Health research at the University of Aberdeen has been given a major boost with two key appointments.
Two new Professors of Health Psychology have joined the School of Psychology, along with their research teams.
This research group has an international reputation for their studies of psychological and behavioural factors in health, illness and healthcare.
Formerly at the Universities of St Andrews, London and Oxford, both Professors are graduates of the University of Aberdeen.
Professor Derek Johnston specialises in stress and heart disease and psychological interventions to improve health. He said: "It is good to be back in Aberdeen with the opportunity to set up a new state-of-the art laboratory to study how stress affects the heart and to help develop health psychology within the School of Psychology and the College of Life Sciences and Medicine."
Professor Marie Johnston has a joint appointment with the Institute of Applied Health Sciences and the School of Psychology. Her research is in two areas: psychological influences on disability in people with chronic diseases such as stroke and arthritis; and understanding factors influencing the behaviour of health professionals.
She said: "As an Aberdonian and a graduate of the University, I am really pleased to be returning. It's exciting to find so much good research being conducted in the School of Psychology and in the Institute of Applied Health Sciences. And it's a pleasure to be back with familiar faces and places."