Staff Profile
Dr Conor Lawless
Computational Biologist
- Email: conor.lawless@ncl.ac.uk
- Personal Website: http://cnr.lwlss.net
- Address: Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research
Translational and Clinical Research Institute
Newcastle University
4th Floor Cookson Building
Medical School
Framlington Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4HH
Background
Introduction
I am a computational biologist (post-doctoral research scientist) working in the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University.
I am particularly interested in computational and mathematical models of biological systems and the assessment and development of such models (usually dynamic, mechanistic simulation models). I also work on image analysis and the design and interpretation of genomic screening experiments.
Areas of expertise
- Mathematical modelling
- Functional genomics
- Data science
Google scholar: Click here.
Research
Research Interests
Mathematical modelling, numerical simulation, stochastic simulation, systems biology, optimisation, parameter estimation, Bayesian inference, quantitative growth assays, image analysis, epistasis, automated microscopy, data handling, data visualisation, robot-assisted science, machine learning.
Programming languages
Publications
- Frey PM, Baer J, Bergada-Pijuan J, Lawless C, Buhler PK, Kouyos RD, Lemon KP, Zinkernagel AS, Brugger SD. Quantifying variation in bacterial reproductive fitness: A high-throughput method. mSystems 2021, 6(1), e01323-20.
- Warren C, McDonald D, Capaldi R, Deehan D, Taylor RW, Filby A, Turnbull DM, Lawless C, Vincent AE. Decoding mitochondrial heterogeneity in single muscle fibres by imaging mass cytometry. Scientific Reports 2020, 10(1), 15336.
- Watson NA, Cartwright TN, Lawless C, Cámara-Donoso M, Sen O, Sako K, Hirota T, Kimura H, Higgins JMG. Kinase inhibition profiles as a tool to identify kinases for specific phosphorylation sites. Nature Communications 2020, 11, 1684.
- Lawless C, Greaves L, Reeve AK, Turnbull DM, Vincent AE. The rise and rise of mitochondrial DNA mutations. Open biology 2020, 10(5), 200061.
- Vincent AE, White K, Davey T, Philips J, Ogden RT, Lawless C, Warren C, Hall MG, Ng YS, Falkous G, Holden T, Deehan D, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Picard M. Quantitative 3D Mapping of the Human Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Network. Cell Reports 2019, 26(4), 996-1009.e4.
- Lehmann D, Tuppen HAL, Campbell G, Alston CL, Lawless C, Rosa HS, Rocha MC, Reeve AK, Nicholls TJ, Deschauer M, Zierz S, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Vincent AE. Understanding mitochondrial DNA maintenance disorders at the single muscle fibre level. Nucleic Acids Research 2019, 47(14), 7430–7443.
- Holstein E-M, Lawless C, Banks P, Lydall D. Genome-wide Quantitative Fitness Analysis (QFA) of yeast cultures. In: Marco Muzi-Falconi, Grant W Brown, ed. Genome Instability: Methods and Protocols. New York: Humana Press Inc, 2018, pp.575-597.
- Vincent AE, Rosa HS, Pabis K, Lawless C, Chen C, Grünewald A, Rygiel K, Rocha MC, Reeve AK, Falkous G, Perissi V, White K, Davey T, Petrof BJ, Sayer AA, Cooper C, Deehan D, Taylor RW, Turnbull DM, Picard M. Subcellular origin of mitochondrial DNA deletions in human skeletal muscle. Annals of Neurology 2018, 84(2), 289-301.
- Lie S, Banks P, Lawless C, Lydall D, Petersen J. The contribution of non-essential Schizosaccharomyces pombe genes to fitness in response to altered nutrient supply and target of rapamycin activity. Open Biology 2018, 8(5), 180015.
- Gao F, Wesolowska M, Agami R, Rooijers K, Loayza-Puch F, Lawless C, Lightowlers RN, Chrzanowska-Lightowlers ZMA. Using mitoribosomal profiling to investigate human mitochondrial translation [version 2; referees: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research 2018, 2, 116.
- Makrantoni V, Ciesiolka A, Lawless C, Fernius J, Marston A, Lydall D, Stark MJR. A Functional Link Between Bir1 and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ctf19 Kinetochore Complex Revealed Through Quantitative Fitness Analysis. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2017, 7(9), 3203-3215.
- Holstein EM, Ngo G, Lawless C, Banks P, Greetham M, Wilkinson D, Lydall D. Systematic Analysis of the DNA Damage Response Network in Telomere Defective Budding Yeast. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2017, 7(7), 2375-2389.
- Gao F, Wesolowska M, Agami R, Rooijers K, Loayza-Puch F, Lawless C, Lightowlers RN, Chrzanowska-Lightowlers ZM. Using mitoribosomal profiling to investigate human mitochondrial translation. Wellcome Open Research 2017, 2, 116.
- Heydari JJ, Lawless C, Lydall DA, Wilkinson DJ. Bayesian hierarchical modelling for inferring genetic interactions in yeast. Journal of the Royal Statistics Society: Series C (Applied Statistics) 2016, 65(3), 367-393.
- Dubarry M, Lawless C, Banks AP, Cockell S, Lydall D. Genetic Networks Required to Coordinate Chromosome Replication by DNA Polymerases α, δ, and ε in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2015, 5(10), 2187-2197.
- Narayanan S, Dubarry M, Lawless C, Banks AP, Wilkinson DJ, Whitehall SK, Lydall D. Quantitative Fitness Analysis Identifies exo1∆ and Other Suppressors or Enhancers of Telomere Defects in Schizosaccharomyces pombe. PloS ONE 2015, 10(7), e0132240.
- Jurk D, Wilson C, Passos J, Oakley F, Correia-Melo C, Greaves L, Saretzki G, Fox C, Lawless C, Anderson R, Hewitt G, Pender SLF, Fullard N, Nelson G, Mann J, van de Sluis B, Mann DA, von Zglinicki T. Chronic inflammation induces telomere dysfunction and accelerates ageing in mice. Nature Communications 2014, 5, 4172.
- Heydari J, Lawless C, Lydall DA, Wilkinson DJ. Fast Bayesian parameter estimation for stochastic logistic growth models. Biosystems 2014, 122, 55-72.
- Andrew EJ, Merchan S, Lawless C, Banks AP, Wilkinson DJ, Lydall D. Pentose Phosphate Pathway Function Affects Tolerance to the G-Quadruplex Binder TMPyP4. PLoS One 2013, 8(6), e66242.
- Banks AP, Lawless C, Lydall DA. A Quantitative Fitness Analysis Workflow. Journal of Visualised Experiments 2012, 66, e4018.
- Nelson G, Wordsworth J, Wang CF, Jurk D, Lawless C, Martin-Ruiz C, von Zglinicki T. A senescent cell bystander effect: senescence-induced senescence. Aging Cell 2012, 11(2), 345-349.
- Lawless C, Jurk D, Gillespie CS, Shanley D, Saretzki G, von Zglinicki T, Passos JF. A Stochastic Step Model of Replicative Senescence Explains ROS Production Rate in Ageing Cell Populations. PLoS One 2012, 7(2), e32117.
- Chang H, Lawless C, Addinall SG, Oexle S, Taschuk M, Wipat A, Wilkinson DJ, Lydall D. Genome-Wide Analysis to Identify Pathways Affecting Telomere-Initiated Senescence in Budding Yeast. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 2011, 1(3), 197-208.
- Addinall SG, Holstein EM, Lawless C, Yu M, Chapman K, Banks AP, Ngo HP, Maringele L, Taschuk M, Young A, Ciesiolka A, Lister AL, Wipat A, Wilkinson DJ, Lydall D. Quantitative Fitness Analysis Shows That NMD Proteins and Many Other Protein Complexes Suppress or Enhance Distinct Telomere Cap Defects. PLoS Genetics 2011, 7(4), e1001362.
- Chen YH, Lawless C, Gillespie CS, Wu J, Boys RJ, Wilkinson DJ. CaliBayes and BASIS: integrated tools for the calibration, simulation and storage of biological simulation models. Briefings in Bioinformatics 2010, 11(3), 278-289.
- Lawless C, Wilkinson DJ, Young A, Addinall SG, Lydall DA. Colonyzer: automated quantification of micro-organism growth characteristics on solid agar. BMC Bioinformatics 2010, 11(1), 287.
- Miwa S, Lawless C, von Zglinicki T. Correction of radiolabel pulse-chase data by a mathematical model: application to mitochondrial turnover studies. Biochemical Society Transactions 2010, 38, 1322-1328.
- Lawless C, Wang CF, Jurk D, Merz A, von Zglinicki T, Passos JF. Quantitative assessment of markers for cell senescence. Experimental Gerontology 2010, 45(10), 772-778.
- Henderson DA, Boys RJ, Krishnan KJ, Lawless C, Wilkinson DJ. Bayesian Emulation and Calibration of a Stochastic Computer Model of Mitochondrial DNA Deletions in Substantia Nigra Neurons. Journal of the American Statistical Association 2009, 104(485), 76-87.
- Miwa S, Lawless C, von Zglinicki T. Mitochondrial turnover in liver is fast in vivo and is accelerated by dietary restriction: application of a simple dynamic model. Aging Cell 2008, 7(6), 920-923.
- Lawless C, Semenov MA, Jamieson PD. Quantifying the effect of uncertainty in soil moisture characteristics on plant growth using a crop simulation model. Field Crops Research 2008, 106(2), 138-147.
- Lawless C, Semenov MA, Jamieson PD. A wheat canopy model linking leaf area and phenology. European Journal of Agronomy 2005, 22(1), 19-32.
- Lawless C, Semenov MA. Assessing lead-time for predicting wheat growth using a crop simulation model. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 2005, 135(1-4), 302-313.