Sept-October 2026

Cost - $300 (Academia $150, Africa/India $75) - 6 Sessions (2-hrs each)

Course Description

This course is a rare opportunity to learn directly from Professor Stephen Duffull, a globally recognized pharmacometrician with over 30 years of experience. While he is widely known for his deep expertise in NONMEM and population PK/PD modeling, in this course Professor Duffull brings that same rigor, quantitative insight, and modeling discipline to RsNLME — making his instruction especially valuable for learners who are adopting RsNLME and have some prior familiarity with NONMEM.

Introduction

Phoenix is a comprehensive data analysis platform supporting population PK and PKPD modeling, among many other pharmacometrics approaches. For population analysis, Phoenix uses the NLME engine with the Phoenix Model Language (PML). The NLME engine can be accessed through multiple interfaces, including the Phoenix graphical user interface and R, where it is known as RsNLME. Importantly, PML code written in Phoenix runs seamlessly in R, and vice versa.

PML models can be written directly in Phoenix or authored in any text editor — much like working with NONMEM control files, often by adapting an existing library model.

Scope

This course covers the full modeling workflow in RsNLME:

1. Writing PML code as text and saving it as a .MDL model file

2. Reading NONMEM-formatted datasets into R

3. Configuring pre-optimization settings (e.g., estimation method)

4. Fitting the model using the NLME engine

5. Generating goodness-of-fit (GOF) and individual plots

6. Creating VPC and pcVPC plots

7. Simulating from the model, bootstrap, and stepwise covariate modelling 

    

Step 1 is performed using a text editor; steps 2–7 are performed in R. Throughout the course, PML model files are compared and contrasted with standard NONMEM control files (.MOD / .CTL). Models will be built both through a Shiny app and by directly editing existing files, using a focused set of examples that illustrate how PML model files are structured.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to edit and adapt existing PML model files and execute them within R

Prerequisites

This is a hands-on, applied course — not a theoretical one. Prior experience with a population modeling approach is required (e.g., Certara University Course 124-OD-CERT, 124-LIVE-CERT, or 207-LIVE). Some experience with NONMEM is helpful given the compare-and-contrast elements of the material, but is not mandatory.

Location

Virtual Live on line via Zoom.  This short course will be taught in 3 weeks with two 2hr sessions a week.  Attendees should plan on attending live but sessions will be recorded.

Format & Schedule

Virtual Live Online — taught over 3 weeks with two 2-hour sessions per week. Participants are encouraged to attend live; all sessions will be recorded.

Access: Recordings available for 3 months post-course

Requirements

• Familiarity with basic R usage
• Prior experience with a population modeling approach
• Some NONMEM experience preferred

RsNLME temporary licenses will be provided.  Academic participants will receive a free RsNLME license to keep.

Certification Exam

Structure: Two parts
- Part 1 - Multiple Choice (2 attempts)
- Part 2:  Submit the results of a Hands-on Exercise (Graded manually)

 

Time Commitment

Estimated 4 hours/week for live sessions which includes Hands-on-exercises.  An additional 6 hours for the certification exam

Instructors

Stephen Duffull is a Senior Scientific Advisor at Certara and Professor at the Universities of Otago and Queensland.  He has been working in the area of pharmacometrics and PKPD for more than 30 years during which time he has been active in research, model informed drug development, leadership roles and training.

Ana Henry is an Executive Director of Training at Certara, where she leads Certara University and oversees e-learning content development. With over 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, she has deep expertise in PK/PD software. She is also a regular guest speaker in the graduate PK/PD course at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.​