Richard Johnston

Assistant Dean of Research and Foundational Sciences Faculty - Pharmacology

Campus IllinoisCOM
DepartmentMedical Education
InstitutionThe Chicago School

Office Phone: 312-329-6641
Email

Biography

Dr. Richard Johnston is Assistant Dean for Research and Professor of Pharmacology at the Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine (IllinoisCOM) at The Chicago School. He earned his Bachelor of Science with Program Honors in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating summa cum laude, and completed his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology at West Virginia University, where he developed a strong interest in respiratory biology. He then pursued post-doctoral training in lung biology and respiratory disease at the Harvard School of Public Health, supported by fellowships from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Lung Association.

Before joining IllinoisCOM in 2025, Dr. Johnston served as a Research Pharmacologist at The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health for eight years and held faculty appointments for more than a decade within The University of Texas System.

Dr. Johnston's career combines active biomedical research with deep commitment to education and mentorship. His scientific work focuses on the determinants of airway hyperresponsiveness in animal models of asthma, with contributions to understanding the roles of adipocytokines, obesity, and ozone in this phenomenon. His research has been funded by the NIH and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), and he has served as a grant reviewer for the NIH, NORA, and the Netherlands Asthma Foundation. He has mentored students and trainees across the biomedical sciences and has taught physiology and pharmacology in multiple professional programs.

Dr. Johnston is an active member of several professional societies, including the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the American Physiological Society, the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Within the ATS, he has held numerous leadership and service roles, including membership on the Members in Transition and Training, Membership, Planning and Evaluation, Awards, and Professional Development Committees; the Underrepresented Trainee Development Scholarship Subcommittee; and the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. He previously served as Co-Chair of the ATS Ph.D. and Basic and Translational Scientist Working Group and currently serves as Co-Chair of the ATS New Faculty Boot Camp. In recognition of his sustained leadership, dedicated service to the Society, and contributions to pulmonary medicine, Dr. Johnston was named an inaugural ATS Fellow in 2018.

Education History

Degree	Institution	Year
Bachelor of Science	University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA	1995
Doctor of Philosophy	West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV	2000

Professional Memberships

Role	Organization
Fellow	American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Member	American Physiological Society
Member	American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Fellow	American Thoracic Society

Areas of Expertise

Area	Expertise
Biomedical Science	Pathophysiology
	Pharmacology

Publications

Book
Johnston RA and Suratt BT eds (2019). Mechanisms and Manifestations of Obesity in Lung Disease. London: Academic Press/Elsevier Inc..
Chapter
Johnston RA and Shore SA (2019). Obesity and asthma: What have we learned from animal models?. In Johnston RA and Suratt BT (Ed.) Mechanisms and Manifestations of Obesity in Lung Disease (pp. 111-142). London: Academic Press/Elsevier Inc..
Journal
Tran TT, Davies J, Johnston RA, Karmouty-Quintana H, Li H, Crocker CE, Khan AM and Alcorn JL (2024). Impact of vitamin D on hyperoxic acute lung injury in neonatal mice. BMC Pulm Med, 24,584.
Pilkington AW IV, Buragamadagu B and Johnston RA (2024). Weighted breaths: Exploring biologic and non-biologic therapies for co-existing asthma and obesity. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep, 24,381-393.
Johnston RA, Pilkington AW IV, Atkins CL, Boots TE, Brown PL, Jackson WT, Spencer CY, Siddiqui SR and Haque IU (2024). Inconsequential role for chemerin-like receptor 1 in the manifestation of ozone-induced lung pathophysiology in male mice. Physiol Rep, 12,e16008.
Moore BB, Ballinger MN, Bauer NN, Blackwell TS, Borok Z, Budinger GRS, Camoretti-Mercado B, Erzurum SC, Himes BE, Keshamouni VG, Kulkarni HS, Mallampalli RK, Mariani TJ, Martinez FJ, McCombs JE, Newcomb DC, Johnston RA, O’Reilly MA, Prakash YS, Ridge KM, Sime PJ, Sperling AI, Violette S, Wilkes DS, Königshoff M (2023). Building career paths for Ph.D., basic and translational scientists in clinical departments in the United States: An official American Thoracic Society workshop report. Ann Am Thorac Soc, 20,1077-1087.
Johnston RA, Atkins CL, Siddiqui SR, Jackson WT, Mitchell NC, Spencer CY, Pilkington AW IV, Kashon ML and Haque IU (2022). Interleukin-11 receptor subunit alpha-1 is required for maximal airway responsiveness to methacholine following acute exposure to ozone. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 323,R921-R934.
Thompson JA, Johnston RA, Price RE, Hubbs AF, Kashon ML, McKinney W and Fedan JS (2022). High-fat Western diet consumption exacerbates silica-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. Toxicol Rep, 9,1045-1053.
Thompson JA, Krajnak K, Johnston RA, Kashon ML, McKinney W and Fedan JS (2021). High-fat Western diet-consumption alters crystalline silica-induced serum adipokines, inflammatory cytokines and arterial blood flow in the F344 rat. Toxicol Rep, 9,12-21.
Johnston RA and Belenky P (2020). Filling a hole in ozone research: The impacts of early life microbiome alterations on pulmonary responses to a non-atopic asthma trigger. Physiol Rep, 8,e14346.
Headley L, Bi W, Wilson C, Collum SD, Chavez M, Darwiche T, Mertens TCJ, Hernandez AM, Siddiqui SR, Rosenbaum S, Johnston RA and Karmouty-Quintana H (2018). Low-dose administration of bleomycin leads to early alterations in lung mechanics. Exp Physiol, 103,1692-1703.
Causey J, Gonzales T, Yadav A, Hashmi S, De Jesus-Rojas W, Jon C, Haque I, Johnston R, Stark J, McBeth K, Colasurdo G and Mosquera R (2018). Characteristics and outcomes of children with clinical history of atopic versus non-atopic asthma admitted to a tertiary pediatric intensive care unit. Open Respir Med J, 12,21-28.
Malik F, Cromar KR, Atkins CL, Price RE, Jackson WT, Siddiqui SR, Spencer CY, Mitchell NC, Haque IU and Johnston RA (2017). Chemokine (C-C motif) receptor-like 2 is not essential for lung injury, lung inflammation, or airway hyperresponsiveness induced by acute exposure to ozone. Physiol Rep, 5,e13545.
Elkhidir HS, Richards JB, Cromar KR, Bell CS, Price RE, Atkins CL, Spencer CY, Malik F, Alexander AL, Cockerill KJ, Haque IU and Johnston RA (2016). Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 does not contribute to the pulmonary pathology induced by acute exposure to ozone. Physiol Rep, 4,e12983.
Razvi SS, Richards JB, Malik F, Cromar KR, Price RE, Bell CS, Weng T, Atkins CL, Spencer CY, Cockerill KJ, Alexander AL, Blackburn MR, Alcorn JL, Haque IU and Johnston RA (2015). Resistin deficiency in mice has no effect on pulmonary responses induced by acute ozone exposure. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 309,L1174-L1185.
Karmouty-Quintana H, Philip K, Acero LF, Chen NY, Weng T, Molina JG, Luo F, Davies J, Le NB, Bunge I, Volcik KA, Le TT, Johnston RA, Xia Y, Eltzschig HK and Blackburn MR (2015). Deletion of ADORA2B from myeloid cells dampens lung fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension. FASEB J, 29,50-60.
Dahm PH, Richards JB, Karmouty-Quintana H, Cromar KR, Sur S, Price RE, Malik F, Spencer CY, Barreno RX, Hashmi SS, Blackburn MR, Haque IU and Johnston RA (2014). Effect of antigen sensitization and challenge on oscillatory mechanics of the lung and pulmonary inflammation in obese carboxypeptidase E-deficient mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 307,R621-R633.
Karmouty-Quintana H, Weng T, Garcia-Morales LJ, Chen N-Y, Pedroza M, Zhong H, Molina JG, Bunge R, Bruckner BA, Xia Y, Johnston RA, Loebe M, Zeng D, Seethamraju H, Luiz Belardinelli L and Blackburn MR (2013). ADORA2B and hyaluronan modulate pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol, 49,1038-1047.
Barreno RX, Richards JB, Schneider DJ, Cromar KR, Nadas AJ, Hernandez CB, Hallberg LM, Price RE, Hashmi SS, Blackburn MR, Haque IU and Johnston RA (2013). Endogenous osteopontin promotes ozone-induced neutrophil recruitment to the lungs and airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 305,L118-L129.
Karmouty-Quintana H, Zhong H, Acero L, Weng T, Melicoff E, West JD, Hemnes A, Grenz A, Eltzschig HK, Blackwell TS, Xia Y, Johnston RA, Zeng D, Belardinelli L, and Blackburn MR (2012). The A2B adenosine receptor modulates pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease. FASEB J, 26,2546-2557.
Johnston RA, Zhu M, Hernandez CB, Williams ES and Shore SA (2010). Onset of obesity in carboxypeptidase E-deficient mice and effect on airway responsiveness and pulmonary responses to ozone. J Appl Physiol, 108,1812-1819.
Zhu M, Hug C, Kasahara DI, Johnston RA, Williams AS, Verbout NG, Si H, Jastrab J, Srivastava A, Williams ES, Ranscht B and Shore SA (2010). Impact of adiponectin deficiency on pulmonary responses to acute ozone exposure in mice. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol, 43,487-497.
Shore SA, Lang JE, Kasahara DI, Lu FL, Verbout NG, Si H, Williams ES, Terry RD, Lee A and Johnston RA (2009). Pulmonary responses to subacute ozone exposure in lean versus obese mice. J Appl Physiol, 107,1445-1452.
Johnston RA, Theman TA, Lu FL, Terry RD, Williams ES and Shore SA (2008). Diet-induced obesity causes innate airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine and enhances ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation. J Appl Physiol, 104,1727-1735.
Pichavant M, Goya S, Meyer EH, Johnston RA, Kim HY, Matangkasombut P, Zhu M, Iwakura Y, Savage PB, DeKruyff RH, Shore SA and Umetsu DT (2008). Ozone exposure in a mouse model induces airway hyperreactivity that requires the presence of natural killer T cells and IL-17. J Exp Med, 205,385-393.
Johnston RA, Zhu M, Rivera-Sanchez YM, Lu FL, Theman TA, Flynt L and Shore SA (2007). Allergic airway responses in obese mice. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 176,650-658.
Johnston RA, Mizgerd JP, Flynt L, Williams ES and Shore SA (2007). Type I interleukin-1 receptor is required for pulmonary responses to subacute ozone exposure in mice. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol, 37,477-484.
Johnston RA, Theman TA, Terry RD, Williams ES and Shore SA (2007). Pulmonary responses to acute ozone exposure in fasted mice: Effect of leptin administration. J Appl Physiol, 102,149-156.
Lu FL, Johnston RA, Flynt L, Theman TA, Terry RD, Schwartzman IN, Lee A and Shore SA (2006). Increased pulmonary responses to acute ozone exposure in obese db/db mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 290,L856-L865.
Shore SA and Johnston RA (2006). Obesity and asthma. Pharmacol Ther, 110,83-102.
Johnston RA, Theman TA and Shore SA (2006). Augmented responses to ozone in obese carboxypeptidase E-deficient mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 290,R126-R133.
Shore SA, Schwartzman IN, Mellema MS, Flynt L, Imrich A and Johnston RA (2005). Effect of leptin on allergic airway responses in mice. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 115,103-109.
Johnston RA, Schwartzman IN, Flynt L and Shore SA (2005). Role of interleukin-6 in murine airway responses to ozone. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 288,L390-L397.
Johnston RA, Mizgerd JP and Shore SA (2005). CXCR2 is essential for maximal neutrophil recruitment and methacholine responsiveness after ozone exposure. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 288,L61-L67.
Rivera-Sanchez YM, Johnston RA, Schwartzman IN, Valone J, Silverman ES, Fredberg JJ and Shore SA (2004). Differential effects of ozone on airway and tissue mechanics in obese mice. J Appl Physiol, 96,2200-2206.
Johnston RA, Van Scott MR, Kommineni C, Millecchia LL, Dortch-Carnes J and Fedan JS (2004). Hyperosmolar solution effects in guinea-pig airways. IV. Lipopolysaccharide-induced alterations in airway reactivity and epithelial bioelectric responses to methacholine and hyperosmolarity. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 308,37-46.
Fedan JS, Dowdy JA, Van Scott MR, Wu DX-Y and Johnston RA (2004). Hyperosmolar solution effects in guinea-pig airways. III. Studies on the identity of epithelium-derived relaxing factor in isolated, perfused trachea using pharmacological agents. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 308,30-36.
Wu DX-Y, Johnston RA, Rengasamy A, Van Scott MR and Fedan JS (2004). Hyperosmolar solution effects in guinea-pig airways. II. Epithelial bioelectric responses to relative changes in osmolarity. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 308,19-29.
Fedan JS, Dowdy JA, Johnston RA and Van Scott MR (2004). Hyperosmolar solution effects in guinea-pig airways. I. Mechanical responses to relative changes in osmolarity. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 308,10-18.
Shore SA, Rivera-Sanchez YM, Schwartzman IN and Johnston RA (2003). Responses to ozone are increased in obese mice. J Appl Physiol, 95,938-945.
Shore SA, Johnston RA, Schwartzman IN, Chism D and Krishna Murthy GG (2002). Ozone-induced airway hyperresponsiveness is reduced in immature mice. J Appl Physiol, 92,1019-1028.
Fedan JS, Van Scott MR and Johnston RA (2001). Pharmacological techniques for the in vitro study of airways. J Pharmacol Toxicol Meth, 45,159-174.
Fedan JS, Millecchia LL, Johnston RA, Rengasamy A, Hubbs A, Dey RD, Yuan L-X, Watson D, Goldsmith WT, Reynolds JS, Orsini L, Dortch-Carnes J, Cutler D and Frazer DG (2000). Effect of ozone-treatment on airway reactivity and epithelium-derived relaxing factor in guinea pigs. J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 293,724-734.

Professional Skills

Our research seeks to identify the mechanisms that regulate airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in mouse models of asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease characterized by AHR, episodic wheezing, cough, shortness of breath, and reversible airflow obstruction. Our work focuses on defining the roles of adipocytokines, G protein-coupled receptor adaptor proteins, and obesity in the development of both atopic and non-atopic asthma and how these factors contribute to disease pathogenesis. Our laboratory is currently preparing several manuscripts based on these studies, providing students with opportunities to participate in multiple aspects of the research process. Students interested in these projects may gain experience in scientific writing, preparing original research manuscripts and literature reviews, data extraction and management, statistical analysis, and the interpretation and presentation of research findings. In addition, students will learn about the experimental approaches used to characterize the asthma phenotype in mouse models and gain an appreciation for how pre-clinical research advances our understanding of human respiratory disease. These projects are well suited for students seeking experience in translational respiratory research and who wish to strengthen their research, critical thinking, and scientific communication skills.