Dr. Lance Johnson 2026 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year
Dr. Lance Johnson is a professor and chair of the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Johnson attended the University of North Carolina, where he received his bachelor's degree as well as a PhD in molecular and cellular pathology. His education also includes a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University. He then moved to Lexington, where he conducts research dedicated to understanding the role of the Alzheimer's disease risk factor Apolipoprotein E (APOE) in cerebral metabolism.
“Dr. Lance Johnson’s impact is not limited to individual students but is also extended across the larger research community,” recalled Lily Smith, one of his mentees. “He creates a welcome and open lab culture in which undergraduates, as well as all members of the lab community, are able to grow and feel supported. Through his skillful instruction, thoughtful feedback, creation of an inquisitive and open lab environment, and investment in his undergraduate researcher’s long-term success, Dr. Lance Johnson has shown time and time again his sustained commitment to undergraduate mentorship...”
“He [Dr. Johnson] has truly exemplified what it means to make a meaningful impact as both a mentor and a scientist,” said Lily Smith. “He is a chair on the neuroscience board, director of the Metabolomics Core for the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Central Nervous System Metabolism, and principal investigator on several projects, and yet he still goes above and beyond in his mentorship of undergraduate researchers. His guidance on what it means to be a scientist goes beyond what he says, but also how he lives.”
Thank you, Dr. Lance Johnson, for your continued support of undergraduate research at the University of Kentucky. We are pleased to recognize your commitment and dedication as one of the 2026 Excellent Undergraduate Research Mentors of the Year.
Learn more about Dr. Lance Johnson and his research: