boolybooly
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Here is @Chris Ponting talk from CMRC 2020 conference on the T cell receptor expansion research described by this thread. First results are expected at the end of 2020.
They are testing the null hypothesis in blinded samples that there is no difference detected between the four groups of study participants. I'm not quite sure why blinding is needed for a discovery project that might think of additional needed data as the projects progress, but if the blinded samples produce something significant it gives the results more weight. Seems a pretty cost effective project for research that is so complex.
Of note was that the same samples will be processed by another researcher to look at B cell data. Great to see this collaboration!
He credits @Simon M with introducing him to the topic via the OMF symposium talk given by Mark Davis. Thank you @Simon M
I think blinding is responsible, with this much invested, names and reputations involved the pressures creating subconscious bias are considerable and the investigators free themselves from any effect from this by keeping it blinded until the data analysis phase and ensure the outcome is scientifically useful. After all what we need is the truth.
Including MS as a positive control, to ensure the detection method used is effective, is also good design which will make the outcome (whichever way it goes) all the more authoritative.
I am very grateful for their efforts and agree it was well done of @Simon M to bring Dr Mark Davis's findings to Prof Chris Ponting's attention.