My name is Jennifer E. Johnson (Jen). In 2024, I moved to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, USA from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Stanford, California, USA.

I am broadly interested in physiological processes, and particularly in photosynthesis and respiration -- from how they work at a molecular level to how their activity can be monitored at the global scale. The research in my laboratory connects these two ends of the spectrum by focusing on understanding the regulation of photosynthesis and respiration, and bringing this understanding to the analysis of Earth system dynamics and feedbacks.

At the molecular end of the spectrum, we are currently working on experimental studies of the role the Cytochrome b6f complex plays in the rate and regulation of photosynthesis. At the global end, we are integrating a Cytochrome b6f-based model of photosynthesis into Earth system models to improve interpretation of satellite observations of the fluorescence emitted from Photosystems I and II.

Ultimately, these lines of work aim to elucidate how physiology shapes the Earth system and to address the critical challenges of food, water, and energy security.

This website provides an overview of the motivation for our research, the topics of our past and current projects, and how to get in touch if you are interested in collaborating with and/or joining the lab.