James (J.D.) Johnston BSc, MSc, PhD, PEng
Professor Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering

• Applied Mechanics and Machine Design
• Biomedical Engineering

Education and Experience

J.D. Johnston joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at the U of S in 2008 while finishing his PhD at the University of British Columbia. He had previously received his BSc(Eng) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of New Brunswick in 1999 and his MSc(Eng) in Mechanical Engineering from Queen's University in 2001. Between his MSc and PhD he spent 3 years at the Institute of Orthopedic Research and Education in Houston, Texas as a biomedical research engineer.

Research Summary

J.D. Johnston's research interests are in the area of orthopaedic biomechanics and musculoskeletal medical imaging. His primary interest is in the usage of mechanical means (mechanical testing, finite element analyses, kinematic/kinetic motion analyses) and quantitative imaging tools (CT, MRI, synchrotron radiography) to investigate links between mechanics and disease processes: particularly osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Additional interests pertain to joint replacements; the end result of osteoarthritis. Past investigations have focused on biomechanical studies of the hip, knee and spine which led towards the development of novel implant designs.