Tracy L. Johnson facts for kids

Tracy L. Johnson is a super smart scientist and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She studies how our bodies work at a tiny level, focusing on things like our genes and cells. She's also a professor at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Since May 2020, she has been the Dean of the UCLA Division of Life Sciences, which means she helps lead all the science programs there.

Understanding How Cells Work

Tracy Johnson's research helps us understand how our cells know what to do. Her team looks at how genes are controlled and how cells react to their surroundings. This is important because it can help us learn why some people get sick.

How Genes Make Proteins

A big part of her work is about something called RNA splicing. Think of it like editing a movie. Our bodies have instructions called messenger RNA (mRNA). Before these instructions can be used to build proteins, they need to be edited.

Dr. Johnson's team studies a tiny "machine" in our cells called the spliceosome. This machine helps cut out the unnecessary parts of the mRNA instructions and puts the right pieces together. This makes sure the cell builds the correct proteins.

Spliceosomes and Health

By understanding how spliceosomes work, Dr. Johnson hopes to find out how mistakes in this editing process can lead to illnesses. Her research has shown that how the spliceosome puts itself together is affected by changes in something called chromatin. Chromatin is like the packaging material for our DNA.

She also worked on finding the structure of tiny parts inside the spliceosome called tri-snRNPs. These snRNPs help position the mRNA correctly for editing. Her work has helped scientists see exactly where these important parts are and what they do.

Early Research and New Discoveries

Earlier in her career, Dr. Johnson studied how cells could be used to help repair parts of the spine in sand rats. This research helped scientists understand if these animals could be used to test new cell therapy ideas for people.

More recently, in 2020, Dr. Johnson's team looked at how a chemical called dopamine affects our spinal reflexes. They studied how our automatic nervous system (which controls things like breathing without us thinking) changes how these reflexes respond to dopamine.

Career and Education Journey

Tracy Johnson has had an impressive journey in science.

Her Education

She earned her first degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from the University of California, San Diego. Then, she got her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. After that, she did special research at the California Institute of Technology with Dr. John Abelson, where she focused on how RNA splicing works.

Teaching and Leadership Roles

From 2003 to 2013, Dr. Johnson was a professor at the University of California San Diego. She won many awards there, including one for her excellent teaching. In 2013, she joined UCLA as a professor of molecular, cell, and developmental biology.

In 2014, she became a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor. This is a special honor for scientists who are also great teachers. She also became the associate dean for inclusive excellence in the life sciences division in 2015. This means she helped make sure everyone had a fair chance to succeed in science. In 2020, she became the dean of the UCLA Division of Life Sciences.

Helping Students Succeed

Dr. Johnson is also passionate about helping young students get involved in science. She helped create the UCLA-HHMI Pathways to Success Program. This program gives college students real research experience early in their studies. It includes special lab courses, mentoring from other students and professors, and learning groups.

Honors and Awards

• Member of RNA Society
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award (2022)
• Maria Rowena Ross Chair of Cell Biology and Biochemistry (2015)
• Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, UCLA Life Sciences (2015)
• Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Professor (2014)
• Chancellor's Associates Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2013)
• Top 20 Women Professors in California (2013)
• Jane Coffin Childs postdoctoral fellowship
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) (2006)