Many fellows were sad to hear the news of the death of Anthony (Tony) Leonard Johnson, who died suddenly on August 19th, 2022.
After gaining a PhD in Topology, Tony applied for a post as a biostatistician because of his general interest in medical research and, also, his personal medical background as a Type 1 diabetic who was told to expect “a short horizon” after his diagnosis at age 17. Largely self-taught “on the job”, Tony subsequently, in 1973, joined the MRC Statistical Services and Research Unit (since renamed the MRC Biostatistics Unit). Tony remained in the Unit until his retirement and retained close ties with the Unit, and, also, with the MRC Clinical Trials Unit in which he took up a part-time appointment in 2002, until his death.
Tony worked in neuropsychiatric research and on the epidemiology and treatment of epilepsy, for which he was recognized with a Lifetime Service Award in 2005. He also one of the three founding Editors of the journal Statistics in Medicine, being the longest serving of these pioneers, stepping down after 18 years, during which he supported many authors in the effective publication of their work. In his later years, Tony published a series of papers on the development of medical statistics in the UK.
Tony’s many colleagues remember him as a wonderfully supportive individual with a wide range of interests. He was an enthusiastic and diligent collaborator with whom it was a joy to work.
Our sincerest condolences go out to Tony's friends and family at this time.
A full obituary will be published in a forthcoming edition of our Series A journal.
Photo courtesy of the MRC Biostatistics Unit.