James Thomas

James Thomas

My work is focused on how we can bring together academic knowledge and use it to inform decisions which affect people’s lives. This is rooted in experience that research can help people make better decisions, and in an understanding that we should consider the totality of relevant research, not a biased sub-sample. My substantive contributions to knowledge to inform policy and practice are advanced through co-leadership of two major evidence synthesis programmes for the NIHR / Department of Health, England. I have published extensively on methods for evidence synthesis, particularly combining qualitative and quantitative evidence, and am co-Senior Scientific Editor on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. I lead a programme of applied computer science to make evidence synthesis more efficient, am collaborating on developing guidance for the responsible use of AI in evidence synthesis, and lead the team that develops and publishes the EPPI Reviewer software platform. 

Join me at the Global Evidence Summit 2024 to learn about... how to get involved in co-creating guidance for the responsible use of AI in evidence synthesis.