Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson received an A.B. in Music from Duke University and “smoothly” transitioned to obtaining his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing his dissertation in bacterial motility and attachment, he went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the Department of Infectious Disease to study how bacteria process nutrients, specifically metals, during bacterial infections. He then worked in the Department of Immunology studying newly discovered ways of how the body eliminates harmful pathogens. During his postdoctoral fellowship, he also founded Science Sound Bites, a science podcast for kids. Currently, Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in the Department of Immunobiology where he studies mechanisms of metal toxicity in bacteria. He is active in science outreach through events like DNA Day, The BIO5 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, NSURP.org, in minority scientific affairs through the American Society for Microbiology, and online through twitter @blacksciblog.