Rebecca Johnson at Featherdale Wildlife Park

Rebecca Nicole Johnson is an Australian scientist (geneticist) and science communicator. Since April 2015, Johnson has been Director and Chief Scientist of th
Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI)
Sydney

since the establishment of the

Australian Museum The Australian Museum is a heritage-listed museum at 1 William Street, Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia. It is the oldest museum in Australia,Design 5, 2016, p.1 and the fifth oldest natural history museum in the ...

in 1827. She is also head of the Australian Museum'
Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics
a wildlife forensics laboratory based at the Australian Museum. Johnson is Chief Investigator of th
Koala Genome Consortium
and co-leader of th
Oz Mammals Genomics
Framework Data Initiative.

Background and education

Johnson was born in Minlaton, South Australia before moving to Sydney during primary school, she then attended Barrenjoey High School on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Johnson graduated from a Bachelor of Science (Hons) at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

in 1996 and was then awarded her PhD in molecular evolutionary genetics through

La Trobe University La Trobe University is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its main campus is located in the suburb of Bundoora. The university was established in 1964, becoming the third university in the state of Victoria an ...

in 2000.

Research

Johnson has worked in animal molecular genetics in laboratories in Sydney, Townsville Queensland, Melbourne and Boston USA. She joined the

in 2003 as laboratory manager, later became Head of Research before becoming head of the Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics (a multifaceted management role as head of the Wildlife Genetics Laboratory, Frozen Tissue collection and overseeing the Microscopy & Microanalysis laboratory). She is now head of both the Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics and three other units that comprise the Australian Museum's Scientific Infrastructure. Johnson established and is Chief Investigator o
The Koala Genome Consortium
in partnership with the University of NSW, the University of Sydney, the University of the Sunshine Coast. The complete koala genome was published i
Nature Genetics in July 2018
The team is sequencing the genome an
transcriptome
of this iconic marsupial to assist in the conservation of this threatened species. One of Johnson's most significant achievements to date has been to establish the

as one of the global leaders in wildlife forensic science – a sub-discipline of forensic science that uses the Museum's unique collections, expertise and laboratory facilities in an innovative way. Johnson's team works across industry, law enforcement and academia as the Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics is one of the few

ISO 17025 ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories is the main ISO/IEC standard used by testing and calibration laboratories. In most countries, ISO/IEC 17025 is the standard for which most labs must ho ...

accredited wildlife forensic science laboratories in the Australasian region. The team works with wildlife managers from zoos, th
aviation industry
or government who want to utilise DNA and genomics techniques in the management of their animals or for law enforcement purposes throug
DNA based wildlife forensic science
Johnson has worked with sample types as diverse a

gall bladders, seized fish meat, salted animal skin, bones and horns. Some of these cases have resulted in prosecution and heavy penalties in court. Johnson is a member of th
Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences
and in 2014 Johnson became one of the few people in Australia to be appointed as a Wildlife Forensic Examiner by the Australian Federal Environment Minister under section 303GS(1) o
Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Protection Act 1999
She is also a certified wildlife forensic scientist under the certification program run by the internationa
Society for Wildlife Forensic Science
Johnson is president of th
Australian New Zealand Forensic Science Society NSW Branch
currently the secretary of the Genetics Society of Australasia and is Director of Membership and Outreach of the Internationa
Society of Wildlife Forensic Science
She is a Fellow of the

Royal Society of New South Wales The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. The Governor of New South Wales is the vice-regal patron of the Society. The Society was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June ...

(FRSN). Johnson's career has been supported by her science mentors Marianne Frommer, John Sved and the lat
Professor Ross Crozier
She in turn is passionate about mentoring and is an energetic mentor t
students and young researchers

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Rebecca Living people Australian geneticists La Trobe University alumni University of Sydney alumni Australian women scientists Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Women geneticists 21st-century Australian scientists 21st-century women scientists Fellows of the Royal Society of New South Wales Members of the Order of Australia