Associate ProfessorIan Johnston

My research program spans behavioural neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and applied psychological science, with a central focus on how internal states and environmental contexts shape cognition, behaviour, and adaptation. I am particularly interested in the neurobiological and cognitive mechanisms underlying executive function, learning, memory, and behaviour change across the lifespan and in clinical or high-stress contexts.

My early research focused on the interaction between pain, opioid analgesia, and neuroimmune signalling, including foundational work on glial regulation of analgesic tolerance and the effects of inflammation on fear learning. From there, my research evolved into an internationally recognised program on chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment ("chemobrain"), where I led and contributed to preclinical and translational studies on white matter pathology, neuroinflammation, gut-brain signalling, and executive dysfunction.

A major ongoing focus of my research involves spatial cognition and neuropsychological assessment. I am currently developing a novel virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tests, aimed at assessing spatial memory and executive control in immersive environments. These tests are based on procedures used in behavioural neuroscience to enable a fully translational pipeline from laboratory to clinic. This work will enable new forms of ecologically valid testing in both healthy and clinical populations, with applications for early detection of cognitive decline and age-related changes in navigation and decision-making.

Another emerging stream of research explores executive function and ADHD symptomatology in contemporary environments, particularly in relation to short-form social media use (e.g., TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts). I currently supervise projects investigating how ADHD symptoms influence social media preferences and the psychological consequences of algorithmically-driven attention demands. This work aims to clarify how digital environments interact with attentional control and self-regulation.

In parallel, I lead a set of projects exploring health behaviour change through the lens of executive function. These studies investigate how ADHD symptoms and executive deficits moderate an individual's capacity to initiate and sustain behaviour change. This line of work not only advances understanding of self-regulation in clinical and subclinical populations, but also has practical implications for public health interventions.

Across these diverse areas, my research is unified by a core interest in the executive control of behaviour-how organisms regulate actions in response to changing internal goals and external constraints. My approach integrates laboratory and field methods, digital tools, and interdisciplinary frameworks, with a strong commitment to translational outcomes and student-led inquiry.

I welcome collaborations in cognitive neuroscience, behavioural medicine, environmental and digital psychology, and the development of adaptive assessment tools for cognitive and behavioural function.