Duke Health is committed to advancing global health through research, education, and equitable care. The Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Duke University School of Medicine is proud to host the 2026 Duke Industry Statistics Symposium (DISS2026). Since 2013, when the first symposium was held, DISS has a long history of fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and regulatory agencies.

We are delighted to announce DISS2026 is scheduled for April 8-10, 2026, in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This year’s symposium is titled “From Insight to Impact: Statistical Innovation Driving Clinical Research in the AI Era,” and will delve into the cutting-edge realms of biostatistics and data innovations within pharmaceutical development, particularly in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The rapid advancements in biomedical technology, big data science, and AI have opened unprecedented opportunities for drug development. This evolution necessitates integrating diverse, state-of-the-art tools and methodologies into clinical trial research. Key areas of focus will include the application of machine learning and AI, the utilization of electronic health records, pragmatic trials, patient-centered trial designs, master protocols, adaptive trial design methodologies, and the effective use of historical controls and real-world evidence. Unlike traditional clinical development approaches, these innovative strategies demand the systematic extraction of insights from data collected through ongoing clinical trials and external sources. They also leverage AI and ML algorithms and analyze high-dimensional clinical, genomic, and imaging data as biomarkers for creating next-generation pharmaceutical products.

To keep registration accessible, particularly for participants from academia and government, we rely on the generous support of our sponsors. We invite your organization to contribute through a grant or donation to help make the in-person symposium possible. Please note that all funds will be used strictly for conference-related expenses and will not be used to pay or benefit any U.S. individuals, entities or Health Care Providers.

To recognize our sponsors and their vital contributions, we offer the following tiered sponsorship opportunities:

Duke University and Duke Health are based in Durham, North Carolina, and operate as independent, nonprofit institutions governed by a Board of Directors. Duke is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.