Samuel Johnson
// hello, world

Samuel Johnson

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mathematical Epidemiology at the Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, University of Oxford

Stipendiary Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford
01

About

I'm a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Mathematical Epidemiology under the supervision of Prof. Robin Thompson at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.

I am also a Stipendiary Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford.

My current research interrogates where non-spatial epidemic models are sufficient to predict a major disease outbreak, and where spatial effects are dominant.

Prior to my current project, I completed my DPhil (PhD) under the supervision of Prof. Philip Maini and Prof. Ruth Baker, where I constructed mathematical models of single and collective cell migration.

I enjoy working on many problems in mathematical biology, using a broad range of techniques from across applied mathematics, including agent-based models, partial differential equations, applied graph theory, optimal control, and solid mechanics.

I'm always keen to talk about maths and looking for new collaborations — please reach out!

Research Interests

mathematical epidemiology spatial modelling collective cell migration agent-based modelling

Education

D.Phil. Mathematics
University of Oxford
(Christ Church)
MASt Applied Mathematics
University of Cambridge
(Gonville and Caius)
BSc Theoretical Physics
University of Edinburgh
02

Publications & Pre-prints

arXiv Preprint · 2026
Cell-cell adhesion cannot sustain extended follower streams in a minimal non-local model of leader-follower migration
S.W.S. Johnson*, T.J. Jewell*, R.E. Baker, P.K. Maini
* Joint first authors
arXiv Preprint · 2026
The spontaneous emergence of leaders and followers in a mathematical model of cranial neural crest cell migration
S.W.S. Johnson, R.E. Baker, P.K. Maini
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology · 2026
Optimal control in combination therapy for heterogeneous cell populations with drug synergies
S.F. Martina-Perez, S.W.S. Johnson, R.M. Crossley, J.C. Kasemeier, P.M. Kulesa, R.E. Baker
Developmental Dynamics · 2026
Mathematical modelling predicts novel mechanisms of stream confinement from Trail/Colec12/Dan in collective cranial neural crest cell migration
S.W.S. Johnson, P.M. Kulesa, R.E. Baker, P.K. Maini
arXiv Preprint · 2025
Spatial correlations in SIS processes on regular random graphs
A. Leibenzon, S.W.S. Johnson, R.E. Baker, M. Assaf
arXiv Preprint · 2025
An energy-based mathematical model of actin-based protrusions in eukaryotic chemotaxis
S.W.S. Johnson, M. Parsons, R.E. Baker, P.K. Maini
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology · 2024
Modeling the extracellular matrix in cell migration and morphogenesis: a guide for the curious biologist
S.W.S. Johnson*, R.M. Crossley*, E. Tsingos*, Z. Bell, M. Berardi, M. Botticelli, Q.J.S. Braat, J. Metzcar, M. Ruscone, Y. Yin, R. Shuttleworth
* Joint first authors
03

Teaching

Stipendiary Lecturer in Applied Mathematics

Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford · 2023–Present

Teaching multiple undergraduate courses and conducting admissions interviews for prospective students.

Geometry Fourier Series & PDEs Mathematical Biology Numerical Analysis Integral Transforms Computational Mathematics

ASO Graph Theory

Balliol College, Oxford
Trinity 2023

C5.4 Networks

Mathematical Institute, Oxford
Michaelmas 2022

Mathematical Model Building in Biomedicine

Doctoral Training Centre, Oxford
Michaelmas 2022

Essential Mathematics

Doctoral Training Centre, Oxford
Michaelmas 2022
04

Research Supervision

MMSC MSc Project

A mathematical model of cell–environment mechanobiology during eukaryotic chemotaxis

Hilary Term 2025 · Four MSc students

Supervised a group of four postgraduate students on a ten-week research project for the MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford.

UNIQ+ Summer Internship

Investigating the effect of edge pruning in disease models on networks

Summer 2026 · Two undergraduate interns

Supervising two undergraduate students through the UNIQ+ programme. The seven-week summer placement offers talented students from under-represented and disadvantaged backgrounds a day-to-day experience of postgraduate research at the University of Oxford.

05

Awards & Honours

Poster Prize

Oxford–Japan Symposium on Cell Behaviors in Simple to Complex Environments, University of Oxford · Sep 2025

Research Travel Grant

Christ Church, University of Oxford · £2,000 · Aug 2025

Honourable Mention — Poster Prize

The Extracellular Matrix: How to Model Structural Complexity, CECAM-HQ-EPFL, Lausanne · Feb 2023

BBSRC Doctoral Studentship

£26,000 p.a. · 2021–2025

College Bursary

Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge · £1,333 · Oct 2021

Theoretical Physics Dissertation Prize — First Place

University of Edinburgh · Jun 2020

Physics & Astronomy Career Acceleration Scholarship

University of Edinburgh · £2,000 · Apr 2019

University of Edinburgh Scholarship

£7,250 p.a. · 2017–2020
06

Conferences

Poster Prize

Oxford–Japan Symposium on Cell Behaviors in Simple to Complex Environments

September 2025 · Poster Presentation

Presented a poster entitled “An energy-based mathematical model of actin-driven protrusions in eukaryotic chemotaxis” at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, receiving the poster prize.

Contributed Talk

Society for Mathematical Biology Annual Meeting

13–18 July 2025 · Edmonton, Canada

Delivered a contributed talk entitled “An energy-based mathematical model of actin-based protrusions in eukaryotic chemotaxis”.

Contributed Talk

British Mathematical Colloquium & British Applied Mathematics Colloquium (BMC–BAMC)

23–26 June 2025 · University of Exeter

Delivered a contributed talk entitled “An energy-based mathematical model of actin-based protrusions in eukaryotic chemotaxis” at the joint BMC–BAMC meeting.

Invited Talk

Student & Supervisor Presentation, Swansea University

April 2024 · Joint talk with Prof. Philip Maini

Delivered an invited talk alongside Prof. Philip Maini in the Swansea University mathematics department entitled “Follow the leader: collective cell migration in the cranial neural crest”.

Contributed Talk

British Early Career Mathematicians' Colloquium (BECMC)

20–21 July 2023 · University of Birmingham

Delivered a contributed talk entitled “Mathematical modeling predicts novel mechanisms of stream confinement from Trail/Colec12/Dan in the collective migration of cranial neural crest cells”.

Honourable Mention — Poster Prize

The Extracellular Matrix: How to Model Structure Complexity

March 2023 · Poster Presentation

Presented a poster entitled “Follow the leader: collective cell migration in the cranial neural crest”, receiving a prize of honourable mention.

07

Outreach

UNIQ Mentor

Mathematical Institute, Oxford

Running mock tutorials for prospective undergraduates, familiarising them with the Oxford system and teaching style.

AMSP Mentor

Mathematical Institute, Oxford

Leading classes for prospective undergraduates, working through selected problems with a focus on problem-solving techniques and logical reasoning.