Associate Professor Fay Johnston heads the Environmental Health group, in the Public Health and Primary Care and Cardiorespiratory research themes of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. She is a medical graduate with specialist qualifications in public health and general practice and a PhD in environmental epidemiology.

After an initial career in remote medical practice, Associate Professor Johnston shifted her focus to epidemiology, public health medicine and environmental health research. Since the award of her PhD in 2008 she has been based with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Hobart where she leads an interdisciplinary research group addressing environmental determinants of health including the epidemiology of air pollution from outdoor fires and domestic wood heaters, aero-allergens and heatwaves. She holds a concurrent appointment as a Specialist Medical Advisor for Population Health Services in the Tasmanian Department of Health.