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Chidozie Nduka

Job Title
Senior Research Fellow
Department
WMS - Health Sciences
Research Interests

(1). Applying epidemiological principles to health technology assessments (2). Evidence synthesis in diagnostic testing (3). Evaluation of public health interventions using natural experiments. (4) Non-communicable disease epidemiology in high-risk populations

Biography

After my undergraduate studies in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and a few years practicing as a physician, I went on to study for a Masters in Public Health (MPH) at the University of Warwick, achieving both a distinction and the University of Warwick Chancellor's Scholarship award to commence doctoral (PhD) studies. For my doctoral thesis, I investigated a plausible causal link between antiretroviral therapy and high blood pressure in HIV-positive Africans using observational data. The project entailed specialist methods used in evidence synthesis (including network meta-analysis and meta-regression analyses) and other statistical methods such as propensity score matching and mediation analysis. The findings have had sufficient impact, being invited to present them at international scientific meetings as invited lecturer. Parts of my work have also been adapted as training resource for continuing medical education credit offered to physicians and allied health professionals. I joined the University of Warwick in August 2016, where I work on health technology assessments for NICE as part of the Warwick Evidence Review Group (ERG). My role entails appraising the clinical effectiveness of novel health technologies developed by pharmaceutical companies, potentially influencing NHS policy and practice. My knowledge of clinical medicine and epidemiology allows for a comprehensive understanding of the natural history of the disease in question and to assess the health status of the target population at baseline, such as when comparing disease stages and prognostic markers across cancer drug trials. I provide methodological support including network meta-analysis and matched indirect treatment comparisons; oversee clarification questions on clinical effectiveness; liaise with clinical advisors; coordinate appraisal reports; and represent the Warwick ERG at NICE appraisal committee meetings.

Title Funder Award start Award end
NIHR HTA 17/148 - Health Technology Assessment Programme researcher-led evidence synthesis: Determining optimal dietary and physical activity interventions for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a global data integration and network meta-analysis National Institute for Health Research (DoH) 01 Feb 2019 31 Jul 2021