People
Michael D. L. Johnson received his bachelors from Duke University. He obtained a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he studied the effects of calcium on bacterial motility and attachment under the mentorship of Matthew Redinbo. For his postdoctoral training, Michael Johnson went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in order to work with Jason Rosch on metal homeostasis of Streptococcus pneumoniae and subsequently with Douglas Green on the mechanisms of LC3-associated phagocytosis. Michael Johnson joined the faculty of the University of Arizona in 2016.
Vanessa Brizuela received her Bachelor of Science in Clinical Science with an emphasis in Medical Technology from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2024. She gained clinical experience as a Medical Laboratory Assistant at West Anaheim Medical Center before joining the University of Arizona Biological and Biomedical Sciences (ABBS) PhD program as an Immunobiology student in Fall 2024. Her research focuses on how Streptococcus pneumoniae TIGR4 responds to redox stress, using the redox-sensitive biosensor roGFP2 to monitor changes in intracellular redox potential with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets against this major human pathogen.
Outside of the lab, Vanessa is passionate about community engagement and mentorship. She mentors high school students through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, and trains regularly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
