I am M. Sanni Ali, Epidemiologist
I was born on 10 May 1982 in Dessie, Ethiopia. I live in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
My Educational Background
 04 Sept 1988 - 08 July 1996: Memhir Akalewold Elementary and Junior
School, Dessie, Ethiopia (Grades 1-8, Award: Certificate).
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04 Sept 1996 - 08 July 2000: Hotie Comprehensive Secondary School Dessie,
Ethiopia (Grades 9-12, Award: Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate
Examination, ESLCE; Score: 4.0/ 7 A’s = Very Great Distinction).
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18 Sept 2000 – June 25 2001: Debub University. Awassa College of
Agriculture (Freshman Program. Award: GPA 4.00 = Very Great Distinction).
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19 Sept 2001 – 31 August 2006: Addis Ababa University, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, DVM. cGPA
3.70 Great Distinction).
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01 Sept 2009 – 22 Feb 2011: Utrecht University, Graduate School of Life
Science, Utrecht, the Netherlands (Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics
MSc. cGPA 4.00 = cum laude).
Trainings: (Veterinary) Epidemiology, Design and Analysis of Studies, Health
Economics, Laboratory Animal Medicine, Infectious disease epidemiology and
modeling, Methodology, Confounding Adjustment, SPSS and R, Medical
Ethics.
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01 March 2011 – 01 Oct 2014: Utrecht University, Graduate School of Life
Science, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht, the
Netherlands (Drug Innovation, PhD).
Trainings: (Pharmaco)Epidemiology, Design and Analysis of Studies,
Methodology, Confounding Adjustment, SPSS, Programming in R and SAS.
My Work Experience
 01 Oct 06 – 1 Apr 08: Lecturer at Haramaya University, Haramaya (Ethiopia)
Responsibilities:
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Teaching and Research (Veterinary Public Health and Microbiology)
Clinical Service and Student tutor.
Coordinator of Veterinary Laboratories
Academic and Examination Committee Member
 01 Apr 08 – 30 Sep 09: Lecturer at Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
Responsibilities:
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Teaching and Research (Veterinary Surgery and Microbiology)
Veterinary Clinical Services and Student tutoring
Secretary, Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, AAU, FVM
 01 Jan 2014 - Present: Postdoc at University Medical Centrum Utrecht, Julius
Center for Health Science and Primary Care, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Responsibilities:
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Research (Pharmaco/Epidemiology)
Job-related Skills
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Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Designing and Modeling)
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(Animal) Health Economics (Modeling)
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SPSS, Programming in R and SAS
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Statistical and Epidemiological Software (R, SPSS, SAS, EpiInfo, Win Episcope,
EpiCalc, and Risk)
My Publications:
Time-Dependent Propensity Score and Collider-Stratification Bias: An Example
of Beta2-Agonist Use and The Risk of Coronary Heart Disease.
M Sanni Ali, Groenwold RH, Pestman WR, Belitser SV, Roes KC, Hoes AW, de
Boer A, Klungel OH. Eur J Epidemiol 2013; 28: 291-299.
Quantitative Falsification of Instrumental Variables Assumption Using Balance
Measures.
M Sanni Ali, Md Jamal Uddin, Rolf HH Groenwold, Pestman WR, Belitser SV, Hoes
AW, de Boer A, Roes KC, Klungel OH. Epidemiology 2014; 25: 770-772.
Propensity Score Balance Measures in Pharmacoepidemiology: a Simulation
Study.
M Sanni Ali, Groenwold RH, Pestman WR, Belitser SV, Roes KC, Hoes AW, de
Boer A, Klungel OH. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf 2014; 25: 770-772.
Reporting of Covariate Selection and Balance Assessment in Propensity Score
Analysis is suboptimal in the Medical Literature: a Systematic Review.
M Sanni Ali, Groenwold RH, Pestman WR, Belitser SV, Roes KC, Hoes AW, de
Boer A, Klungel OH. J Clin Epidemiol 2014.
Propensity Score Methods and Unobserved Covariate Imbalance: Comments on
"Squeezing The Balloon".
M Sanni Ali, Rolf HH Groenwold, Olaf H Klungel. Health Serv Res 2014; 49: 10741082.
Prevalence of Bovine Tuberculosis in Dromedary Camels and Awareness of
Pastoralists about its Zoonotic Importance in Eastern Ethiopia.
A Feyissa Beyi K Zerom Gezahegne, A Mussa, G Ameni, M Sanni Ali. Journal of
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health 2014, 6:109-115.
A Cross Sectional Study of Camel Tuberculosis in Ethiopia.
G Mamo, A Kassaye, M Sanni Ali, G Ameni. Bull. Anim. Health Prod. Afr. 2009; 57:
13-20.
Distribution of Small Ruminant Brucellosis and its Public Health Importance in and
around Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia (Submitted, Small Ruminant Research).
Cross-sectional Study of Bovine Tuberculosis in Woldiya Municipal Abattoir and
public Health Implications. DVM Thesis, Addis Ababa University, FVM, Ethiopia,
2006.
Biomedical Research Ethics in Ethiopia: Paper submitted to International Livestock
Research Institute (ILRI), Summer Internship Report, Ethiopia, 2005.
Neoplasia of the Mammary Glands and Genitalia of the Female Dog. Seminar
Review Paper; Addis Ababa University, FVM, Ethiopia, 2005.
Podium (Oral) and Poster Presentations:
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31st International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic
Risk Management (ICPE), 22-26 August 2014, Boston, MA, USA.
Orals: Covariate Balance Assessment, Model Selection and Bias in Propensity
Score Matching: A Simulation Study.
Application
of
the
Self-controlled
Case
Series
Pharmacoepidemiological Studies: a Cautionary Note.
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Design
in
European Congress of Epidemiology and the 39th WEON, the Annual
Conference of the Netherlands Epidemiology Society, 25-27 June 2014,
Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Oral: Covariate Balance Assessment, Model Selection and Bias in Propensity
Score Matching: A Simulation Study.
Poster: Application of the Self-controlled Case
Pharmacoepidemiological Studies: a Cautionary Note.
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Design
in
International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk
Management (ICPE) Mid-Year Meeting, Bordeaux, 12-13 April 2015, France.
Oral: Application of the Self-controlled Case
Pharmacoepidemiological Studies: a Cautionary Note.
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Series
Series
Design
in
30th International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic
Risk Management (ICPE), 24-27 October 2014, Taipei, Taiwan.
Orals: Propensity score Matching and Unmeasured Confounding: a
Simulation Study
Methodological Comparison of Time-varying Cox Regression Model,
Propensity Score Methods, and Marginal Structural Models: the Example of
Antidepressant Use and the Risk of Hip Fracture.
Poster: Antidepressant Use and the Risk of Hip Fracture: a Self- Controlled
Case Series Approach in Two Primary Care Databases
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38th WEON, the Annual Conference of the Netherlands Epidemiology
Society, 4-6 June 2014, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Oral: Antidepressant Use and the Risk of Hip Fracture: a Self- Controlled Case
Series Approach in Two Primary Care Databases.
Poster: Propensity score Matching and Unmeasured Confounding: a
Simulation Study (Nominated for Poster Award).
Methodological Comparison of Time-varying Cox Regression Model,
Propensity Score Methods, and Marginal Structural Models: the Example of
Antidepressant Use and the Risk of Hip Fracture.
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29th International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic
Risk Management, 25-28 August 2013, Montreal, Canada.
Poster: Balance Measures for Determining Optimal Caliper Width in
Propensity Score Matching: a simulation study.
Poster Walks: Assessment of Balance in PS Methods in the Medical
Literature: a systematic review.
Quantitative Falsification of Instrumental Variables Assumption Using
Balance Measures.
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37th WEON, the Annual Conference of the Netherlands Epidemiology
Society, 6-7 June 2013, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Oral: Balance Measures for Determining Optimal Caliper Width in Propensity
Score Matching: a simulation study.
Posters: Assessment of Balance in PS Methods in the Medical Literature: a
Systematic Review.
Quantitative Falsification of Instrumental Variables Assumption Using
Balance Measures.
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28th International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic
Risk Management (ICPE), 23-26 August 2012, Barcelona, Spain.
Oral:
Balance
Measures of
Propensity
Pharmacoepidemiology: a Simulation Study.
Score
Methods
in
Poster: Time-dependent Propensity Scores and Collider Stratification Bias: an
Example of Beta2-agonist Use and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction.
Unpublished works:
I have supervised the Following Unpublished DVM Theses:
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Sero-Epidemiological Study of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in
Eastern Ethiopia.
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Distribution of Small Ruminant Brucellosis and its Public Health Importance in
And Around Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia.
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Contagious Caprine Pleuropneumonia (CCPP) in Eastern Ethiopia: a SeroEpidemiological Study.
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Cross-Sectional Study of Bovine Mastitis: Prevalence, Risk Factors and
Antimicrobial Sensitivity Pattern in Dire Dawa Dairy Farms, Ethiopia.
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Bovine Tuberculosis in Addis Ababa Abattoir: a Cross-Sectional Study,
Ethiopia.
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Cross-Sectional Study of Bovine Tuberculosis in Dire Dawa Abattoir, Ethiopia.
 Bovine Mastitis: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Antimicrobial Sensitivity Pattern
in Kombolcha Dairy Farms, South Wollo, Ethiopia.
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Cross-Sectional Study of Camel Tuberculosis in Eastern Ethiopia.
I also have Supervised the Following Unpublished DVM (Review) Seminar
Papers:
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Molecular Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis (Awot Teklu).
Public Health and Economic Importance of Bovine Tuberculosis ( ).
The Status of Bovine Tuberculosis in Ethiopia (
).
Transmission of Bovine Tuberculosis ( ).
Control of Bovine Tuberculosis ( ).
Immunology of Bovine Tuberculosis (
).
Pathogenesis of Bovine Tuberculosis (
).
Pathogenesis of Salmonellosis (Yehualashet Bayu).
Control of Food Borne Salmonellosis (
).
Diagnostic Methods in Bovine Brucellosis (Getachew Gugsa).
Control of Bovine Brucellosis ( ).
The Compliment System and Its Applications ( ).
Epidemiology of Blue Tongue Disease in Sheep().
Chemical Residues in Milk ( )
and others
I was Involved as a Reviewer for:
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Clinical Journal of Epidemiology
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Journal of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health
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Abstracts submitted for presentation at ISPE's 31st International Conference
on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management (ICPE),
August 23 – 26, 2015 at the Hynes International Convention Center in Boston,
MA, USA.
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Abstracts submitted for presentation at the Dutch Epidemiology Conference
(WEON) in conjunction with the European Congress of Epidemiology, 25 - 27
June, 2015, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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Abstracts submitted for presentation at ISPE's 30th International Conference
on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management (ICPE),
October 24-27, 2014 at the Taipei International Convention Center, Taipei,
Taiwan.
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Abstracts submitted for presentation at the Dutch Epidemiology Conference
(WEON), 5- 6 June 2014, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Abstracts submitted for presentation at the Dutch Epidemiology Conference
(WEON), 6- 7 June 2013, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Awards and Nominations
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Poster nominated for the VvE poster award, at the Dutch Epidemiology
Conference (WEON), 5- 6 June 2014, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Best Poster Award. PROTECT Meeting. Danish Health and Medicines
Authority. Copenhagen, Denmark, 2012.
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Cum Laude Graduate (MSc). Utrecht University, Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine, 2011.
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Xtrack Programme. Utrecht University, Graduate School of Life Sciences,
Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2010.
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Nuffic Scholarship Grant Winner. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht
University, the Netherlands, 2009.
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Winner of Research Grant (~Euro 25,000). National Agricultural Research
Fund: Investigation on Camel Health and Milk for Improved Food Security,
Ethiopia, 2009.
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Honor Graduate (DVM). Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, 2006.
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Belgium Embassy Scholarships. AAU, Academic Merit, 2005.
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Japan Embassy Scholarships. Addis Ababa University (AAU), Academic Merit,
2003.
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Student Award for Best Academic Performance. FVM, AAU, 2003.
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Best Score Awards. Ethiopian School Leaving Certificate Examination, 2000.
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2nd Winner of the (Amhara) Regional General Knowledge Competition on
Ethiopian Television Special New Year Program, Hosted by Dashen Brewery in
Gondar and Broadcasted by Ethiopian Television, 2000.
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Winner of General Knowledge Competition Special Program, Dessie,
Ethiopia, 1999.
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2nd Winner of the (South Wollo) Zonal Inter-school Competition, Dessie,
Ethiopia, 1998.
Additional Activities:
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Member in Organizing Xtrack. Utrecht University (2010).
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Organizing Weekly Departmental Presentations at the Division of
Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, DIMI (2012 - 2013).
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Trainer in European Training Programme in Pharmacovigilance and
Pharmacoepidemiology (EU2P) in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and
Clinical Pharmacology (2013).
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Mid-Year student session organizer, the International Society for
Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE) Mid-year meeting, April 2015, Bordeaux,
France.
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International Students Neighbor Group (UUING), Utrecht University (2009 - )
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Anti-AIDS Movement Club, FVM, AAU (2000 - 2006)
Professional Memberships
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International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk
Management (2013 - )
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Ethiopian Veterinary Association, Ethiopia (2007 - )
Seminars (Certificate)
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Modern Missing Data Methods (Don Rubin, J.L. Loeb Professor of Statistics,
Harvard University). Utrecht University. 2012.
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Causal inference in experiments and observational studies (Don Rubin, J.L.
Loeb Professor of Statistics, Harvard University). Utrecht University. 2012.
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Master Class: Advances in Epidemiologic Analysis. Erasmus MC, Rotterdam,
2011.
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Spurious precision? Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Erasmus MC,
Rotterdam, 2011.
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Application of Genetics to Disease Control: Bovine TB in Ethiopia. Wellcome
Trust Animal Health for Developing World, Armauer Hansen Research
institute (AHRI), Ethiopia, 2008.
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Instructional Skill Training Certificate. Haramaya University, Ethiopia, 2007.
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Molecular Biological Techniques (DNA Extraction, Polymerase Chain
Reaction, Gel Electrophoresis) and Immunodiagnostic Methods. AHRI, Addis
Ababa, 2006.
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Instructional Skill Training Certificate From Haramaya University, Haramaya.
2008.
My References
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Prof. dr. Anthonius de Boer
Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht
University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
[email protected]
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Prof. dr. Arno W Hoes
Julius Center Health Science and Primary Care, Utrecht Medical Center
Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
[email protected]
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Prof dr. Olaf H Klungel,
Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht
University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
[email protected]
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Dr Rolf HH Groenwold, Assoc Prof.
Julius Center Health Science and Primary Care, Utrecht Medical Center
Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
[email protected]
My Interests
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Causal Inference (Evidence generation and evidence based Intervention)
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Electronics Databases (Both Health Care and non-health related)
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Clinical Studies
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Study Design
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Modeling and Statistical Programming
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Education related Voluntary Activities
Contacts
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Skype Sanni1122
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