Liz Johnstone

Dr. Liz Johnstone is a lecturer in Pharmacology and Toxicology within the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Western Australia (UWA). She earned her BSc in Biochemistry and Pharmacology in 2009, a First Class Honours degree in Pharmacology in 2011, and a PhD in Pharmacology in 2016, all from UWA. Her PhD thesis, titled "Biophysical insights into the molecular pharmacology of angiotensin II receptor heteromers," laid the foundation for her research career. From 2016 to 2021, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and the UWA Centre for Medical Research, investigating the molecular pharmacology of receptors. In 2021, she joined the UWA faculty as a lecturer while maintaining her affiliation with the Harry Perkins Institute. She is the Molecular Endocrinology Program Lead of the Laboratory for Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology headed by Professor Kevin Pfleger.

Johnstone's research specializations include receptor signalling, assay development, and the application of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) technologies to study G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), with a focus on those relevant to endocrine systems. She serves as Chair of the UWA Pharmacology and Toxicology Research Committee since 2021 and is a member of the School of Biomedical Sciences Space and Accommodation Committee. Her influence in the field is evidenced by her leadership in professional societies: Secretary of the Innovation and Industry Special Interest Group of the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) (2023-present), Elected Director of ASCEPT (2022-present), Elected Council Member of the Endocrine Society of Australia (2022-present), Chair of its Scientific Strengthening Committee (2022-present), Member of the Early Career Researchers Committee at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research (2020-present), and Western Australian Representative for the Drug Discovery Special Interest Group of ASCEPT (2017-present). Key publications include "Orexin receptor 2 (OX2R) exhibits ligand-dependent spatio-temporal pharmacology through Gαi:β-arrestin dynamics in response to Orexin-A and Orexin-B" (Biochemical Pharmacology, 2026), "GPCR heteromers: An overview of their classification, function and physiological relevance" (Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022), "Novel Pharmacology Following Heteromerization of the Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor and the Bradykinin Type 2 Receptor" (Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022), "Orexin Signaling: A Complex, Multifaceted Process" (Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2022), and the book chapter "Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) Technologies to Study GPCRs" (2023, in GPCRs as Therapeutic Targets).

Professional Email: liz.johnstone@uwa.edu.au