Dr Yinghui Wei

I am Associate Professor of Statistics in School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics at University of Plymouth, where I lead the MSc Health Data Science and Statistics programme, chair School Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and co-lead the big data group. I led the School's successful Athena SWAN Bronze application in 2020, and led a cross-faculty team for the establishment of the new MSc Health Data Science and Statistics for September 2022 launch. I also hold an honorary/visiting appointment in Bristol Medical School at University of Bristol. I am an associated member of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC). 

Prior to joining Plymouth, I was Investigator Scientist (Statistician) in MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, Career Development Fellow in Biostatistics in MRC Biostatistics Unit at University of Cambridge, and Research Fellow in School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham. I completed my PhD and MSc in Statistics in 2008 and 2004, respectively, from the School of Mathematics, The University of Manchester.

My primary research interests include the development of statistical methodology and the substantive applications to medicine, clinical trials, observational studies and evidence synthesis, as well as using data to answer health-related research questions. I have supervised 4 PhD students towards successful completion, leading to publications in Journal of Applied Statistics, Biometrical Journal, and Carbon.

I led an impact case study "Improved health research and practice through advancing statistical methods and applications" for REF2021 UoA10 Mathematical Sciences. I am a Statistical Editor for a Cochrane review group. I sit on Royal Society's International Exchanges grant panel.

Qualifications

Academic qualifications:

• PhD in Statistics, School of Mathematics, University of Manchester, UK, 2008
• MSc in Statistics (with Distinction), School of Mathematics, University of Manchester, UK, 2004
• BSc in Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Northwest University, China, 2003

• Accredited Researcher, Office for National Statistics, 2021
  
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy, 2014
  
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Plymouth, UK, 2014

• Associate Professor of Statistics, University of Plymouth, UK, 2019 – Present
• Lecturer in Statistics, University of Plymouth, UK, 2013 – 2019
• Investigator Scientist, Medical Research Council, UK, 2009 – 2013
• Research Fellow (Welcome Trust), University of Nottingham, UK, 2008 – 2009

Honorary Appointments:

• Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, 2021 – Present

Professional membership

• Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the London Mathematical Society

Roles on external bodies

• Member, Royal Society International Exchanges Panel (01/01/2023 – 31/12/2025)
• I regularly act as a peer reviewer for grant proposals for the UKRI Medical Research Council, and National Institute for Health Research
• Member, Statistical Advisory Board, WHO Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis of Zika Virus Consortium as part of the research response to epidemics (2018 – Present)
• Statistical Editor, Cochrane Developmental Psychosocial Learning Problems Group (2015 – 2023; Associate Statistical Editor, 2011 – 2015)
• Member, Cochrane Statistical Methods Group (2011 – Present)
• Chair, Royal Statistical Society South West Local Group (2021 – Present; Secretary 2017 – 2020; Committee Member 2014 – 2016)
  

Teaching interests

Staff serving as external examiners

2022 – , External Examiner, "MSc Data Science", "BSc Statistics", "BSc Data Science and Analytics", Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex

2020, External PhD Examiner, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Essex

2019, External PhD Examiner, Department of Health Data Science, University of Liverpool

Research interests

I recently hold an MRC fellowship grant to make use of big data from cohort studies and electronic health records within the Trusted Research Environments, such as the OpenSAFELY and UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration Secure e-Research Platform, to investigate COVID-19 epidemiology and its impact on public health.

My primary research interest is in developing statistical methodology and the substantive applications to medicine, clinical trials, observational studies and evidence synthesis. Specific areas include:

• Bayesian inference
• Clinical prediction models
• Evidence synthesis and meta-analysis (including multiple outcomes, multiple treatments and diagnostic tests meta-analysis)
• Modelling and analysis of infectious diseases epidemiology (including Cowpox virus, healthcare-associated infection, Zika virus and COVID-19) 
• Survival analysis

I have a software package in Stata: ipdfc

Wei Y. and Royston P. IPDFC: Stata module to reconstruct individual participant data from a published Kaplan-Meier curve (link)

Other research

Big Data group

Centre for Mathematical Sciences

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

Grants & contracts

Externally funded projects:

01/02/2023 – 31/01/2027, Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network / UKRI EPSRC, Peripheral Biomarker Based Combinatorial Early Diagnostics for Dementia (CombiDiag), €2.8M (£265, 251 to Plymouth). Coordinator / PI Stefan T, Pan G, Plymouth Co-I Wei Y, Sherriff I.

01/10/2022 – 31/03/2026, EPSRC DTP (2738361), "Enhancing Understanding of Long COVID Using Novel Mathematical Clustering Techniques", £79,506. Lead Applicant Broomhead N, Co-applicant Wei Y, Stander J and Pirashvili M.

01/09/2022 – 31/08/2024, NIHR (302739), "Risk factors for adverse health outcomes following kidney transplantation", £89,205. NIHR Pre-Doctoral Fellow Gray J; Primary Supervisor Wei Y, Co-Supervisor Tse W, Connor A. 

01/08/2022 – 31/07/2023, EPSRC IAA, "Using data and analytical approaches to improve healthcare services for patient and public benefit", £5,000. PI Wei Y; Co-I Stander J, Broomhead N, Prime S, Asthana S.

01/04/2022– 1/10/2023, Royal Academy of Engineering Diversity Impact Programme, "Embedding Systemic Inclusion for Neurodiverse and Disabled Engineering Students", £93,667. PI Khan A, Co-I Craven M, Wei Y, Outram N, Besinis A, Lavelle M, Simmonds D. 

1/10/2021 – 30/09/2022, MRC Fellowship (MR/W021358/1): "Using data to improve public health: COVID-19 secondment", £117,805, PI Wei Y. This fellowship is part of the COVID-19 Longitudinal Health and Wellbeing National Core Study (NCS) award, NCS PI Chaturvedi N, Sterne J. 

03/2021, London Mathematical Society (WiM 20-21 04): Women in Mathematics Day, £1,600. Lead Applicant: Wei Y; Co-applicant: Broomhead N, Christopher C and Robertz D.

2020 – 2023, China Scholarship Council International Cooperative Program for Innovative Talents: Yunnan-Plymouth Joint Doctoral Training Programme in Statistical Science, PI Tang N; Plymouth PI Wei Y.

1/10/2020 – 30/09/2024, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (Ref: 1374) and EPSRC DTP (Ref: EP/T518153/1: 2432390): "Using big data to develop and validate clinical prediction models for survival outcomes in kidney transplant", £84,786 (with £34,000 from NHS). PI Wei Y, Co-I Connor A, TSE W, Rowe P, Tan K. 

04/2019 – 12/2020, GlaxoSmithKline (Ref: 8894): “An assessment of the sensitivity to change of a scale to measure quality of life in patients with severe asthma”, awarded in 2018, £55,754. CI Masoli M, PI Jones R, Co-I Hyland M, Wei Y, Lanario J.

04/2019 – 04/2020, GlaxoSmithKline (Ref: 8893): “Further validation of a scale to measure quality of life in patients with severe asthma”, awarded in 2018, £44,503. CI Masoli M, PI Jones R, Co-I Hyland M, Wei Y, Lanario J. 

07/2016 – 01/2018, NIHR RfPB (PB-PG-0215-36117): “A systematic review of physical activity for alcohol and substance use disorders: evidence synthesis with stakeholder engagement to formulate practical recommendations”, awarded in 2015, £154,528. PI Thompson T; Co-I Husk K, Nasser M, Kandiyali R, Wei Y, Wallace G, Taylor A, Neale J, Sinclair J, Creanor S.

Reports & invited lectures

Conferences organised