Regular biography
Dr Andrew Johnston is a molecular biologist and bioinformatician affiliated with the BIO department at The University of Sydney. His research interests include circulating cell-free DNA analysis, chromatin structure, and genome regulation. Johnston completed his PhD at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (University of Queensland), where he developed highly multiplexed PCR assays to probe cancer epigenetics and nucleosome organisation in clinical DNA samples. As a CERC Fellow at CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, he conducted research on cell-free DNA fragmentomics, the effects of chromatin state on nucleosome positioning, and methylation-based liquid biopsy assay development. He is now based at the University of Sydney, working under the supervision of Prof Claire Wade and A/Prof Alyson Ashe to investigate the mechanisms underlying non-seasonal breeding behaviour in dogs.