Much medical research depends on the analysis and interpretation of data – which Australia is not well resourced to do  

“The emerging era of big data heightens the need for biostatistical expertise, with more decision makers and researchers aiming to extract value from complex messy data, and increasing use of packaged software by individuals with insufficient understanding of the underlying methods,” Katherine Lee (Murdoch Children’s RI) and a squad of colleagues write  in the Medical Journal of Australia.

They warn Australia lags the US, Europe, and UK, in developing biostats capacity, although they do acknowledge universities which teach postgrad subjects, Adelaide, Macquarie, Monash, Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne.

Overall, they propose universities and research institutes create the critical mass of biostatisticians working on methodology and collaborating with researchers lest medical research is overwhelmed with data no one quite understands.