Dr James Johnstone

Deputy Dean
Faculty:
Faculty of Science and Engineering
Location:
Cambridge
Areas of Expertise:
Sport and exercise sciences
Research Supervision:
Yes

James is Deputy Dean in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Within his portfolio of responsibility, he oversees home and international recruitment and works to develop partnerships (industry and education) across the faculty.

Follow James on Twitter @JamesAJ73
[email protected]

Background

James has held leadership roles within the faculty, being Head of Department for Life Sciences (4yrs) and subsequently Sport and Exercise Sciences (2yrs). The latter department has progressed to be a standout subject area at ARU, being ranked No 1 (2021) and No 3 (2022) in the Guardian University League Tables.

Historically, James has held academic roles within the discipline area of Sport and Exercise Science. He is an active interdisciplinary exercise scientist and holds professional accreditations (BASES / UKSCA). He regularly publishes research, and his teaching specialisms include sports coaching, talent development and strength and conditioning.

Research interests
  • Investigating the use of new physiological monitoring technology in assisting the coach and athletes to predict performance
  • Talent identification and development
  • Use of mobile monitoring technology and physiological measurement
  • Officiating in sport
  • Physical activity, health and wellbeing
Areas of research supervision

PhD - Understanding Primary Exercise Addiction and the development of an effective screening tool

PhD - Sedentary behaviours and cognitive function in older adult population

Teaching

BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching and Physical Education, MSc Sport and Exercise Science

Qualifications
  • PhD Exercise Science, University of Hertfordshire
  • MSc Sports Science, University of East London
  • PG Certificate Research Methods, University of East London
  • PG Certificate Education (Physical Education), De Montfort University Bedford
  • BA (Hons) Sport Studies, University of Chichester
Memberships, editorial boards
  • British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Accredited Sport Scientist
  • UK Strength and Conditioning Association Accredited Coach (ASCC)
  • Chartered Scientist (CSci)
Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

James has worked with various performers and professional teams in the area of sport science support, including professional football, cricket and rugby union. Extended periods of support for performers include:

  • MCCU Cambridge Centre of Cricket Excellence; Director of Sport Science Support, 2013-present
  • Essex County Cricket Club; strength and conditioning/sports science support, 2006-2012
  • GB Adaptive Rowing; exercise testing and analysis, 2005-2007
Selected recent publications

Maguire, R., Timmis, T., Wilkins, L., Mann, D., Beukes, E., Homer, A., Johnstone, J., Allen, P., 2020. Cricketers are not tickled pink by the new coloured ball. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2020.08.006

Trott, M., Johnstone, J., Firth, J., Grabovac, I., McDermott D., Smith, L., 2020. Prevalence and correlates of body dysmorphic disorder in health club users in the presence vs absence of eating disorders symptomology. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. doi: 10.1007/s40519-020-01018-y

Role: PGR student, study design, editing draft, approve final version
Trott, M., Jackson, S., Firth, J., Fisher, A., Johnstone, J., Stubbs, B., Smith, L., 2020. Exercise addiction prevalence and correlates in the absence of eating disorder symptomology: A systematic review and meta  analysis. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 14, 6, 321329. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000664

Smith, L., Luchini, C., Demurtas, J., Soysal, P., Stubbs, B., Hamer, M., Nottegar, A., Lawlor, R., López- Sánchez, G., Firth, J., Koyanagi, A., Roberts, J., Willeit, J., Waldhör, T., Loosemore, M., David, A., Johnstone, J., Yang, Y., Veronese, N., 2019. Telomere length and health outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies. Ageing Research Reviews, 51. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.02.003

Roberts, J., Zinchenko, A., Mahbubani, K., Johnstone, J., Smith, L., Merzbach, V., Blacutt, M., Banderas, O., Villasenor, L., Vårvik, F., Henselmans, M., 2019. Satiating Effect of High Protein Diets on Resistance-Trained Individuals in Energy Deficit. Nutrients, 11(1), pp. 56. doi: 10.3390/nu11010056

Wiffin, M., Smith, L., Antonio, J., Johnstone, J., Beasley, L., Roberts, J., 2019. Effect of a short-term low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol (FODMAP) diet on exercise-related gastrointestinal symptoms. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 16(1). doi: 10.1186/s12970-019-0268-9

Smith, L, Veronese, N., Lopez-Sanchez, G., Moller, E., Johnstone, J., Firth, J., Grabovac, I., Yang, L, Jackson, S., 2019. Health behaviours and mental and physical health status in older adults with a history of homelessness: a cross-sectional population-based study in England. BMJ Open, 9(6). e028003. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028003

Stringer, C., Loosemore, M., Moller, E., Jackson, S., Lopez-Sanchez, G., Firth, J., Johnstone, J., Stubbs, B., Smith, L., 2019. Promoting physical activity in vulnerable adults “at risk” of homelessness: A Randomised Controlled Trial Protocol. BMJ Open, 9(3), e026466.

Beasley, L., Smith, L., Antonio, J., Gordon, D., Johnstone, J., Roberts, J., 2018. The effect of two β-alanine dosing strategies on 30-minute rowing performance: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 59. doi: 10.1186/s12970-018-0266-3

Smith, L., Sánchez, G., Suárez, A., Stubbs, B., Dowling, M., Scruton, A., Roberts, J., Johnstone, J., Pardhan, S., 2018. Barriers and Facilitators of Physical Activity in Children of a South Asian Ethnicity. Sustainability, 10(3), pp. 761. doi: 10.3390/su10030761.

Rook, C, Smith, L., Johnstone, J., Rossato, C., Sánchez, G. and Suárez, A., Roberts, J., 2018. Reconceptualising workplace resilience - A cross-disciplinary perspective. Annals of Psychology. 34(2), pp. 332-339.

Lopez Sanchez, G., Williams, G., Aggio, D., Vicinanza, D., Stubbs, B., Kerr, C., Johnstone, J., Roberts, J., Smith, L., 2017. Prospective associations between measures of gross and fine motor coordination in infants and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in childhood. Medicine. 96(46), e8424. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000008424

Roberts, J., Zinchenko, A., Suckling, C., Smith, L., Johnstone, J. and Henselmans, M., 2017. The short term effect of high versus moderate protein intake on recovery after strength training in resistance-trained individuals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(44), pp. 1-11. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0201-z

Aggio, D., Roberts, J., Johnstone, J., Stubbs, B., Gardner, B., Williams, G., Smith, L., 2017. Correlates of children’s independent outdoor play: Cross-sectional analyses from the Millennium Cohort Study. Preventive Medicine Reports, 8, pp. 10-14.

Williams, G., Aggio, D., Stubbs, B., Kerr, C., Roberts, J., Johnstone, J., Smith, L., 2017. Prospective associations between measures of gross and fine motor coordination in infants and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour in childhood. Medicine, 96(46), e8424.

Gordon, D., Wightman, S., Basevitch, I., Johnstone, J., Espejo-Sanchez, C., Beckford, C., Boal, M., Scruton, A., Ferrandino, M., Merbach, V., 2017. Physiological and training characteristics of recreation marathon runners. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 8, pp. 1-11.

Spice, C., Gordon, D., Smith, L., Johnstone, J. A., 2017. Work rates of international hockey umpires. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport.

Johnstone, J. A., Hughes, G., Ford, P. A., Gordon, D., Duffield, R., Roberts, J., Mitchell, A. C. S., Watson, T., Garrett, A. T., 2017. Accelerometry and heart rate responses of professional fast-medium bowlers in one-day and multi-day cricket. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 16, pp. 311-317.

Smith, L., Timmis, M. A., Pardhan, S., Latham, K., Johnstone, J., Hamer, M., 2017. Physical inactivity in relation to self-rated eyesight: cross-sectional analysis from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. BMJ Open Ophthalmology, 1, e000046.

Mukandi, I., Turner, A., Scott, P., Johnstone, J., 2014. Strength and Conditioning for Fast Bowling. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36, 6, pp. 96-106.

Johnstone, J. A., Hughes, G., Ford, P. A., Watson, T., Mitchell, A. C. S., Garrett, A. T., 2014. The athletic profile of fast bowling in cricket: A review. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 28, 5, pp. 1465-1473.

Johnstone, J. A., Hughes, G., Ford, P. A., Watson, T., Garrett, A. T., 2012. Part 1: Validity of the BioharnessTM monitoring system. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 11(3), pp. 400-408.

Johnstone, J. A., Hughes, G., Ford, P. A., Watson, T., Garrett, A. T. (2012). Part 2: Reliability of the BioharnessTM monitoring system. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 11(3), pp. 409-417.

Johnstone, J. A., Hughes, G., Ford, P. A., Watson, T., Mitchell, A. C. S., Garrett, A. T., 2012. Field based reliability and validity of the BioharnessTM multivariable monitoring device. Journal of Sport Science and Medicine, 11(4), pp. 643-652.

Recent presentations and conferences

Johnstone, J.A., Ford, P.A., Hughes, G., Watson, T., Mitchell, A.C., Rennie, K., Kozarki, K., Sharp, A. and Garrett, A.T., 2015. Using mobile monitoring technology to develop an in-match physiological profile of professional fast-medium bowlers. The 5th World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, Sydney, Australia, 23-27 March. 

Johnstone, J.A., Ford, P.A., Hughes, G., Watson, T., Mitchell, A.C., Rennie, K., Kozarki, K., Gordon, D. and Garrett, A.T., 2015. No association between bowling performance and physiological responses of professional fast-medium bowlers. The 5th World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, Sydney, Australia, 23-27 March.

Edwards, L., Johnstone, J.A., Baker, J., Scruton, A. and Williams, P., 2015. Performance indicators of a winning team in domestic English first-class Twenty-twenty (T20) cricket. The 5th World Congress of Science and Medicine in Cricket, Sydney, Australia, 23-27 March.

Gordon, D., Baker, J., Johnstone, J.A, Barnes, R., Scruton, A. and Merzbach, V., 2014. Manifestation of a plateau response in VO2 at maximal oxygen uptake is a function of the anaerobic work capacity. 19th European College of Sports Sciences Annual Conference, Amsterdam, 2-6 July.

Johnstone, J.A, Ford, P., Watson, T, Mitchell, A.C.S., Hughes, G, Gordon, D, Baker, J. and Garrett, A.T., 2014. Physiological profile of professional fast-medium bowlers during competitive cricket matches. 19th European College of Sports Sciences Annual Conference, Amsterdam, 2-6 July.

Baker, J., Rathbone, A., Johnstone, J.A, Barnes, R., Scruton, A., and Gordon, D., 2014. The effect of vVO2max protocol on predicting 3000m running performance. 19th European College of Sports Sciences Annual Conference, Amsterdam, 2-6 July.

Johnstone, J.A., Hughes, G., Ford, P.A., Watson, T. and Garrett, A.T., 2011. Reliability of the Bioharness monitoring system. 16th European College of Sports Sciences Annual Conference, Liverpool, 6-9 July.

Johnstone, J.A., Hughes, G., Ford, P.A., Watson, T. and Garrett, A.T., 2011. Validity of the Bioharness monitoring system. 16th European College of Sports Sciences Annual Conference, Liverpool, 6-9 July.

Cousins, S., Johnstone, J.A., Ford, P.A., Goldstein, M. and Gregg, M., 2008. The effects of different warm-up stretching protocols on the 20 meter sprint performance of university football players. 13th European College of Sports Sciences Conference, Portugal, 9-11 July.