
Welcome to the Gail Johnson Lab
The primary focus of Dr. Gail Johnson’s research group is on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration. The lab has a longstanding interest in the pathogenic processes in Alzheimer disease, and more recently in stroke and spinal cord injury (SCI). For their studies they use a wide variety of different approaches from in vitro enzyme assays with purified proteins, to studies in whole animals. This broad-based approach allows them to translate what they learn about a process or signaling pathway at the molecular level to the in vivo situation. Each of these 2 areas of research that are ongoing in the lab are discussed briefly below.

Gail V. Johnson, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Publications
View All Publications- A Bioinformatic Analysis of BAG Protein Interactors and Pathways in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.; Journal of molecular neuroscience : MN; Vol 76(2). 2026 Apr 02.
- BAG3 modulates clathrin-mediated endocytosis and tau uptake in astrocytes.; American journal of physiology. Cell physiology. 2026 Mar 30.
- Tunable tau expression in C. elegans neurons reveals that early-AD tau phosphorylation selectively impacts behavior and mitochondrial quality control.; Neurobiology of disease. 2026 Mar 13.
- Tunable Tau Expression in C. elegans Neurons Reveals that Early-AD Tau Phosphorylation Selectively Impacts Behavior and Mitochondrial Quality Control.; bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. 2026 Jan 28.
- A missing link in the METTL3 chain: Chaperone regulation of METTL3 as a BAG:HSP70 client protein.; Neural regeneration research. 2026 Jan 27.
Contact Us
Gail Johnson Lab
601 Elmwood Ave, Box 604
Rochester, NY 14642