PROFILE

Principal Scientist and Technical Leader (Ph.D.) with 14+ years of industry experience in bioanalytical sciences, specializing in the development and implementation of fit-for-purpose assays. Proven expertise in ultra-sensitive protein detection platforms (e.g., Quanterix SIMOA) and molecular bioanalysis for diverse analytes including proteins, peptides, RNA, and oligonucleotides. Experience working in regulated settings (CLIA, EUA) and working directly as a service-provider for pharmaceutical clients. Customer facing interactions and management of lab activities for primary and secondary endpoints in clinical trials. 

Advanced Assay Development Consulting

I have extensive experience in developing and launching novel fit-for-purpose assays for a variety of protein targets. As a principal scientist at Quanterix I led or contributed to the launch of  >10 products based on fit-for-purpose and FDA-approved EUA assays for ultrasensitive protein measurements, including multiplexes on bead and array-based platforms, as exemplified in our Nature Communications publication. I led the technology transfer for a new flow-cytometry based platform which involved rolling circle signal amplification based around nucleotide-antibody conjugates. As manager of the Protein Team in R&D at Exosome Diagnostics, I orchestrated multi-disciplinary efforts for tissue-specific exosome capture to enable downstream RNA quantification and NGS transcriptomics of prostate-derived particles, the details of which can be seen in our recently uploaded bioRxiv preprint.  I have experience bringing assays through regulated validations for CLIA certified and CAP accredited laboratories. I am available for consultation on a variety of assay development projects, from conception through development, validation and sample testing. 

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 2004.

B.A., magna cum laude, Chemistry, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 1996.

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

Exosome Diagnostics/ Bio-Techne, Waltham, MA. (Nov 2023 – Sep 2025)

Manager, Protein Team, Research and Development

Technical Leadership. Led a research team developing methods for protein detection on extracellular vesicles (EVs) and EV-capture using surface markers. Worked collaboratively with NGS and NAT teams to provide transcriptomic and quantitative nucleic acid measurements of EV extracts. Contributed to a multiomic biomarker discovery project for colorectal cancer, involving high plex protein measurements on the Olink platform. 

Client interactions. EV and protein SME for business development group, management of lab activities for client projects, presentation of data, writing reports. Successful completion of >5 projects with pharma-partners.

Vizgen Corporation, Cambridge, MA. (June 2023 – Nov 2023)

Principal Scientist, Antibody Lead, Reagents and Consumable R&D

Technology Troubleshooting. Field of spatial biology / spatial transcriptomics. Identify and troubleshoot problems with protein-RNA costain reagents used in MERFish technology allowing multiplexing of up to 500 RNA transcripts imaged across tissue slices..

Quanterix Corporation, Billerica, MA. (Sep 2016 – June 2023)

Principal Scientist, Research and Technology. (Sep 2021 – June 2023)

Technology Development. Transfer and optimize new signal amplification chemistry at the center of the next generation Simoa instruments. Key personnel for NIH PoC grant submission and award.

Senior / Principal Scientist, Assay Development. (Sep 2016 – Sep 2021)

Assay Development. Develop ultra-sensitive immunoassays on Simoa platforms, including bead-based and planar antibody arrays. Supervise up to two direct reports.

Infectious Disease. Development of SARS-CoV-2 immunoassays on planar antibody array platform, including serology (IgG and IgM) and direct viral detection (Spike protein, Nucleocapsid protein). Support Emergency Use Authorization submission to FDA for serology and antigen assays. Support NIH RADx grant submission and award.

Multiplex Assay Development. Developed 10 plex assay on a planar antibody array, with ultra-sensitivity.

SBH Diagnostics, Natick, MA. (June 2015 – Aug 2016)

Principal scientist, CLIA certified and CAP accredited diagnostics laboratory.

Clinical chemistry. Optimize and validate assays to be performed under CLIA.  Supervise personnel.  Help establish and operate under a GCLP quality system. Technical leader for clinical trial based projects, including primary endpoint for neonatal nutrition trial and PD assay utilized for oncology trial to monitor target engagement.

SBH Sciences, Natick, MA. (June 2011 – Aug 2016)

Group Leader, Biomarker and Glycobiology. 

Diagnostics. Supervise a RUO diagnostics laboratory (up to 5 personnel) focused on protein biomarker testing and enzyme activity assays. Immuno-assays, multiplex (Luminex® and Simple Plex®), laboratory automation (Tecan Evo®). Assay development, qualification and validation. Client based projects, interfacing with clients, working with clients to organize biomarker testing for large scale clinical trials (1000s of samples). 

Drug Discovery. Discovery project targeting Galectin-3 in fibrosis.  Developed / performed screening assays and cellular assays utilizing THP1 and other immune cells. Co-inventor on provisional patents for a new drug.

Immunology. SBH Sciences specializes in production and analysis of cytokines and  chemokines.

Glycobiology. Development of a new line of glycobiology products, including purified glycosyltransferase enzymes, glyco-specific antibodies, and assays to monitor enzyme/antibody activity. Protein purification and analysis. 

Hybrid Silica Technologies, Cambridge, MA. (April 2010 – Dec. 2010)

Scientific Consultant, Fluorescence/Bio-Assay Development. 

Functionalization and testing of silica-based nanoparticles. Writing grant applications for Therapeutic Discovery Tax Credit and SBIR at NIH.

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

University of Southern California Health Sciences Center. Los Angeles, CA. (2007-2009)

Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Advisor: Prof. Robert Chow. 

Electrophysiology and fluorescence microscopy of neuroendocrine cells to research cell secretion. Tissue culture, molecular-biology and viral transfection.

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Aurora, CO. (2004-2007)

NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, Advisor: Prof. William

Betz.

Fluorescence microscopy of neuroendocrine cells to research cell secretion. Tissue culture and image analysis.

Stanford University. Stanford, CA. (1997-2003)

Ph.D., Chemistry, Advisor: Prof. Steven Boxer.

Dissertation title: “Investigations and Applications of Model Membrane Systems.”

Biophysical studies of lipid membranes, utilizing a wide variety of techniques (fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy, thin films and self-assembly) with collaborations across a variety of disciplines (Chemical Engineering, Physics, Cell and Molecular Biology).

University of Colorado. Boulder, CO. (1993-1997)

B.A., Chemistry, Advisor: Prof. Steven George.

Ultra-high vacuum deposition of thin films, using Atomic Layer Epitaxy.

PATENTS & PUBLICATIONS

Yang, Y., Doo, J., Perez, D., Franzen, K., Nguyen, S., Mirabal, J., Mistock, E., Punnen, S., Gaston, S., Gerard, T., Pollack, A., Cortizas, E., Chakrabortty, S. K., Skog, J. K., & Johnson, J.M.. “Prostate-specific EV capture with sufficient RNA yield to enable transcriptomic profiling.” bioRxiv 2025 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.08.674937.

Gowrisankar S., Ray J.C.J., Nguyen S., Benway C.J., Xing S., George A., Miller D.L., Manning K., Yang Y., Cole J., Mitsock E., Perez D., Dealmeida L., Doo J., Upadhyay P.K., Yao Y., Johnson J. M., Haynes B.C., Chakrabortty S.K., Skog J.K. “Extracellular Vesicle Gene Expression Enables Sensitive Detection of Colorectal Neoplasia.” bioRxiv 2025 https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.14.670394.

Cheedarla N., Verkerke H.P., Potlapalli S., McLendon K.B., Patel A., Frank F., O’Sick W. H., Cheedarla S., Baugh T. J., Damhorst G. L., Wu H., Graciaa D., Hudaib F., Alter D. N., Bryksin J., Ortlund E. A., Guarner J., Auld S., Shah S., Lam W., Mattoon D., Johnson J.M., Wilson D.H., Dhodapkar M.V., Stowell S.R., Neish A. S., & Roback J. D.. “Rapid, high throughput, automated detection of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies against Wuhan-WT, delta and omicron BA1, BA2 spike trimers.” iScience 26 (11) 2023.

Meyer RE, Wiener A.D., Zhang J., Manning R., Kan C.W., Kolluru B., Johnson J.M., Rissin D.M., Pollock N.R., Duffy D.C., "Reducing the cost and complexity of imaging for digital protein detection in point-of-care diagnostics," Proc. SPIE 12622, Optical Methods for Inspection, Characterization, and Imaging of Biomaterials VI, 126220I (11 August 2023).

de Boni L, Odainic A, Gancarczyk N, Kaluza L, Strasbourg CP, Kerstig XAK, Johnson JM, Wüllner U, Schmidt SV, Natterman J, Petzold GC. “No serological evidence for neuronal damage or reactive gliosis in neuro-COVID-19 patients with long-term persistent headache.” Neurol. Res. Pract. 4 (53) 2022.

Odainic, A., Spitzer, J., Szlapa, J. B., Schade, S., Krämer, T. J., Neuberger, J., Bode, C., Steinhagen, F., Schmithausen, R. M., Wilbring, G., Sib, E., Mutters, N. T., Rabenschlag, F., Kettel, L., Woznitza, M., van Bremen, K., Peers, T., Medinger, G., Kudaliyanage, A., Kreutzenbeck, M., Strube, U., Johnson, J.M., Mattoon, D., Ball, A. J., Scory, S., McGuire, R., Putensen, C., Abdullah, Z., Latz, C., & Schmidt, S. V.. “Comparative Analysis of Antibody Titers against the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Infected Patient Cohorts and Diverse Vaccination Regimes.” Inter. J. Mol. Sci..23 2022.

Johnson, J.M., Fernandes, S. C., Wuelfing, D. L., Baillargeon, A. R., MacLure, E. L., Hwang, S., Ball, A. J., Cheedarla, N., Verkerke, H. P., Potlapalli, S., McLendon, K. B., Neish, A., O’Sick, W., Roback, J. D., Wilson, D. H., & Mattoon, D. “Quantifying post-vaccination protective anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in blood and saliva with a fully automated, high throughput digital immunoassay.” medRXiv 2022 https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.01.21.22269165.

Krämer, B., Knoll, R., Bonaguro, L., ToVinh, M., Raabe, J., Astaburuaga-García, R., Schulte-Schrepping, J., Kaiser, K. M., Rieke, G. J., Bischoff, J., Monin, M. B., Hoffmeister, C., Schlabe, S., De Domenico, E., Reusch, N., Händler, K., Reynolds, G., Blüthgen, N., Hack, G., Finnemann, C., Nischalke, H. D., Strassburg, C. P., Stephenson, E., Su, Y., Gardner, L., Yuan, D., Chen, D., Goldman, J., Rosenstiel, P., Schmidt, S. V., Latz, E., Hrusovsky, K., Ball, A. J., Johnson, J.M., Koenig, P. A., Schmidt, F. I., Haniffa, M., Heath, J. R., Kümmerer, B. M., Keitel, V., Jensen, B., Stubbemann, P., Kurth, F., Sander, L. E., Sawitzki, B., Aschenbrenner, A. C., Schultze, J. L., & Nattermann, J. “Early IFN-α signatures and persistent dysfunction are distinguishing features of NK cells in severe COVID-19.” Immunity.54 2021.

U.S. Patent No US20210341479A1, Ball A, Chang L, Fernandes S, Johnson JM, Lambert J, Mattoon D, Plavina T, Wilson D, “Quantitative antibody test” (2021)

U.S. Patent Application No 17/400,086, Ball, A., Chang, L., Fernandes, S., Hrusovsky, K., Johnson, J.M., Mattoon, D., Plavina, T., Shan, D., & Wilson, D. “Methods and kits for detecting sars-coronavirus-2 antigen” (2021).

Shan, D.*, Johnson, J.M.*, Fernandes, S. C.*, Suib, H., Hwang, S., Wuelfing, D., Mendes, M., Holdridge, M., Burke, E. M., Beauregard, K., Zhang, Y., Cleary, M., Xu, S., Yao, X., Patel, P. P., Plavina, T., Wilson, D. H., Chang, L., Kaiser, K. M., Nattermann, J., Schmidt, S. V., Latz, E., Hrusovsky, K., Mattoon, D., & Ball, A. J “N-protein presents early in blood, dried blood and saliva during asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.” Nature Communications. 12 2021. *Equal co-authors

Tobos, C. I., Kim, S., Rissin, D. M., Johnson, J.M., Douglas, S., Yan, S., Nie, S., Rice, B., Sung, K.-J., Sikes, H. D., & Duffy, D. C. “Sensitivity and binding kinetics of an ultra-sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at arrays of antibodies.” Journal of Immunological Methods. 474: 2019.

U.S. Patent No US12377102B2, Nir R., Zomer E, Traber PG, Johnson JM, George R, Shechter S. “Compounds for the prevention and treatment of medical disorders and uses thereof” (granted 2022).

U. S. Patent US20200061095A1, Traber, P. G., Zomer, E., Slate, D., Johnson, J.M., George, R., Shechter, S., & Nir, R., “Compounds for the Treatment of Systemic Insulin Resistance Disorders and the Use Thereof” (granted 2020).

Parnigoni,J., S.Lucarelli and J.M. Johnson. “First ascent of Choss-o-Licious on The Stump in the Ruth Gorge, Denali National Park.” American Alpine Journal. Climbs and Expeditions: Alaska, p. 12 (2008).

Johnson, J.M. and W.J.Betz. “The color of lactotroph secretory granules stained with FM1-43 depends upon dye concentration.” Biophysical Journal. 94:3167-3177 (2008).

Lenz,P., J.M. Johnson,, Y.-H.M.Chan, and S.G.Boxer. “Tension-Induced Pore Formation and Leakage in Adhering Vesicles”, European Physics Letters. 75:659-665 (2006).

Yoshina-Ishii, C., Y.-H.M. Chan, J.M. Johnson, L.A. Kung, P. Lenz and S.G. Boxer. "Diffusive Dynamics of Vesicles Tethered to a Fluid Supported Bilayer by Single-Particle

Tracking." Langmuir. 22:5682-5689 (2006).

Schöenherr,H., J.M. Johnson,, P.Lenz, and S.G.Boxer. “Vesicle Adsorption and Lipid Bilayer Formation on Glass Studied by Atomic Force Microscopy”, Langmuir. 20:11600 - 11606 (2004).

Johnson,J.M., T.J.Ha, S.Chu and S.G.Boxer. “Early steps of supported bilayer formation probed by single vesicle fluorescence assays.” Biophysical Journal. 83:3371 - 3379 (2002).

Olson,D.J, J.M. Johnson, P.D.Patel, E.S.G.Shaqfeh, S.G.Boxer, and G.G.Fuller. “Electrophoresis of DNA adsorbed to a cationic supported bilayer”, Langmuir. 17:7396 - 7401 (2001).

Klaus, J. W., A. W. Ott, J.M. Johnson, and S. M. George. "Atomic layer controlled growth of SiO2 films using binary reaction sequence chemistry" Applied Physics Letters. 70:1092-1094 (1997).

Ott, A. W., J.M. Johnson, J. W. Klaus, and S. M. George. "Surface chemistry of In2O3 deposition using In(CH3)3 and H2O in a binary reaction sequence", Applied Surface Science. 112:205-215 (1997).

Ott, A. W., J. W. Klaus, J.M. Johnson, and S. M. George. "Al3O3 thin film growth on Si(100) using binary reaction sequence chemistry", Thin Solid Films. 292:135-144 (1997).

Ott, A. W., J. W. Klaus, J.M. Johnson, S. M. George, K. C. McCarley, and J. D. Way. "Modification of porous alumina membranes using Al2O3 atomic layer controlled deposition", Chemistry of Materials. 9:707-714 (1997).

Holesinger, T. G., J.M. Johnson, J. Y. Coulter, H. Safar, D. S. Phillips, J. F. Bingert, B. L. Bingham, M. P. Maley, J. L. Smith, and D. E. Peterson. "Isothermal Melt Processing of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O-Gamma Round Wire", Physica C. 253:182-190 (1995).