Joshua Johnson

Dr Joshua Johnson is a Senior Lecturer in biochemistry and molecular genetics and the Associate Dean for Learning & Teaching in the College of Sport, Health and Engineering at Victoria University. He is a member of the Applied Ecology Research Group and has maintained continuous academic engagement since completing his PhD in 2005.

His educational foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology (Honours) from Victoria University (1999) and a PhD in Molecular Biology from Victoria University (2005), conducted in collaboration with CSIRO Plant Industry, where he characterized wheat quality genes.

Dr Johnson's research spans biochemistry, molecular genetics, and interdisciplinary applications. His primary focus includes plant allelopathy (particularly invasive boneseed species), immunomodulation by probiotics (notably Streptococcus thermophilus), food science (Australian olive oil sterols), and wheat genetics. He has increasingly integrated educational scholarship, with recent work examining generative AI's impact on curriculum design and assessment practices.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals strong thematic continuity in plant invasion ecology (2014-2021) and immunomodulation research (2018-2021), with a notable pivot toward educational technology in 2024. His work consistently bridges laboratory science with practical applications in agriculture, conservation, and human health.

Dr Johnson has supervised six research projects spanning olive oil genetics, invasive plant ecology, probiotic immunology, plant-pathogen interactions, duck hybridization, and fungal taxonomy. He secured competitive funding from Modern Olives (2007-2009) for sterol research in Australian olive oils.

As Associate Dean for Learning & Teaching, he leads curriculum innovation while maintaining active collaboration with the Applied Ecology Research Group, demonstrating sustained interdisciplinary engagement across biological sciences and educational development.