Methods in systematic reviews and meta-analysis of interventions

From June 1st to June 3, 2026 (full days)

Day 1

• Welcome & Introduction to Systematic Reviews
  Isabelle BOUTRON
• Protocol Development & PRISMA-P Framework
  Formulating the Research Question (PICO Approach)
  Carolina GRANA
• Search Strategy: Principles and Tools
  Introduction to Screening Practical with Covidence
  Carolina GRANA
• Data Extraction – Concepts & Tools
  Lina GHOSN
• Pratical session
  Lina GHOSN
• The Role of AI in Evidence Synthesis: Risks and Opportunities
  Isabelle BOUTRON

Day 2

• Risk of Bias Assessment using Practical ROB2
  Lina El CHALL, Sally YAACOUB
• Meta-Analysis: Hands-on Workshop using RevMan
  Elodie PERRODEAU

Day 3

• Pratical session
  Sally YAACOUB & Lina GHOSN
• Interpreting results
  Sally YAACOUB
• Certainty of Evidence with GRADE
  Practical with GRADEpro
  Lina GHOSN & Sally YAACOUB
• Final Discussion & Feedback
  Sally YAACOUB & Lina GHOSN

Isabelle Boutron, MD, PhD, is a professor of epidemiology at Université Paris Cité and director of the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS). She is also director of Cochrane France, part of the international Cochrane network dedicated to improving health decision–making through the synthesis of evidence. Professor Boutron is internationally recognised for her work on improving methods for evaluating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Her methodological expertise covers randomised trials, bias assessment, blinding, placebo effects, external validity, complex interventions and innovative approaches to evidence synthesis, including living systematic reviews. She contributes significantly to international reporting standards as a member of the SPIRIT-CONSORT steering group and recently co-led the CONSORT 2025 update. She is also co-chair of the Cochrane Bias Methods Group. Isabelle led the COVID-NMA initiative, an open-access platform that provides a rolling synthesis of data from clinical trials on COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.

A pioneer in the field of research on research, Professor Boutron’s work explores ways to improve research practices through greater transparency, better reproducibility and reduced bias, particularly through the study of “spin”, or how biased presentation and interpretation of results can mislead readers. She has coordinated and led numerous international projects, including a Marie Skłodowska-Curie-funded doctoral programme on research methods, and is the author of over 200 articles published in renowned peer-reviewed journals.

Lina Ghosn is an epidemiologist at Cochrane France and part of the CRESS Methods team. She is a pharmacist and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health, specialising in comparative effectiveness research, from the University of Paris. She also teaches at the University of Paris, where she coordinates the university diploma in systematic reviews and meta-analyses in health. Lina’s work focuses on improving clinical research methods, with an emphasis on evidence synthesis, transparency in research, and communication of randomised controlled trial results. Her methodological expertise includes systematic reviews, network meta-analyses, and meta-studies evaluating challenges related to compliance with reporting guidelines such as CONSORT and its extensions. She is the author and co-author of several Cochrane reviews and cross-sectional studies, focused on improving the credibility and usability of clinical evidence. At Cochrane France, she coordinates national projects aimed at promoting the use of high-quality evidence in health decision-making. She also plays an active role in training and mentoring students and health professionals in systematic review methodology.

Carolina Grana holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, a Master’s degree in Public Health (specialising in epidemiology) and a Master’s degree in Comparative Effectiveness Research. She has developed strong expertise in evidence synthesis, including data extraction, risk of bias assessment and systematic review preparation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she wrote her first scientific article and co-authored two Cochrane reviews on vaccine effectiveness. Her research focuses primarily on transparency in scientific publishing and the dissemination of research results. She is actively involved in meta-research and methodology projects, contributing as an author and co-author to several publications in this field. In addition to her research work, Carolina teaches as part of the university diploma (DU) on systematic reviews and meta-analyses at Université Paris Cité and supervises students working on evidence synthesis and related topics.

Elodie Perrodeau is a biostatistician in the Methods team at CRESS and Cochrane France. She plays a crucial role in conducting statistical analyses for various clinical studies, including randomised clinical trials and observational studies. She has recently taken an interest in exploring innovative approaches in observational studies, such as emulated trials. In addition to her work in the field of statistical analysis, she also teaches in the Master’s programme in Public Health in the Comparative Effectiveness Research programme and the University Diploma in Advanced Methods of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses at Université Paris Cité.

Sally Yacoub

Sally Yaacoub is a postdoctoral researcher in meta-research at Université Paris Cité, within the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Statistics (CRESS, UMR 1153 – METHODS team). She is a registered pharmacist and holds both a Master’s degree and a PhD in Public Health, with a specialization in epidemiology.
Her work focuses on meta-research to improve how evidence is generated, synthesized, and translated into decision-making. She has extensive experience in systematic reviews, meta-analyses, rapid and living evidence syntheses, and guideline development methodology. Her current research explores the role of target trial emulations in supporting decision-making. She has led numerous systematic reviews and provided methodological support to inform decisions for local and international organizations, including the World Health Organization. Sally teaches systematic reviews and meta-analysis at Université Paris Cité and is actively involved in training and mentoring students in evidence synthesis. She is a member of international methodological networks, including GRADE, the Guidelines International Network (GIN), and the Society for Research Synthesis Methodology.