Profile
Marc Johnson, PhD, is a molecular microbiology and immunology researcher. His lab develops next-generation surveillance methods that track pathogens through both air and water systems.
Using air samplers in public spaces, his team monitors levels of known human pathogens circulating in the environment. They also collect environmental and wastewater samples from across the country, applying high-throughput sequencing to map the full range of viruses present. These data help identify and monitor both known and emerging infectious threats.
Originally focused on molecular virology and retroviral replication, Dr. Johnson’s lab pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to establish a statewide wastewater surveillance system for Missouri. Today, the team continues to advance innovative approaches to monitor community health through environmental data.
Academic Information
Office
471C Bond Life Sciences Center
Columbia, MO 65211
United States
Research Interests
- Virology and Molecular Therapies
- Cell Biology
- HIV/ AIDS
- Intracellular Trafficking
- Structural Biology
- Virology
Education & Training
Post-Graduate School
1999, PhD, Oregon State University
In the News
Publications
- Justen LJ*, Rushford C*, Hershey OS, Floyd-O'Sullivan R, Grimm SL, Bradshaw WJ, Bhasin H, Rice DP, Stansifer K, Faraguna JD, McLaren MR, Zulli A, Tovar-Mendez A, Copen EE, Shelton KK, Amirali A, Kannoly S, Pesantez S, Stanciu A, Caballero Quiroga I, Silvera L, Greenwood N, Bongiovi B, Walkins A, Love R, Lening S, Patterson K, Johnston T, Hernandez S, Benitez A, McCarley BJ, Engelage S, Pillay S, Calender C, Herring B, Robinson C, Cunningham-Bryant D, Adams G, Paull J, Devlin J, Thiriveedhi V, Turbett SE, Lemieux JE, Kantor RS, O'Connor DH, Dennehy JJ, Poretsky R, Rothman JA, Solo-Gabriele HM, Vogel JR, Sabeti PC, Kaufman J†, Johnson MC†. (2026)
Deep untargeted wastewater metagenomic sequencing from sewersheds across the United States.
doi: 10.64898/2026.03.05.26345726. - Clayton Rushford, Devon A. Gregory, Emma Copen, Jonathan Naydenov, Alejandro Tovar-Mendez, Po-E Li, Rose S. Kantor, Migun Shakya, Nelson Ruth, Patrick S. G. Chain, Hsinyeh Hsieh, Torin Hunter, Josh Kome, Matt Frank, Terri Lyddon, Jeff Kaufman, David H. O'Connor, Marc C. Johnson
Untargeted longitudinal ultra deep metagenomic sequencing of wastewater provides a comprehensive readout of expected and unexpected viral pathogens. (Submitted) - Feng Z, Teo QW, Ibrahim BA, Liu W, Zhang D, Mao KJ, Shao EK, Gregory DA, Wilson IA, Johnson MC, Yuan M, Wu NC
A highly divergent cryptic SARS-CoV-2 lineage exhibits strong receptor binding and immune evasion. (submitted) - Reinier Suarez, Devon A. Gregory, David A. Baker, Clayton Rushford, Torin Hunter, Nicholas R. Minor, Clayton Russ, Emma Copen, David H. O’Connor, Marc C. Johnson
Detecting SARS-CoV-2 Cryptic Lineages using Publicly Available Whole Genome Wastewater Sequencing Data.
PLoS Pathog. 2025 Jun 9;21(6):e1012850. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012850