Ian Johnson

Biography

After completing his postgraduate and post-doctoral research on epithelial physiology Ian Johnson joined the newly-founded Nutrition Division of the Food Research Institute in 1979. He began by working on the physiological effects of non-digestible polysaccharides (dietary fibre) in the gastrointestinal tract, and later broadened the activities of his research group to cover the impact of minerals, phytochemicals, essential fatty acids and fermentable carbohydrates on intestinal cell proliferation, and on other aspects of human physiology related to cancer prevention, including epithelial epigenetics. Much of his work, which was funded at various times by BBSRC, European Union, Food Standards Agency and industry, has been conducted in collaboration with gastroenterologists and surgeons at the NNUH, and at other centres in the UK and continental Europe. He have served in the BBSRC pool of experts, and as an invited expert on the SACN working group on dietary carbohydrates and health. Since retiring from full time research he have maintained an active interest in human diet and health, both through publications and media interactions, and by developing courses on nutritional science for adults, taught through the Workers Educational Association. He is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Medical School at University of East Anglia, where he formerly held an Honorary Professorship, and he have recently become Chair of the Research Advisory Panel of the Big C Cancer Charity.

Research Interest

Food and Nutrition