Professor Eustace Johnson

Emeritus Professor

Chester Medical School
eustace.johnson@chester.ac.uk
Professor Eustace Johnson

Eustace Johnson is an experimental cell biologist with expertise in immunology and adult stem cell therapies.

Prof Johnson leads a group of 8-10 postgraduate research students focused on developing a better understanding of how stem cells can be used in regenerative medicines and tissue engineering. Prior to joining the University of Chester in 2015, Prof Johnson was a Senior Lecturer in Regenerative Medicine at Aston University (2010-2015) and Lecturer in Regenerative Medicine at Keele University (2007-2010), when also was the Principal Cell Biologist of the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, UK. Postdoctoral research posts were held at Keele, as a visiting Research Fellow of the University of Kentucky (awarded the McNab/Larocca Fellowship) and the University of Birmingham, UK.

Eustace is module lead for the following undergraduate and postgraduate modules:

MD6038 Stem Cells 

MD7028 Stem Cells Theory and Practice 

MD7029 Tissue Formation and Regeneration 

MD7147 Models of Regenerative Medicine 

MD7818 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

MD7145 MRes Dissertation

He is also programme leader for the MRes Medical Science programme. 

Professor Johnson’s group sits within dedicated research facilities for experimental cell biology, molecular biology, immunohistology and in vivo models of developmental biology and tissue regeneration (zebrafish and planaria). Prof Johnson has a long standing interest in mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs), particularly on the application of transplanted MSCs to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration. His research has focussed on clinically relevant MSC populations for the development of new therapies for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Prof. Johnson is a founding and current member of the Mercia Stem Cell Alliance Steering Committee (including Universities at Aston, Birmingham, Chester, Keele, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Liverpool and Sheffield). Prof Johnson has forged British Council/Indian Government funded links with Anna University in Chennai India to promote research and education into stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Current research collaborations also are in place with the University of Turin for an NC3Rs-funded project examining whether MSCs can reduce neuropathic pain, and with the Veterinary Tissue Bank (UK) for a BBSRC-funded project investigating the wound healing capacity of canine MSCs hoping to treat dogs suffering from naturally occurring spinal injuries.

Please email him directly if you are interested in undertaking postgraduate research studies (MRes/MPhil/PhD) in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine.

Recent publications (2010-date):

  • Johnson LDV, Pickard MR, Johnson WEB (2021) The Comparative Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury in Humans and Animal Models: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biology March 12; 10(3), 230;  
  • Wood CR, Juárez EH, Ferrini F, Myint P, Innes J, Lossi L, Merighi A, Johnson WEB. (2021) Mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium increases glial reactivity and decreases neuronal survival in spinal cord slice cultures. Biochem Biophys Rep. Mar 3;26:100976. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.100976. eCollection 2021
  • Sheard JJ, Southam AD, MacKay HL, Ellington MA, Snow MD, Khanim FL, Bunce CM, Johnson WE. (2021) Combined bezafibrate, medroxyprogesterone acetate and valproic acid treatment inhibits osteosarcoma cell growth without adversely affecting normal mesenchymal stem cells. Biosci Rep. 2021 Jan 29;41(1):BSR20202505. doi: 10.1042/BSR20202505.
  • Delfi IRTA, Wood CR, Johnson LDV, Snow MD, Innes JF, Myint P, Johnson WEB. (2020) An In Vitro Comparison of the Neurotrophic and Angiogenic Activity of Human and Canine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs): Translating MSC-Based Therapies for Spinal Cord Injury. Biomolecules. Sep 9;10(9):1301. doi: 10.3390/biom10091301.
  • Kohli N, Al-Delfi IRT, Snow M, Sakamoto T, Miyazaki T, Nakajima H, Uchida K, Johnson WEB (2019) CD271-selected mesenchymal stem cells from adipose tissue enhance cartilage repair and are less angiogenic than plastic adherent mesenchymal stem cells. Sci Rep. Feb 28;9(1):3194. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39715-z.
  • Wood CR, Al Delfi IRT, Innes JF, Myint P, Johnson WE (2018) Exposing mesenchymal stem cells to chondroitin sulphated proteoglycans reduces their angiogenic and neuro-adhesive paracrine activity. Biochimie. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2018.04.011. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Takahashi A, Nakajima H, Takeura N, Honjoh K, Kitade M, Johnson WE, Kokubo Y (2018) Comparison of mesenchymal stem cells isolated from murine adipose tissue and bone marrow in the treatment of spinal cord injury. (2018) Cell Transplant. doi: 10.1177/0963689718780309. [Epub ahead of print]
  • Huang H, Johnson WE et al. (2018); N.b., 41 authors from the International Association of Neurorestoratology and Chinese Association of Neurorestoratology) Clinical cell therapy guidelines for neurorestoration. Cell Transplant. 27(2):310-324.
  • Hulme CH, Brown SJ, Fuller HR, Riddell J, Osman A, Chowdhury J, Kumar N, Johnson WE, Wright KT (2017) The developing landscape of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for spinal cord injury in cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Spinal Cord. 55:114-125.
  • Al Delfi IR, Sheard JJ, Wood CR, Vernallis A, Innes JF, Myint P, Johnson WE. (2016) Canine mesenchymal stem cells are neurotrophic and angiogenic: An in vitro assessment of their paracrine activity. Vet J. 217:10-17.
  • Begum S, Johnson WE, Worthington T, Martin RA. (2016) The influence of pH and fluid dynamics on the antibacterial efficacy of 45S5 Bioglass. Biomed Mater. 11(1):015006.
  • Watanabe S, Uchida K, Nakajima H, Matsuo H, Sugita D, Yoshida A, Honjoh K, Johnson WE, Baba H (2015). Early transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells after spinal cord injury relieves pain hypersensitivity through suppression of pain-related signaling cascades and reduced inflammatory cell recruitment. Stem Cells. 6: 1902-14.
  • Wai HA, Kawakami K, Wada H, Müller F, Vernallis AV, Brown G, Johnson WE (2015) The development and growth of tissues derived from cranial neural crest and primitive mesoderm is dependent on the ligation status of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) γ: evidence that RARγ functions to maintain stem/progenitor cells in the absence of retinoic acid. Stem Cells Dev. 24(4):507-19.
  • Kohli N, Wright KT, Jeys M, Snow M, Johnson WE (2015). An in vitro comparison of the incorporation, growth and chondrogenic potential of human bone marrow versus adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells in clinically relevant cell scaffolds used for cartilage repair. Cartilage. 6(4):252-63.
  • Walter MN, Khan NS, Major T, Fuller HR, Kuiper JH, Wright KT, Johnson WE (2015) Human mesenchymal stem cells stimulate EaHy926 endothelial cell migration: combined proteomic and in vitro analysis of the influence of donor-donor variability. J Stem Cells Regen. Med. 11(1): p18-24.
  • Wright KT, Uchida K, Bara JJ, Roberts S, El Masri W, Johnson WE. (2014) Spinal motor neurite outgrowth over glial scar inhibitors is enhanced by co-culture with bone marrow stromal cells. Spine J 14(8): 1722-33.
  • Uchida K, Nakajima H, Guerrero AR,  Johnson WE, El Masri W, Baba H (2014) Gene therapy strategies for the treatment of spinal cord injury. Therapeutic Delivery 5(5): 591-607.
  • Bara JJ, McCarthy HE, Humphrey E, Johnson WE, Roberts S. (2014) Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells become anti-angiogenic when chondrogenically or osteogenically differentiated: Implications for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Tissue Eng Part A. 20 (1): 147-59.
  • Tan Y, Uchida K, Nakajima H, Guerrero AR, Watanabe S, MD, Hirai T, Takeura N, Yoshida A, Liu S-Y, Johnson WE, Baba H (2013) Blockade of Interleukin-6 Signaling Improves the Survival Rate of Transplanted Bone Marrow Stromal Cells and Increases Locomotory Function in Mice with Spinal Cord Injury. J .Neuropath Exper. Neurol. 72(10):980-93.
  • Hirai T, Uchida K, Nakajima H, Guerrero AR, Takeura N, Watanabe S, Sugita D, Yoshida A, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2013). The prevalence and phenotype of activated microglia/macrophages within the spinal cord of the hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy) changes in response to chronic progressive spinal cord compression: implications for human cervical compressive myelopathy. PLoS One. 8(5):e64528.
  • Jalili SH, Johnson WE. (2013) The Development of Cannabidiol as a Psychiatric Therapeutic: A Review of Its Antipsychotic Efficacy and Possible Underlying Pharmacodynamic Mechanisms. Int. Neuropsych. Disease J. 1 (2): 113-147.
  • Nakajima H, Uchida K, Rodriguez Guerrero A, Watanabe S, Sugita D, Takeura N, Yoshida A, Long G, Wright K, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2012) Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promotes the Alternative Pathway of Macrophage Activation and Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury. J Neurotrauma. 29(8): 1614-25.
  • Guerrero AR, Uchida K, Nakajima H, Watanabe S, Nakamura M, Johnson WE, Baba H.  (2012)  Blockade of interleukin-6 signaling inhibits the classic pathway and promotes an alternative pathway of macrophage activation after spinal cord injury in mice. J Neuroinflammation. 27; 9:40.
  • Bara JJ, Johnson WE, Caterson B, Roberts S. (2012) Articular Cartilage Glycosaminoglycans Inhibit the Adhesion of Endothelial Cells. Connect Tissue Res. 53(3):220-8.
  • Uchida K, Nakajima H, Hirai T, Yayama T, Chen K, Guerrero AR, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2012) The Retrograde Delivery of Adenovirus Vector Carrying the Gene for Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Protects Neurons and Oligodendrocytes from Apoptosis in the Chronically Compressed Spinal Cord of Twy/twy Mice. Spine 37(26):2125-35.
  • Uchida K, Yayama T, Sugita D, Nakajima H, Rodriguez Guerrero A, Watanabe S, Roberts S, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2012) Initiation and progression of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine in the hereditary spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy). Eur Spine J. 21(1):149-55.
  • Uchida K, Nakajima H, Watanabe S, Yayama T, Guerrero AR, Inukai T, Hirai T, Sugita D, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2012) Apoptosis of neurons and oligodendrocytes in the spinal cord of spinal hyperostotic mouse (twy/twy): possible pathomechanism of human cervical compressive myelopathy. Eur Spine J. 21(3):490-7.
  • Wright KT, El Masri W, Osman A, Chowdhury J, Johnson WE (2011) Bone marrow for the treatment of spinal cord injury: mechanisms and clinical applications. Stem Cells. 29(2):169-78.
  • Lilly AJ, Johnson WE, Bunce CM (2011) The haematopoietic stem cell niche: new insights into the mechanisms regulating haematopoietic stem cell behaviour. Stem Cell Inter 2011: 274564. 
  • Stephan S, Johnson WE, Roberts S. (2011) The influence of nutrient supply and cell density on the growth and survival of intervertebral disc cells in 3D culture. Eur Cell Mater. 22:97-108.
  • Wright KT, Griffiths GJ, Johnson WEB (2010)  A comparison of high-content screening versus manual analysis to assay the effects of mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium on neurite outgrowth in vitro. J Biomol Screen. 15: 576-82.
  • Walter MN, Wright KT, Fuller HR, MacNeil S, Johnson WEB (2010) Mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium accelerates skin wound healing: an in vitro study of fibroblast and keratinocyte scratch assays. Exp Cell Res. 316: 1271-81.
  • Wright KT, Seabright R, Logan A, Lilly AJ, Khanim F, Bunce CM, Johnson WE (2010)  Extracellular Nm23H1 stimulates neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglia neurons in vitro independently of nerve growth factor supplementation or its nucleoside diphosphate kinase activity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 398: 79-85.
  • Uchida K, Nakajima H, Hirai T, Yayama T, Chen KB, Kobayashi S, Roberts S, Johnson WE, Baba H. (2010) Microarray analysis of expression of cell death-associated genes in rat spinal cord cells exposed to cyclic tensile stresses in vitro. BMC Neurosci. 11: 84.

BSc MSC PhD PG Cert (FHEA)