied research include infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, oncology, maternal and child health, mental health, nutrition, and translational research.

Recent publications: 

    Selected publications

    • Kwambai TK, Dhabangi A, Idro R, Opoka R, Watson V, Kariuki S, Kuya NA, Onyango ED, Otieno K, Samuels AM, Desai MR, Boele van Hensbroek M, Wang D, John CC, Robberstad B, Phiri KS, Ter Kuile FO. Malaria Chemoprevention in the Postdischarge Management of Severe Anemia. N Engl J Med. 2020 Dec 3;383(23):2242-2254. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002820.

      Kintu K, Malaba TR, Nakibuka J, Papamichael C, Colbers A, Byrne K, Seden K, Hodel EM, Chen T, Twimukye A, Byamugisha J, Reynolds H, Watson V, Burger D, Wang D, Waitt C, Taegtmeyer M, Orrell C, Lamorde M, Myer L, Khoo S; DolPHIN-2 Study Group. Dolutegravir versus efavirenz in women starting HIV therapy in late pregnancy (DolPHIN-2): an open-label, randomised controlled trial. Lancet HIV. 2020 May;7(5):e332-e339. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(20)30050-3

      Ahmed R, Poespoprodjo JR, Syafruddin D, Khairallah C, Pace C, Lukito T, Maratina SS, Asih PBS, Santana-Morales MA, Adams ER, Unwin VT, Williams CT, Chen T, Smedley J, Wang D, Faragher B, Price RN, Ter Kuile FO. Efficacy and safety of intermittent preventive treatment and intermittent screening and treatment versus single screening and treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for the control of malaria in pregnancy in Indonesia: a cluster-randomised, open-label, superiority trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Sep;19(9):973-987. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30156-2. 

      Rahman A, Khan MN, Hamdani SU, Chiumento A, Akhtar P, Nazir H, Nisar A, Masood A, Din IU, Khan NA, Bryant RA, Dawson KS, Sijbrandij M, Wang D, van Ommeren M. Effectiveness of a brief group psychological intervention for women in a post-conflict setting in Pakistan: a single-blind, cluster, randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2019 Apr 27;393(10182):1733-1744.  doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32343-2.

      Smit MR, Ochomo EO, Aljayyoussi G, Kwambai TK, Abong'o BO, Chen T, Bousema T, Slater HC, Waterhouse D, Bayoh NM, Gimnig JE, Samuels AM, Deslstmedai MR, Phillips-Howard PA, Kariuki SK, Wang D, Ward SA, Ter Kuile FO. Safety andmosquitocidal efficacy of high-dose ivermectin when co-administered with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in Kenyan adults with uncomplicated malaria (IVERMAL): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2018 Mar 27. pii: S1473-3099(18)30163-4.

      Molloy SF, Kanyama C, Heyderman RS, Loyse A, Kouanfack C, Chanda D, Mfinanga S, Temfack E, Lakhi S, Lesikari S, Chan AK, Stone N, Kalata N, Karunaharan N, Gaskell K, Peirse M, Ellis J, Chawinga C, Lontsi S, Ndong JG, Bright P, Lupiya D, Chen T, Bradley J, Adams J, van der Horst C, van Oosterhout JJ, Sini V, Mapoure YN, Mwaba P, Bicanic T, Lalloo DG, Wang D, Hosseinipour MC, Lortholary O, Jaffar S, Harrison TS; ACTA Trial Study Team. Antifungal Combinations for Treatment of Cryptococcal Meningitis in Africa. N Engl J Med. 2018 Mar 15;378(11):1004-1017

      Holman RR, Coleman RL, Chan JCN, Chiasson JL, Feng H, Ge J, Gerstein HC, Gray R, Huo Y, Lang Z, McMurray JJ, Rydén L, Schröder S, Sun Y, Theodorakis MJ, Tendera M, Tucker L, Tuomilehto J, Wei Y, Yang W, Wang D, Hu D, Pan C; ACE Study Group. Effects of acarbose on cardiovascular and diabetes outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease and impaired glucose tolerance (ACE): a randomised,double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2017 Nov;5(11):877-886.

      Mortimer K, Ndamala CB, Naunje AW, Malava J, Katundu C, Weston W, Havens D, Pope D, Bruce NG, Nyirenda M, Wang D, Crampin A, Grigg J, Balmes J, Gordon SB. A cleaner burning biomass-fuelled cookstove intervention to prevent pneumonia in children under 5 years old in rural Malawi (the Cooking and Pneumonia Study): a cluster randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2017 Jan 14;389(10065):167-175.

      Rahman A, Hamdani SU, Awan NR, Bryant RA, Dawson KS, Khan MF, Azeemi MM, Akhtar P, Nazir H, Chiumento A, Sijbrandij M, Wang D, Farooq S, van Ommeren M. Effect of a Multicomponent Behavioral Intervention in Adults Impaired by Psychological Distress in a Conflict-Affected Area of Pakistan: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016 Dec 27;316(24):2609-2617

      Wang D and Pocock S. A win ratio approach to comparing continuous non-Normal outcomes in clinical trials. Pharmaceutical Statistics. 2016 May;15(3):238-45.

      Tyrer P, Cooper S, Salkovskis P, Tyrer H, Crawford M, Byford S, Dupont S, Finnis S, Green J, McLaren E, Murphy D, Reid S, Smith, Wang D, Warwick H, Petkova H, Barrett B. Clinical and cost-effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy for health anxiety in medical patients. Lancet 2014 Jan 18; 383(9913):219-25.

      Allen SJ, Wareham K, Wang D, Bradley C, Hutchings H, Harris W, Dhar A, Brown H, Foden A, Gravenor MB, Mack D. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and Clostridium difficile diarrhoea in older inpatients (PLACIDE): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial. Lancet 2013; 382(9900):1249-57.

      Kodali SK, Williams MR, Smith CR, Svensson LG, Webb JG, Makkar RR, Fontana GP, Dewey TM, Thourani VH, Pichard AD, Fischbein M, Szeto WY, Lim S, Greason KL, Teirstein PS, Malaisrie SC, Douglas PS, Hahn RT, Whisenant B, Zajarias A, Wang D, Akin JJ, Anderson WN, Leon MB, PARTNER Trial Investigators. Two-Year Outcomes after Transcatheter or Surgical Aortic-Valve Replacement. N Engl J Med 2012; 366(18):1686-95.

      Pocock SJ, Ariti CA, Collier TJ, Wang D. The win ratio: a new approach to the analysis of composite endpoints in clinical trials based on clinical priorities. Eur Heart J 2012; 33(2):176-182.

      Wang D, Taubel J, Arezina R. Comparison of Six Commonly Used QT Correction Models and Their Parameter Estimation Methods. J Biopharm Stat 2012; 22(6):1148-61.

      Warriner IK, Wang D, Huong NTM, Thapa K, Tamang A, Shah I, Baird DT, Meirik O. Can midlevel health-care providers administer early medical abortion as safely and effectively as doctors? A randomised controlled equivalence trial in Nepal. Lancet 2011; 377(9772):1155-1161.

      Smith CR, Leon MB, Mack MJ, Miller C, Moses JW, Svensson LG, Tuzcu EM, Webb JG, Fontana GP, Makkar RR, Williams M, Dewey T, Kapadia S, Babaliaros V, Thourani VH, Corso P, Pichard AD, Bavaria JE, Herrmann HC, Akin JJ, Anderson WN, Wang D, Pocock SJ. Transcatheter versus Surgical Aortic-Valve Replacement in High-Risk Patients. N Engl J Med 2011; 364(23):2187-2198.

      Wang D, Cheung YB, Arezina R, Taubel J, Camm AJ. A nonparametric approach to QT interval correction for heart rate. J Biopharm Stat 2010; 20(3):508-22.

      Leon MB, Smith CR, Mack M, Miller DC, Moses JW, Svensson LG, Tuzcu EM, Webb JG, Fontana GP, Makkar RR, Brown DL, Block PC, Guyton RA, Pichard AD, Bavaria JE, Herrmann HC, Douglas PS, Petersen JL, Akin JJ, Anderson WN, Wang D, Pocock S Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation for Aortic Stenosis in Patients Who Cannot Undergo Surgery. N Engl J Med 2010; 363(17):1597-1607.

      Wang D, Bakhai A. Clinical Trials: A Practical Guide to Design, Analysis and Reporting. London and Chicago, 2006, 496pp.

      Demers C, McMurray JJ, Swedberg K, Pfeffer MA, Granger CB, Olofsson B, McKelvie RS, Ostergren J, Michelson EL, Johansson PA, Wang D, Yusuf S. CHARM Investigators. Impact of candesartan on nonfatal myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death in patients with heart failure. JAMA 2005; 294(14):1794-1798.

      Wang D, Zhang W, Bakhai B. Comparison of Bayesian model averaging and stepwise methods for model selection in logistic regression. Statistics in Medicine 2004;23:3451-3467.

      Khan NE, De Souza A, Mister R, Flather M, Clague J, Davies S, Collins P, Wang D, Sigwart U, Pepper J. A randomized comparison of off-pump and on-pump multivesse coronary-artery bypass surgery. N Engl J Med 2004; 350: 21-28.