School of Life Sciences · Research & professional skills
Biostatistics & Experimental Design
Most statistical problems in biology begin before the experiment, with design. This course teaches how to plan experiments that answer the question and how to analyse them correctly, using free point-and-click software.
Course overview
Biostatistics & Experimental Design covers replication and pseudoreplication, randomisation, controls and blocking, sample size and power, and then the statistical tests most used in biology: t-tests, ANOVA, non-parametric tests, correlation, regression and categorical tests.
Every analysis is run in jamovi, a free graphical statistics program, and interpreted in biological terms, with attention to assumptions, effect sizes, multiple testing and the reporting standards journals expect.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course you will be able to:
- Design experiments with appropriate replication, controls and randomisation
- Estimate sample size and power
- Choose and run the right test for a design and data type
- Report effect sizes and confidence intervals
- Handle multiple comparisons and report statistics correctly
Skills you will practise
Eligibility and prerequisites
Who can apply
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students in any life-science, health-science, agriculture or pharmacy programme
- Graduates preparing for research positions, higher studies or a move into biotechnology
- Professionals from adjacent fields (engineering, computing, chemistry) who need a working command of biology
Prerequisites
- School-level mathematics
- No programming
Best suited to
- Life-science students and researchers who analyse their own experiments
- Wet-lab scientists who want confidence choosing tests
- Students preparing a thesis or first paper
Module-wise syllabus
5 modules. Each pairs instructor-led sessions with a hands-on lab on public data.
Topics
- Replicates and pseudoreplication
- Controls, randomisation and blocking
- Bias
Topics
- Distributions
- Standard error and confidence intervals
- Effect sizes
Topics
- t-tests and ANOVA
- Non-parametric tests
- Post-hoc tests and multiple testing
Topics
- Correlation and regression
- Chi-square and Fisher tests
- Assumption checks
Topics
- Sample-size calculation
- Reporting guidelines
- Common reviewer objections
Practical sessions and projects
Capstone project
Final assessment
Design an experiment for a research question, calculate its sample size and analyse a matching dataset with a full statistical report.
Assessed on the correctness of the analysis, the quality of the code and the reasoning in the write-up. A pass is required for the certificate.
- Designing experiments
Redesign three flawed experiments from published examples.
- Describing data and uncertainty
Summarise and plot a laboratory dataset with confidence intervals.
- Comparing groups
Analyse a multi-group experiment and justify the test choice.
- Relationships and counts
Model a dose–response relationship and analyse a contingency table.
- Power and reporting
Calculate sample size for a planned study and write its statistical methods.
Software, tools and datasets
Software and tools
All software is free and open source or free for academic use. Recommended computer: 8 GB RAM, 30 GB free disk, Linux, macOS or Windows with WSL2.
Core reading
- Whitlock MC, Schluter D. The Analysis of Biological Data, 3rd edition. Macmillan Learning, 2020.
- Lazic SE. Experimental Design for Laboratory Biologists. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Duration, format and fees
- Next cohort
- Dates are sent with your admission offer
- Timetable
- Three evening or weekend sessions a week (IST), plus a lab clinic; intensive and weekend-only schedules on request
- Payment
- Secure online payment link with your admission offer (UPI, cards, net banking). Instalments on request for fees above ₹15,000.
- Refunds
- See the refund and cancellation policy.
Instructor
The instructor for each cohort is named in your admission offer and on this page when the cohort is announced. Vedicgen instructors are selected for hands-on research or industry experience in the subject they teach, and every course is reviewed by a second subject expert.
Questions about who teaches a cohort? [email protected]
Certificate
Learners who complete the course and pass its capstone receive a Vedicgen certificate of completion for Biostatistics & Experimental Design, issued by Vivofold, stating the guided hours and skills assessed. Each certificate has a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check.
Apply for Biostatistics & Experimental Design
Apply
Send the form below. It takes about five minutes.
Review
An adviser confirms your fit and format within two working days.
Offer
You receive dates, timetable and a secure payment link.
Onboard
Set-up guide, pre-reading and joining links.
Frequently asked questions
Online. The live cohort meets for instructor-led sessions with problem-solving in small groups; the self-paced format offers the same lessons with quizzes and a mentor-reviewed final assignment.
No. This course uses jamovi, a free point-and-click program. If you want to analyse data in code, R for Bioinformatics & Biostatistics is the next step.
Yes. Learners who complete the course and pass its assessment receive a Vedicgen certificate of completion, issued by Vivofold. Every certificate carries a unique ID and a QR code that anyone, including an employer or admissions office, can check on the certificate verification page.
Apply with the form on this page. Live and in-person cohorts run through the year; the dates, timetable and joining details of the next cohort are sent with your admission offer and listed on this page once announced. Self-paced enrolment opens as soon as your application is accepted.
Yes. No course runs longer than four weeks, and the length is customisable: choose the standard schedule, an intensive one- to two-week schedule, weekends only, or a custom timetable. Pick your preference on the application form; colleges and teams can book their own dates.
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