QnAs with Patricia Johnson

Abstract

The parasitic protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis causes trichomoniasis. Although frequently asymptomatic, particularly in men, trichomoniasis is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States, far more common than either chlamydia or gonorrhea (1). Patricia Jean Johnson, a parasitologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, has spent a 30-year career studying the molecular and cell biology of T. vaginalis. Johnson led the effort to sequence the T. vaginalis genome, which took 4 years and involved dozens of scientists from 10 countries (2). Her research has revealed mechanisms of T. vaginalis infection and pathogenesis, as well as details of how the immune system fights the pathogen. Additionally, her work provides insights into the evolution of eukaryotic cells. In recognition of her work, Johnson was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2019. PNAS recently spoke with Johnson about her research. Patricia Johnson. Image courtesy of Joy Ahn (University of California, Los Angeles, CA). > PNAS:Why did you choose to study T. vaginalis ? > Johnson:I settled on Trichomonas because of a number of reasons. One is that it was very poorly studied at the time. And it’s also a very important disease of women. It is asymptomatic the majority of the time in men, whereas with women, roughly 50% on average do have symptoms. I was also interested because it was looking as though …