Dr
Patricia
Johnson
Primary Department
School of Nursing, Psychotherapy and Community Health
Role
Academic Staff
5407
Email Address
patricia.johnson@dcu.ie
Campus
Glasnevin Campus
Room Number
H222
Academic biography
Dr
Johnson’s career spans several years of researching in the area of Biomedical
Science. Her PhD project explored the underlying immune mechanisms involved in
the development of immune pathologies associated with primary and secondary
vasculitis (published manuscripts: Clin Exp Immunol 1997; 108:234-242. Clin Exp
Immunol 1997; 111:98-105). Owing to her contributions to this area, she was
commissioned to carry out a review of associated patent literature and
intellectual property (ExpOpin in Therapeutic Patents. 2002 12 (10) 1517-1525.)
and to present an educational article for Nature Encyclopaedia of Life
Sciences. (Nature Publishing Group. 2003).
Dr
Johnson continued to work post-doctorally in the area of Biomedical Science
contributing to an EU project with Professor Kingston Mills, (TCD, formerly
NUIM) on DNA vaccines against influenza virus. (J of Gen Virol 2000,
81;1737-1745). These studies occasioned further investigations on the
immunomodulation associated with mixed infections (J Infect Dis 2000 182(4):1286-9).
Success with DNA vaccine studies led to further funding from Glaxo Smithkline,
to investigate DNA vaccine constructs encoding surface glycoproteins from HIV
(J of Clin Virol. 2000 18:303 and Vaccine 2005 Jan 4;23(7):963-74).
On
completion her postdoctoral study she established her own research team, the
Viral Immunology Group (VIG), at the Institute of Immunology, NUIM, under the
PPRTLI programme. Her research team identified a novel immune-modulation
mechanism associated with influenza virus (J. Gen Virol 2005, 86, 1885-90). She
then secured funding from the EU to develop a novel vaccine construct against
childhood respiratory diseases, leading to published studies;- J. Leuk Biol
2007 Apr;81(4):952-6; J Virol. 2008 82(9299-302). In May 2005 Dr Johnson moved
to a tenured position in DCU and continued to grow her research laboratory. She
has since secured funding from the Wellcome Trust, HRB, IRCSET, EI and MUH with
several published, in submission or submission-ready manuscripts from these
projects (Drug Discovery Today-DM 2010; 6(4): 107-112; Br J Anaesth. 2014 113
Suppl 1:i56-62, BJA ms no#-2013-01344: In submission JI-CE 13-03246: Submission
ready JCI, JCV).
Dr
Johnson has also presented her findings at many national and international
meetings and has participated in numerous research-support roles; She has acted
as expert reviewer for the EU 5th
Framework Control of Infectious Disease Programme and has attended and
reviewed two mid-term EU 5th framework
progress meetings at Epalinges University Campus Lausanne, and the Istituto
Superiore di Sanità, Rome. She have also organized and hosted and 5th &
6th EU framework meetings and served as
coordinator for the joint ISI/UIG Annual Meeting at NUIM and ISI annual meeting
held in DCU.
Dr
Johnson has successfully supervised three PhD students to completion directly
under her supervision. All of her students have presented their findings at
international meetings and have published their findings in peer reviewed
medium to high impact journals in the field. Dr Johnson has also acted as
research supervisor to a successful MD candidate and is currently supervising
an additional PhD candidate and postgraduate Erasmus Training Programme
student. In addition, she has supervised numerous undergraduate and short
research projects students (> 25) in both DCU and NUIM.