About Dr Mia Holley
I am a Lecturer in Medical Statistics in the School of Medicine. I teach Research Methods, Medical Statistics, and Public Health on the MBChB programme and supervise Academic Clinical Fellows and undergraduate projects. I have previously taught mathematics and statistics at Durham University, and in 2025 I was invited to deliver a master’s-level course as a Visiting Lecturer at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Cameroon, West Africa.
My research focuses on large database analyses, including The Health Improvement Network and UK Biobank, to investigate health interventions and determinants of disease. My PhD in Medical Statistics on levothyroxine prescribing in ageing populations, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), has received international recognition.
I hold Graduate Statistician status and was elected to the Royal Statistical Society’s Young Statisticians Committee for 2026. I also hold a BSc in Mathematics (First Class Honours) and an MSc in Mathematical Biology (Distinction) from the University of York.
Teaching and supervision
I teach Research Methods, Medical Statistics and Public Health on the MBChB Medicine undergraduate programme, overseeing the integration of quantitative reasoning and evidence-based medicine throughout the curriculum. I currently supervise Academic Clinical Fellows and undergraduate research projects within the School of Medicine, having previously supervised multiple studentships funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and The Academy of Medical Sciences.
Prior to joining the School of Medicine, I held teaching positions at Durham University and the University of Sunderland, delivering and coordinating mathematics and statistics modules across foundation- to master’s-level programmes. In October 2025, I was invited as a Visiting Lecturer for the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Cameroon, delivering a master’s-level course in Statistical Inference with Applications to Healthcare.
I am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Research
My research focuses on large-scale analyses, primarily through emulated target trials and cohort studies. I have a particular interest in using big databases, such as the Health Improvement Network and UK Biobank, to investigate the effects of health interventions and determinants of disease in diverse populations.
In addition to my research, I have acted as a reviewer for journals including BMC Geriatrics, BMC Endocrine Disorders, and Thyroid, and as an ethics reviewer for the University of Sunderland. I have also been an external examiner for a Masters by Research at the University of Edinburgh.
Further information
- Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society
- Graduate Statistician (GradStat), Royal Statistical Society
- Committee Member, Young Statisticians Section, Royal Statistical Society
- Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
- Associate Member, Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (AMIMA)