Professor Mark Johnson

About Professor Mark Johnson

Professor Mark Johnson PhD, is Professor of Pain and Analgesia and Director of the Centre for Pain Research in our School of Clinical and Applied Sciences. Mark has been investigating the science of pain and its management since the mid 1980’s. Mark originally trained as a neurophysiologist at the University of Leeds, U.K. and studied for a PhD in Pain Science at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. Mark has published over 200 research articles and book chapters, and is considered a world expert on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. His recent book "Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Research to support clinical practice" was shortlisted at the British Medical Association Book Awards 2015. Mark is a longstanding member of the International Association for the Study of Pain and the Pain Society of Great Britain and Ireland and is an Expert Consultant for the Committee of Advertising Practice. Mark has a strong commitment to pain education and he is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Mark has supervised 15 PhD completions, 2 MRes completions and is currently supervising 13 PhD students. He has examined 18 PhDs and regularly acts as an Independent Chair for PhD examinations.

Mark leads a vibrant team of investigators working in the Centre for Pain Research. They conduct a wide variety of programmes of research including: Factors influencing pain sensitivity response (e.g. gender, lifespan, ethnocultural, obesity); Factors influencing response to electrophysical interventions (TENS, acupuncture, laser therapy, kinesiology taping); Visual feedback, perceptual embodiment and pain; Epidemiology of injury and pain; Patient experience of pain; and Pain education. Mark’s team conduct clinical trials (phase 1-3), laboratory studies on healthy humans using experimental models of pain, and evidence syntheses (e.g. meta-analyses including Cochrane reviews). The Centre for Pain Research at Leeds Beckett showcase their research at public engagement events including the Royal Society Summer Exhibition and Asia Techfest.

Mark has also undertaken a wide variety of senior management and leadership roles within our University.

Current Teaching

Mark has taught across all levels of our provision on a wide variety of courses including HNC, HND, PGCert, PGDip, BSc and MSc Physiotherapy, Sports Therapy, Sports Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Nursing, Clinical Language Sciences, Dietetics, and Human Nutrition. His subject specialisms are Pain Science, Pain Management, Physiology, Neurophysiology, Neuropsychology, Neuropharmacology, Research Methods, and Research Leadership.

Research Interests

Mark has conducted research on the science of pain and its management for over 30 years. Mark's research is broad and is focussed on the following themes:

1. Factors influencing variability in pain perception between individuals such as gender, age ethnicity, culture, and obesity.
2. Factors influencing response to pain relieving treatments including TENS, acupuncture, laser therapy, drug medication. Recently his team has focussed on the role of kinesiology taping to manage symptoms related to cancer and on the role of visual feedback techniques such as mirrors and virtual reality on perceptual embodiment and pain.
3. The epidemiology of pain and injury
4. Pain education for patients and for health care professionals

Blog Articles

• You can be certain of uncertainty and controversy with chronic pain
• "Is Pain Real?" - Leeds International Festival Event
• Favouring footwear or being barefoot? Gaining insights to the possibility of barefoot activities to aid osteoarthritis of the knee