Natalie Staplin

Natalie Staplin is Professor of Medical Statistics and Head of Clinical Trial Statistics at the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit (CTSU) within Oxford Population Health, and statistical lead for the Renal Studies Group. Her research focuses on understanding the causes and prevention of chronic kidney disease and its cardiovascular complications through the design, analysis and interpretation of large-scale randomised trials, meta-analyses, and observational and genetic epidemiological studies.

Natalie is chief statistician for the EASi-KIDNEY trial and the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, which demonstrated that empagliflozin reduces the risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in a broad range of people with chronic kidney disease. She has subsequently led international collaborative meta-analyses of SGLT2 inhibitor trials that have helped establish the benefits of these treatments across a wide range of patients with kidney disease. This work has contributed to international clinical guidelines and regulatory approval of empagliflozin for the treatment of chronic kidney disease.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Natalie also played a major statistical role in the RECOVERY trial, leading analyses that established the effects of several treatments for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. Her wider research includes studies of blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and genetic epidemiology.

Natalie joined CTSU in 2012 after completing an undergraduate degree in Mathematics with Actuarial Science and a PhD in Statistics at the University of Southampton. She co-leads the Data Management and Analysis module for NDPH’s MSc in Clinical Trials and has supervised DPhil, DM and MSc students.