Dr Stuart Johnson

School of Biosciences

Lecturer

Stuart Johnson
Profile picture of Stuart Johnson
s.johnson@sheffield.ac.uk
Alfred Denny Building

Full contact details

Dr Stuart Johnson
School of Biosciences
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
Profile
  • 2011-present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK.
  • 2009-2011: RNID Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK.
  • 2006-2009: Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sheffield, UK.
  • 2003-2005: MRC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Sussex, UK.
  • 1998-2003: D.Phil, University of Sussex, UK.
  • 1995-1998: BSc Hons Biological Sciences (Animal Physiology), University of Leicester, UK.
Research interests
  • Signalling characteristics of cochlear hair cells.

Auditory neuroscience, sensory coding, synaptic transmission

Mammalian cochlear inner hair cells (IHCs) are the primary sensory cells of the auditory pathway. Their job is to convert sound vibrations into an electrical signal that can be interpreted by the brain. As such, it is vital that the information encoded by IHCs is accurately preserved at this initial stage. One of the major causes of deafness/hearing loss is associated with IHCs losing their ability to function normally.

The aim of my research is to find out how IHCs are able to accurately encode sounds over a wide frequency and intensity range and how the information is processed on its way to the brain. Knowledge of how the ear processes sound will be informative to develop improved hearing aids, including cochlear implants. An additional aspect of my research applies directly to define how stem cells are able to replace damaged nerve fibres in order to restore hearing (in collaboration with Prof Marcelo Rivolta).

In order to achieve this I will study IHCs in the isolated cochlea using a combination of electrophysiological, cell imaging and molecular biological techniques.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Johnson SL, Olt J, Cho S, von Gersdorff H & Marcotti W (2017) . Journal of Neuroscience.
  • Johnson SL, Ceriani F, Houston O, Polishchuk R, Polishchuk E, Crispino G, Zorzi V, Mammano F & Marcotti W (2017) . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
  • Johnson SL (2015) . eLife, 4.
  • Corns LF, Johnson SL, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2014) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(41), 14918-14923.
  • Furness DN, Johnson SL, Manor U, Rüttiger L, Tocchetti A, Offenhauser N, Olt J, Goodyear RJ, Vijayakumar S, Dai Y , Hackney CM et al (2013) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(34), 13898-13903.
  • Johnson SL, Kuhn S, Franz C, Ingham N, Furness DN, Knipper M, Steel KP, Adelman JP, Holley MC & Marcotti W (2013) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(21), 8720-8725.
  • Chen W, Jongkamonwiwat N, Abbas L, Eshtan SJ, Johnson SL, Kuhn S, Milo M, Thurlow JK, Andrews PW, Marcotti W , Moore HD et al (2012) . Nature, 490(7419), 278-282.
  • Johnson SL, Kennedy HJ, Holley MC, Fettiplace R & Marcotti W (2012) . J Neurosci, 32(31), 10479-10483.
  • Johnson SL, Beurg M, Marcotti W & Fettiplace R (2011) . Neuron, 70(6), 1143-1154.
  • Johnson SL, Eckrich T, Kuhn S, Zampini V, Franz C, Ranatunga KM, Roberts TP, Masetto S, Knipper M, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2011) . Nature Neuroscience, 14(6), 711-717.
  • Johnson SL, Franz C, Kuhn S, Furness DN, Rüttiger L, Münkner S, Rivolta MN, Seward EP, Herschman HR, Engel J , Knipper M et al (2010) . Nat Neurosci, 13(1), 45-52.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Amariutei AE, Webb S, Carlton AJ, O'Connor A, Underhill A, Jeng J, Hool SA, Zanella A, Hool M, Lecomte M , Johnson SL et al (2025) . The Journal of Physiology.
  • Spaiardi P, Giunta R, Rispoli G, Masetto S & Johnson SL (2025) . The Journal of Physiology.
  • Conrad LJ, Grandi FC, Carlton AJ, Jeng J, de Tomasi L, Zarecki P, Marcotti W, Johnson SL & Mustapha M (2024) . The Journal of Physiology, 602(20), 5329-5351.
  • Carlton AJ, Jeng J, Grandi FC, De Faveri F, Ceriani F, De Tomasi L, Underhill A, Johnson SL, Legan KP, Kros CJ , Richardson GP et al (2023) . The EMBO Journal, 42(4).
  • Jeng J-Y, Carlton AJ, Goodyear RJ, Chinowsky C, Ceriani F, Johnson SL, Sung T-C, Dayn Y, Richardson GP, Bowl MR , Brown SDM et al (2022) . Molecular Therapy - Methods & Clinical Development, 26, 355-370.
  • Spaiardi P, Marcotti W, Masetto S & Johnson SL (2022) . Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 16.
  • Lorente-Cánovas B, Eckrich S, Lewis MA, Johnson SL, Marcotti W & Steel KP (2022) . PLoS ONE, 17(3).
  • Manca M, Yen P, Spaiardi P, Russo G, Giunta R, Johnson SL, Marcotti W & Masetto S (2021) . Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15.
  • Jeng J, Harasztosi C, Carlton AJ, Corns LF, Marchetta P, Johnson SL, Goodyear RJ, Legan KP, Rüttiger L, Richardson GP & Marcotti W (2021) . The Journal of Physiology, 599(7), 2015-2036.
  • Jeng J, Carlton AJ, Johnson SL, Brown SDM, Holley MC, Bowl MR & Marcotti W (2021) . The Journal of Physiology, 599(1), 269-287.
  • Jeng J, Ceriani F, Olt J, Brown SDM, Holley MC, Bowl MR, Johnson SL & Marcotti W (2020) . The Journal of Physiology, 598(19), 4339-4355.
  • Jeng J, Johnson SL, Carlton AJ, DeTomasi L, Goodyear R, DeFaveri F, Furness DN, Wells S, Brown SDM, Holley MC , Richardson GP et al (2020) . The Journal of Physiology, 598(18), 3891-3910.
  • Spaiardi P, Marcotti W, Masetto S & Johnson SL (2020) . Physiological Reports, 8(14).
  • Spaiardi P, Tavazzani E, Manca M, Russo G, Prigioni I, Biella G, Giunta R, Johnson SL, Marcotti W & Masetto S (2020) . Neuroscience, 426, 69-86.
  • Jeng J, Ceriani F, Hendry A, Johnson SL, Yen P, Simmons DD, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2020) . The Journal of Physiology, 598(1), 151-170.
  • Dunbar LA, Patni P, Aguilar C, Mburu P, Corns L, Wells HRR, Delmaghani S, Parker A, Johnson S, Williams D , Esapa CT et al (2019) . EMBO Molecular Medicine, 11(9).
  • Ceriani F, Johnson SL, Sedlacek M, Hendry A, Kachar B, Marcotti W & Mammano F (2019) .
  • Bardhan T, Jeng J-Y, Waldmann M, Ceriani F, Johnson SL, Olt J, Rüttiger L, Marcotti W & Holley MC (2019) . Journal of Physiology, 597(13), 3389-3406.
  • Ceriani F, Hendry A, Jeng JY, Johnson SL, Stephani F, Olt J, Holley MC, Mammano F, Engel J, Kros CJ , Simmons DD et al (2019) . The EMBO Journal, 38(9).
  • Johnson SL, Safieddine S, Mustapha M & Marcotti W (2019) . Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 9(12), a033175-a033175.
  • Chessum L, Matern MS, Kelly MC, Johnson SL, Ogawa Y, Milon B, McMurray M, Driver EC, Parker A, Song Y , Codner G et al (2018) . Nature, 563(7733), 696-700.
  • Corns LF, Johnson SL, Roberts T, Ranatunga KM, Hendry A, Ceriani F, Safieddine S, Steel KP, Forge A, Petit C , Furness DN et al (2018) . Nature Communications, 9(1).
  • Frith TJR, Granata I, Wind M, Stout E, Thompson O, Neumann K, Stavish D, Heath PR, Ortmann D, Hackland JOS , Anastassiadis K et al (2018) . eLife, 7.
  • Ceriani F, Hendry A, Jeng J-Y, Johnson SL, Olt J, Holley MC, Mammano F, Kros CJ, Simmons DD & Marcotti W (2018) .
  • (2017) . The Journal of Physiology, 595(11), 3677-3678.
  • Johnson SL, Olt J, Cho S, von Gersdorff H & Marcotti W (2017) . Journal of Neuroscience.
  • Johnson SL, Ceriani F, Houston O, Polishchuk R, Polishchuk E, Crispino G, Zorzi V, Mammano F & Marcotti W (2017) . Journal of Neuroscience, 37(2), 258-268.
  • Buniello A, Ingham NJ, Lewis MA, Huma AC, Martinez-Vega R, Varela-Nieto I, Vizcay-Barrena G, Fleck RA, Houston O, Bardhan T , Johnson SL et al (2016) . EMBO Molecular Medicine, 8(3), 191-207.
  • Corns LF, Johnson SL, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2016) . Journal of Neuroscience, 36(2), 336-349.
  • Carrott L, Bowl MR, Aguilar C, Johnson SL, Chessum L, West M, Morse S, Dorning J, Smart E, Hardisty-Hughes R , Ball G et al (2016) . Journal of Neuroscience, 36(1), 222-234.
  • Johnson SL (2015) . eLife, 4.
  • Magistretti J, Spaiardi P, Johnson SL & Masetto S (2015) . FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE, 9.
  • Taylor R, Bullen A, Johnson SL, Grimm-Guenter E-M, Rivero F, Marcotti W, Forge A & Daudet N (2015) . Human Molecular Genetics, 24(1), 37-49.
  • Zampini V, Johnson SL, Franz C, Knipper M, Holley MC, Magistretti J, Russo G, Marcotti W & Masetto S (2014) . PLOS ONE, 9(11).
  • Corns LF, Johnson SL, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2014) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(41), 14918-14923.
  • Olt J, Johnson SL & Marcotti W (2014) . J Physiol, 592(10), 2041-2058.
  • Olt J, Mburu P, Johnson SL, Parker A, Kuhn S, Bowl M, Marcotti W & Brown SDM (2014) . PLoS One, 9(1), e87331.
  • Chen J, Johnson SL, Lewis MA, Hilton JM, Huma A, Marcotti W & Steel KP (2014) . Eur J Neurosci, 39(5), 744-756.
  • Johnson SL, Wedemeyer C, Vetter DE, Adachi R, Holley MC, Elgoyhen AB & Marcotti W (2013) . Open Biology, 3(11).
  • Furness DN, Johnson SL, Manor U, Rüttiger L, Tocchetti A, Offenhauser N, Olt J, Goodyear RJ, Vijayakumar S, Dai Y , Hackney CM et al (2013) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(34), 13898-13903.
  • Zampini V, Johnson SL, Franz C, Knipper M, Holley MC, Magistretti J, Masetto S & Marcotti W (2013) . J Physiol, 591(16), 3811-3820.
  • Johnson SL, Kuhn S, Franz C, Ingham N, Furness DN, Knipper M, Steel KP, Adelman JP, Holley MC & Marcotti W (2013) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 110(21), 8720-8725.
  • Chen W, Jongkamonwiwat N, Abbas L, Eshtan SJ, Johnson SL, Kuhn S, Milo M, Thurlow JK, Andrews PW, Marcotti W , Moore HD et al (2012) . Nature, 490(7419), 278-282.
  • Eckrich T, Varakina K, Johnson SL, Franz C, Singer W, Kuhn S, Knipper M, Holley MC & Marcotti W (2012) . PLoS One, 7(9), e45732.
  • Johnson SL, Kennedy HJ, Holley MC, Fettiplace R & Marcotti W (2012) . J Neurosci, 32(31), 10479-10483.
  • Zuccotti A, Kuhn S, Johnson SL, Franz C, Singer W, Hecker D, Geisler H-S, Köpschall I, Rohbock K, Gutsche K , Dlugaiczyk J et al (2012) . J Neurosci, 32(25), 8545-8553.
  • Johnson SL, Beurg M, Marcotti W & Fettiplace R (2011) . Neuron, 70(6), 1143-1154.
  • Johnson SL, Eckrich T, Kuhn S, Zampini V, Franz C, Ranatunga KM, Roberts TP, Masetto S, Knipper M, Kros CJ & Marcotti W (2011) . Nature Neuroscience, 14(6), 711-717.
  • Zampini V, Rüttiger L, Johnson SL, Franz C, Furness DN, Waldhaus J, Xiong H, Hackney CM, Holley MC, Offenhauser N , Di Fiore PP et al (2011) . PLoS Biol, 9(4), e1001048.
  • Kuhn S, Johnson SL, Furness DN, Chen J, Ingham N, Hilton JM, Steffes G, Lewis MA, Zampini V, Hackney CM , Masetto S et al (2011) . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 108(6), 2355-2360.
  • Zampini V, Johnson SL, Franz C, Lawrence ND, Münkner S, Engel J, Knipper M, Magistretti J, Masetto S & Marcotti W (2010) . J Physiol, 588(Pt 1), 187-199.
  • Johnson SL, Franz C, Kuhn S, Furness DN, Rüttiger L, Münkner S, Rivolta MN, Seward EP, Herschman HR, Engel J , Knipper M et al (2010) . Nat Neurosci, 13(1), 45-52.
  • Roux I, Hosie S, Johnson SL, Bahloul A, Cayet N, Nouaille S, Kros CJ, Petit C & Safieddine S (2009) . Human Molecular Genetics, 18(23), 4615-4628.
  • Chen W, Johnson SL, Marcotti W, Andrews PW, Moore HD & Rivolta MN (2009) . Stem Cells, 27(5), 1196-1204.
  • Johnson SL, Franz C, Knipper M & Marcotti W (2009) . J Physiol, 587(Pt 8), 1715-1726.
  • Johnson SL, Forge A, Knipper M, Münkner S & Marcotti W (2008) . J Neurosci, 28(30), 7670-7678.
  • Johnson SL & Marcotti W (2008) . J Physiol, 586(4), 1029-1042.
  • Johnson SL, Adelman JP & Marcotti W (2007) . J Physiol, 583(Pt 2), 631-646.
  • Marcotti W, Erven A, Johnson SL, Steel KP & Kros CJ (2006) . J Physiol, 574(Pt 3), 677-698.
  • Johnson SL, Marcotti W & Kros CJ (2005) . J Physiol, 563(Pt 1), 177-191.
  • Marcotti W, Johnson SL & Kros CJ (2004) . J Physiol, 560(Pt 3), 691-708.
  • Marcotti W, Johnson SL & Kros CJ (2004) . J Physiol, 557(Pt 2), 613-633.
  • Marcotti W, Johnson SL, Rusch A & Kros CJ (2003) . J Physiol, 552(Pt 3), 743-761.
  • Marcotti W, Johnson SL, Holley MC & Kros CJ (2003) . J Physiol, 548(Pt 2), 383-400.
  • Johnson SL, Thomas MV & Kros CJ (2002) . Pflugers Arch, 443(4), 653-663.

Book chapters

  • Indzhykulian AA, Johnson SL & Géléoc GSG (2022) , Neuromethods (pp. 221-264). Springer US
  • Corns LF, Bardhan T, Houston O, Olt J, Holley MC, Masetto S, Johnson SL & Marcotti W (2014) , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems Fourth Edition (pp. 155-188).
  • Alexander EE, Altieri SC, Avraham KB, Bardhan T, Baxendale S, Beraneck M, Bhonker Y, Cardon G, Chen P, Clause A , Contreras J et al (2014) , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems (pp. xi-xiii). Elsevier
  • Corns LF, Bardhan T, Houston O, Olt J, Holley MC, Masetto S, Johnson SL & Marcotti W (2014) , Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems (pp. 155-188). Elsevier
Research group

Collaborations

  • Henrique von Gersdorff (Vollum Institute, USA)
  • Robert Fettiplace FRS (Wisconsin, USA)
  • Marcelo Rivolta (Sheffield)
Grants
  • The Royal Society
  • Action on Hearing Loss
Teaching activities

Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules

Undergraduate:

  • BMS248 Neural Circuits, Behaviour & Memory
  • BMS335 Sensory Neuroscience
  • Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules

Masters (MSc)

  • BMS6335 Sensory Neuroscience
Professional activities and memberships

Invited seminars

  • Sandbjerg Meeting on Membrane Transport, Denmark (2015)

Awards

  • Royal Society University Research Fellowship (2011)