Aaron Johnston

Stipendiary Lecturer in Medicine, Oxford | BM BCh - DPhil student | Drug discovery for cardiac arrhythmias and fibrosis.

Oxford, England, United Kingdom

About

I am an aspiring clinician-scientist undertaking a PhD in Cardiovascular Science funded by a scholarship from the British Heart Foundation. I combine translational molecular and cellular biology approaches and high-throughput drug screening to identify novel disease targets and, ultimately, therapies for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis. I also design and deliver weekly tutorials in Physiology and Pharmacology to undergraduate medical students at the University of Oxford.

Experience

  • Stipendiary Lecturer in Pre-Clinical Medicine at Wadham College
    Apr 2026 - Present · 4 mos

  • Tutor on Frontiers Programme at Balliol College, University of Oxford
    Aug 2025 - Present · 1 yr

    I designed and delivered in-person tutorials and online seminars in physiology & pharmacology to state schooled Y12 students hoping to apply to study Medicine and enrolled in Balliol College’s outreach programme.

  • Tutor at Hurdlers' Education
    Sep 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 11 mos

    I design and deliver creative and high yield classes covering GCSE, A-Level and Undergraduate Admissions Tests.

  • DPhil Student in Cardiovascular Science (BHF) at Magdalen College, University of Oxford
    Sep 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 11 mos

    By deploying a range of cutting edge molecular biology techniques and high throughput screening technology, I investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning altered cardiac calcitonin signalling in atrial fibrillation (AF). I aim to uncover novel targets, or drug candidates that can be repurposed, to halt or reverse cardiac fibrosis during AF progression. Alongside my research, I act as the student representative for the University of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division’s Doctoral Training Centre where I represent the views of nearly 300 PhD students to the University’s governing committees. Similarly, I am a member of the Radcliffe Department of Medicine’s Researchers Association in which I help organise conferences and department social events. I also supervise Undergraduate Medical students and conduct revision tutorials and deliver revision lectures for the Osler Society for Medical Education. I am also passionate about public engagement in scientific research. I have communicated my work to general audiences at British Heart Foundation events and at science festivals in Oxford. I also enjoy writing about science for more specialist audiences and have authored reviews and editorials on different topics in the field of cardiovascular science.

  • Mentor at Zero Gravity
    Jul 2020 - Jan 2026 · 5 yrs 7 mos