
RESEARCH
My research interests lie in understanding the complex microbial community of the gut, its bidirectional interactions with the brain and how the gut microbiome can affect behaviour, with a particular interest in emotion, cognition and social behaviour. My PhD was on the connections between the gut microbiome and the brain and behaviour, combining research in humans, model organisms, wild monkeys and evolutionary biology. I have a broad knowledge of biology, with my research also spanning fields such as animal behaviour, neuroscience and evolution.
Selected to be published in special 15th anniversary print issue of Nature Reviews Microbiology and ranked number one out of all articles ever published in this journal by Altmetric impact score (measures amount of attention received). Notable media coverage including interview on Fun Kids Science Weekly (most popular UK children's podcast) and invited to write an article featured in The Scientist magazine. Press release
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First single author paper (invited submission) and considerable media coverage including BBC TV South Today News and BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Berkshire interviews. Press release
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Johnson, K. V.-A., Dunbar, R. I. M. et al. Sociability in a non-captive macaque population is associated with beneficial gut bacteria. Frontiers in Microbiology (special collection) 13, 1032495 (2022) ​Worldwide media coverage including Bloomberg and Forbes; BBC TV South Today News and BBC Radio Oxford news bulletins; all main newspapers (e.g. Independent, Evening Standard, Daily Mail) and online magazines like Popular Science. Altmetric impact score reached over 1,600 and listed as one of the highest impact Frontiers articles of 2022. Press release
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Selected to be published in special 50th anniversary print issue of Cell.
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Johnson, K. V.-A. & Burnet, P. W. J. Opposing effects of antibiotics and germ-free status on neuropeptide systems involved in social behaviour and pain regulation. BMC Neuroscience 21, 32 (2020)
Considerable media coverage including featured article in Neuroscience News and ranked number three out of all articles ever published in this journal by Altmetric impact score. Press release
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Selected as cover image for the journal. Press release
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Media coverage including Dutch Radio 1 news channel and in Neuroscience News. Press release
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​Worldwide media coverage including live filming for Sky and CTV News; ITV News feature filming; BBC World Service and international radio interviews; all main newspapers (e.g. The Times, Telegraph, Guardian) and online magazines like Time. Altmetric impact score reached over 1,400. Research findings also featured in books including 'The Friendship Cure' and 'Friends: Understanding the Power of Our Most Important Relationships'. Press release
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Considerable media coverage, most notably an interview on BBC Radio 4 Inside Science. Press release
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And more articles in publication... so watch this space!
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