Robert Mahar

Robert Mahar is a Research Fellow in Biostatistics at the University of Melbourne, affiliated with the Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, and the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. He holds a PhD in Biostatistics (2019) from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Biostatistics (2014) from the University of Queensland.

His research focuses on applied causal inference, Bayesian methods, and innovative clinical trial design, particularly in oncology. His doctoral work developed computational Bayesian models for lung function analysis using multiple-breath washout and tidal flow data. He has expertise in adaptive trial designs, decision analytic tools for clinical trial valuation, and methodological advancements in respiratory disease prediction and infectious disease management.

Key contributions include protocols for antibiotic switch strategies in Staphylococcus aureus infections, systematic reviews of TMPRSS2 inhibitors for COVID-19, and cost-effectiveness analyses of prostate cancer treatments. He advocates for transparent reporting in adaptive trials and has applied Bayesian methods to optimize breast cancer trial designs.