Jing Huang, Jingjing Gao, Jing Du, Tuan Nguyen, Li Zheng, Merrill Birkner, Whedy Wang

A full crowd takes in a session at the 2023 Bay Area Biotech-Pharma Statistics Workshop.

The sixth annual Bay Area Biotech-Pharma Statistics Workshop was held October 24–25 in Foster City, California, and drew more than 300 statisticians, data scientists, and analytical programmers for learning opportunities, inspiration, and networking.

The theme this year, “Embracing Change and Shaping the Future,” reflected the dynamic nature of the biotech-pharma field. All presentations and panel discussions aligned with the theme and offered insights into the latest trends, methodologies, and best practices in biotech-pharma statistics and analytical programming, in addition to career and leadership development.

For the first time, participants came from more than 100 organizations, and the American Statistical Association’s Biopharmaceutical Section and Bay Area Chapter offered support. This year also saw the introduction of parallel sessions, with one track dedicated to statistical programming. These sessions focused on topics such as data and visualization, statistical engineering, automation, and emerging trends in pharmaceutical science. The panel discussion “Clinical Development Programming Bootcamp” offered actionable insights for start-up leaders and drew attendees from multiple disciplines.

Stephen Ruberg shared multifaceted insights and his vision in his keynote speech, titled “Does This Treatment Cause That Outcome? The Future of Inferring What Is Likely to Be True.” He provided a thought-provoking exploration of the future of statistical methods in inference and estimation.

In his keynote speech, Auton highlighted research at 23andMe, underscoring how direct-to-consumer approaches can transform scientific exploration. He emphasized the database’s potential to catalyze groundbreaking discoveries that may revolutionize treatments for various diseases.

As a mainstay of the conference, statistical sessions spanning the two days covered topics such as innovative trial design/analysis and new endpoints, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and real-world data/evidence.

The panel discussion titled “Career Paths for Statisticians” explored diverse career trajectories available to statisticians, shedding light on opportunities beyond conventional roles. The panelists offered insights for aspiring statisticians looking to explore unconventional and rewarding career avenues.

The conference also featured poster presentations accompanied by two-minute lightning talks from lead presenters, which were another first for the workshop.

As each conference day concluded, attendees participated in raffle drawings, mixers, and networking events. On the first day, the live BBSW band—consisting of statisticians and data scientists—gave a performance.