Who I Am
I’m Justin Johnson. I lead a 120-person organization of data scientists, engineers, AI specialists, and product managers in oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, where we build production AI systems for drug discovery.
My career started at the frontier of genomic science. I spent eight years at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) and the J. Craig Venter Institute, managing bioinformatics pipelines for some of the largest sequencing projects of the era. Then I built the sequencing analysis platform at EdgeBio, a CLIA genomics startup, from scratch.
I joined AstraZeneca in 2013 and spent twelve years rising from bioinformatics lead to Executive Director. The pattern throughout: work closely with scientific visionaries to understand what they actually need, operationalize that vision into platforms, then hand off to great engineers and data scientists to carry it forward. That pattern produced an integrated ecosystem of enterprise AI platforms spanning data fabric, strategic prioritization, and agentic execution.
Two years ago I made a hard pivot into agentic AI, both inside AstraZeneca and on my own time. I believe that leading AI strategy without building AI systems is like coaching a sport you’ve never played. Executives who stay hands-on retain clarity about what’s actually possible, what’s hype, and where the real leverage points are.
What You’ll Get
Run Data Run translates complex AI developments into clear insights for people who need to make decisions about it.
How AI actually works (not the hype version)
What’s working in production (and what’s not)
How to think about AI for your specific context
Real examples from pharma, biotech, and regulated industries
No buzzwords. No vendor pitches. Just clear thinking from someone shipping it.
Two Blogs, One Ecosystem
Run Data Run (this blog): Business context and strategic insights, for leaders and motivated learners.
AIXplore (ai.rundatarun.io): Technical tutorials and deep dives, for practitioners and developers.
Connect
I advise on AI strategy, data platforms, and technical architecture. Reach out.
