[Conference] INVENTS at the ISBS2026 Conference

A successful Week in Madrid for the INVENTS Consortium at ISBS 2026 conference !

Last week, the INVENTS consortium made a significant impact at the International Society for Biopharmaceutical Statistics (ISBS) conference held in Madrid. The event provided a premier platform for our members to present cutting-edge research and engage with global leaders in biopharmaceutical statistics and regulatory science.

A Dedicated Spotlight on INVENTS

One of the highlights of the conference was a dedicated session for the INVENTS consortium, entitled: “Borrowing Strength or Inflating Risk? Bayesian Evidence in Rare Diseases”. This session was organized by Martin Posch (WP3 co-leader) and offered a comprehensive overview of our current projects and future directions. It featured presentations from our talented students and postdocs (David Jesse, Lingjiao Wang, Teresa Engelbrecht), demonstrating the high level of scientific rigor and innovation driving our consortium. The session was further enriched by the participation as a discussant of Sarah Zohar, our Project Coordinator, providing strategic context to our research goals.

Scientific Contributions and Regulatory Dialogue

The consortium’s scientific presence was further strengthened by an oral presentation on virtual patients definitions delivered by Laurens Sluijterman, INVENTS postdoc.

In addition to our technical presentations, the consortium played a key role in the broader scientific debate. Sarah Zohar was invited to participate in a high-level panel discussion following the keynote of Peter Arlett from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), entitled “Europe in Action: Regulatory Considerations on Clinical Evidence and Data Science”. This exchange provided invaluable insights int the evolving relationship between biopharmaceutical statistical methods and regulatory requirements.

Strengthening Consortium Ties

Beyond the formal scientific program, the conference served as a vital opportunity for internal networking. The attending members of the INVENTS consortium gathered for a consortium dinner, fostering the collaborative spirit and professional bonds that are essential to ur collaborative success.

We would like to thank all presenters, participants, and colleagues who contributed to making this congress a valuable experience for the consortium.

Oral presentations

David Jesse – Flexible and Robust Bayesian Information Borrowing in Clinical Trials with Longitudinal Outcomes

Lingjiao Wang – Robust Bayesian Borrowing with Local Control of Type I Error and Power

Teresa Engelbrecht – Comparing Type I Error Measures in Hybrid Clinical Trials

Laurens Sluijterman – What Is a Virtual Patient ? Toward Unifying Definitions in Model-Informed Drug Development