Workshop

Target trial emulation: where are we and where are we going?

Workshop hosted by the NIHR Target Trials in Mental Health programme

Date: 4 June 2026 (Workshop: 9:30 – 17:00 | Evening reception: 17:00 - 18:00)
Location: INOX, University of Sheffield
Organising / Scientific Committee: Dr Rowan Cherodian (Chair), Dr Matthew Franklin, Prof Nick Latimer and Dr Zhan Shi
Contact for enquiries: Dr Rowan Cherodian

Fees and registration

Standard rate: £15 per person.
PhD students / early career researchers: Fee waiver available on request. Please contact us.
Presenters: Workshop fee waived and train cost covered for presenters of accepted abstracts.

Overview

Large-scale observational data are increasingly available for healthcare research, including from electronic health records and disease registries. Target trial emulation (TTE) is based on the Target Trial framework (TTF) to support the development of study designs within observational data for evaluating the comparative effectiveness of care technologies. The TTF is increasingly used across a range of clinical areas to answer questions that would not be feasible via, or to complement, randomised trials. 

This workshop will focus on target trial design and planning, alongside TTE methodological issues evidenced through application. It will include an overview of TTE research from the host organisation (University of Sheffield), alongside debate and discussion of key topic areas including developing pre-specified analysis plans, estimands and causal machine learning.

Call for abstracts

We invite abstract submissions for oral presentations (10 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A) of early-stage targets trial study designs and methodological issues evidenced through application. 

Priority will be given to work-in-progress or unpublished work and early career researchers (ECRs) / PhD students.

Aims and outcomes from attending

• Promote the Target Trial framework, work in progress and associated application and methodological considerations.

• Discuss and debate relevant TTE topics such as developing analysis plans, estimands and causal machine learning.

• Network with experts and peers interested in target trial emulation.

Target audience

This event is intended to bring together people interested in trial trials, causal inference, technology assessment and real-world evidence. As such, the event is aimed at researchers, including statisticians, econometricians, epidemiologists, data scientists, health economists, as well as clinicians and decision-makers interested in real-world evidence, causal inference and trial emulation.

Venue and access information

Address: INOX, Level 5, University of Sheffield Students' Union, Durham Road, S10 2TG.

Public transport: Alight at the University of Sheffield tram stop (Blue or Yellow lines).

Parking: The nearest public car park is Q-Park Durham Road (S10 2JA), which is situated directly opposite the Students' Union/INOX.

Access: Use the glass lifts in the Students' Union lobby to reach Level 5.