Dr. Johnson recently collaborated with a colleague in radiology in the area of prostate cancer research, specifically correlating MRI, histopathological patterns and biomarkers with disease aggressiveness and progression. Investigators are homing in on which imaging, histological, and genetic profiles provide the most predictive information in prostate cancer. His current research interests are in extracorporeal photophoresis (ECP), an FDA-approved form of apheresis plus a photoactive compound, often psoralen, that is used to treat advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. ECP has also shown benefits in treating graft-versus-host disease in post-transplant patients. Dr. Johnson has been designated as a research site investigator for a national survey study exploring the use of ECP in lung transplant rejection. One of the goals of the study is to learn what ECP protocol variations are being used by different lung transplant centers and what might constitute a best practices approach for using ECP as a backup treatment for chronic lung rejection in these patients.
