Following sb.

[nyggus]

Hi, is this usage correct?
“Following John Smith, we carried our research out in sterile conditions.”
The phrase is to mean that "we did it like John Smith had done." I have some worries connected with this. Could you suggest a better way of expressing this information in the introductory phrase?

Thanks,
Nyggus

[Tdol]

Like John Smith,... would be enough for me.