Regular biography
Oleta Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on molecular chaperone proteins and their role in protein misfolding diseases. The Johnson Laboratory employs chemical biology, biophysics, and biochemistry approaches to study conformationally dynamic molecular chaperones and uncover core structure-function relationships. This work aims to inform drug discovery for disorders such as Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. Her lab website provides additional information on her research and contact details.
Scholar-generated biography
Oleta Johnson is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Biology with a focus on Protein Folding, Molecular Chaperones, and protein-protein interactions. Her research explores the roles of molecular chaperones, particularly Hsp70 and its cochaperones, in modulating protein folding and cellular stress responses. She investigates how interactions between Hsp70 and co-chaperones, such as STUB1 and BAG3, influence disease progression in conditions like prostate cancer and neuroaxonal dystrophy. Her work also includes the development of chemical tools to probe protein interactions and conformational changes, such as conformationally responsive dyes and high-throughput chemical probing methods. Johnson's research bridges chemical biology and structural biology to uncover mechanisms of protein homeostasis and therapeutic targets.