With a degree in pharmacy, Dr. Szilvia Kiss-Dala became interested in statistics during her work in the pharmaceutical regulatory field, leading her to pursue studies in applied biostatistics as well. In addition to conducting meta-analyses, she occasionally works on code development. In March, she was named Best Statistician of the Month at the Centre for Translational Medicine.
Szilvia Kiss-Dala, a pharmacist by initial training, now works as a biostatistician at the Centre for Translational Medicine. She has previously worked in the pharmaceutical regulatory field and first encountered statistics in the context of her work on drug submissions. She became interested in this field because she wanted to understand the statistical methods mentioned in the guidelines better. She took up a job as a statistician in a small company before joining the CTM in December 2022. She is currently enrolled in a training course in biostatistics. In addition to preparing meta-analyses, she occasionally engages in code development. She is also interested in learning more about clinical trials.
“Statistical tasks are partly related to my original field, as researchers often investigate the effects of drugs in their studies. I primarily participate in the work of the Dentistry Group and the Miscellaneous Group, working on many interesting topics. Sometimes I have to help students with their questions and interpretations. Sometimes the interpretation of statistical results isn’t straightforward. There are also cases when I have to explain what conclusions can be drawn from the statistical results obtained and what cannot. It is important to clarify this because sometimes strong conclusions cannot be drawn from the results. In such cases, further research is needed to help clarify the scientific questions.”
Szilvia emphasizes that her biostatistical work is greatly helped by her original qualification as a pharmacist, which gives her an understanding of various medical subjects, such as physiology and pharmacology, and makes it easier to communicate with health professionals.
(Szabó Emese)