Alexa Johnson
Bio
Dr. Alexa Johnson is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, specializing in agricultural systems and microbial genomics. During her graduate training, Dr. Johnson worked on identifying unique gastrointestinal microbial populations in dairy cattle and horses, combining anaerobic culture methods with next-generation sequencing technologies. At Penn Vet, Dr. Johnson is part of the Agricultural Systems and Microbial Genomics Laboratory, where she collaborates with Dr. Dipti Pitta. Her research focuses on understanding the microbial ecosystems in agricultural animals to improve health and productivity.
Dr. Johnson is also committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in scientific research, advocating for equitable research practices, and supporting underrepresented trainees.
Postdoc Appointment
Department
- New Bolton Center
Center, Lab, or Institute
- Center for Stewardship Agricultural and Food Security
Penn Faculty Mentor
- Dipti Pitta, Ph.D.
Education
Degrees
- 2023, Ph.D., Equine Microbiology, University of Delaware
- 2018, M.S., Animal Biology, The University of California, Davis
- 2016, B.S., Animal Science with Equine Emphasis, The University of California, Davis
Disertation Title
A Comparative Evaluation of the Microbiome Effects of Easy and Hard Keeper Horses
Research Advisors
- Amy Biddle, Ph.D.