Laura Johnson, Ph.D.

Dr. Johnson is an enthusiastic teacher of anatomy to students in the healthcare professions. Joining the faculty in Cell Systems and Anatomy she teaches gross anatomy to first-year medical and dental students. Her research training began in evolutionary functional morphology, but as her love of teaching grew her research interests changed. Her research program investigates the best practices to support the operations of whole-body donation programs. Whole-body donors are critical to the educational mission of those in the healthcare professions. As culture and technology change over time, work must be pursued to ensure treatment is ethical and dignified. This includes factoring in the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including donors, the family, anatomists, students, researchers, educators, and the community at large. Currently, her work focuses on consent and consensus of donors gifting their body to academic programs.