Michael Johnson Research Group

University of Kansas

How do neurons communicate, and how does that communication change in disease? Michael Johnson develops and applies bioanalytical techniques to measure neurotransmitters on physiological time scales. His group uses electrochemical detection, fluorescence microscopy, microfluidics, and related biochemical and behavioral methods to examine neurological disorders, oxidative stress, and drug action. Research described by the group includes altered dopamine release in Huntington’s disease models. The work links chemical measurement with neuroscience for researchers interested in the molecular signals behind brain function.