Samantha Lawson

Computational Biologist & Research Software Engineer

Research software engineer specializing in bioinformatics and computational biology. Passionate about data analysis, statistical methods, and developing reproducible research solutions.

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Experience

Professional Journey

Research Software Engineer

Queen Mary University of London | June 2023 - Present

Develop containerised R and Python workflows for computational research projects
Design and deploy Shiny applications for genomic and transcriptomic data visualization
Optimize research workflows for high-performance computing environments
Mentor researchers and lead department workshops on programming and best practices

Director of Product Development

Pure Gradient LTD | July 2023 - Present

Co-founder and technical lead of biotech-focused consultancy
Lead design and development of healthcare tools utilizing machine learning
Oversee product strategy for scalable data analysis solutions

Analytical Scientist

Institute of Cancer Research | June 2021 - May 2023

Designed and optimised multi-omics analysis strategies in collaboration with researchers to maximize insights from available data sources

Senior Research Assistant

Oregon Health & Science University | June 2019 - May 2021

Managed a molecular biology research lab with a focus on computational analysis and laboratory experiments

Technical Skills

Expertise

Data Science & Programming

R, Python, Julia, SQL, MATLAB, Linux/Unix, Bash scripting

Research Computing

HPC environments, CPU/GPU parallelisation, Docker, Apptainer, Git

Bioinformatics

Next-generation sequencing analysis, single-cell analysis, multi-omics integration, GSEA

Machine Learning & Statistics

PyTorch, TensorFlow, Scikit-learn, Bayesian modelling

Research Software Development

Web applications, R Shiny dashboards, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Jenkins)

Education & Certifications

Academic Background

Certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology & Pharmacovigilance

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine | Nov 2024 - May 2025

MSc, Bioinformatics & Computational Biology

Oregon Health & Science University | December 2020

Thesis: "Predictive modelling of ferroptosis susceptibility using iron-dependent pathways in renal cell carcinoma"

BSc, Biochemistry (Minor in Spanish)

Whitworth University | May 2016

Certified in Cybersecurity

ISC² | December 2024

Foundational training in network security, security operations, and compliance procedures

Linux Network and System Administration Certification

City, University of London | Autumn 2022

Training in Linux system configuration, user management, task automation, shell scripting, and security

Publications

Research Output

Anti-Tumour Immunity in Breast Cancer. In preparation, 2025.
Cacheiro P, Lawson S, Van den Veyver I, et al. Lethal phenotypes in Mendelian disorders. medRxiv. 2024 January 12. Doi:10.01101/2024.01.12.24301168
Lue HW, Derrick DS, Rao S, et al. Cabozantinib and dasatinib synergize to induce tumor regression in non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Cell Rep Med. 2021;2(5):100267. Published 2021 May 7. doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100267