Stuart Johnston, PhD is the COO and a founder of Pneumatica Bio. Stuart’s approach is driven by the philosophy that biological data alone is insufficient to capture the nuance of living systems; true insight requires a rigorous framework where data, mathematical models, and biological knowledge are inextricably linked. At Pneumatica Bio, this principle underlines the development of an interpretable analysis pipeline that not just fits curves to data, but actively reveals the underlying mechanisms driving therapeutic response.

Stuart received a PhD in Mathematical Biology, and has over 10 years experience designing cutting-edge techniques for use at the intersection of mathematics, data science and biology. His ideas have been endorsed through numerous awards and supported by substantial funding through Australia’s most competitive grant schemes.

He is recognised as a leader in the field of quantitative nanomedicine, a position anchored by his key contributions to mathematical biology and data science. With technical expertise that ranges from interpretable machine learning algorithms, to bespoke models for quantifying therapeutic efficiency, to data-informed experimental design, he has consistently focused on bridging the gap between theoretical abstraction and the messy, noisy reality of biology.

Stuart is also an award-winning scientific communicator and an avid graphic designer, using storytelling and visual communication to make complex findings accessible to a wider audience. This unique blend of rigorous analytical skills and creative design allows him to effectively translate sophisticated quantitative concepts into tangible biological insights.