Faculty Information
Joshua Johnson, MSc
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Curator, Anatomical Teaching Collection
Department of Molecular Pathobiology
NYU College of Dentistry
345 E. 24th Street, 9th floor
New York, NY 10010
212-998-9254
jj65@nyu.edu
Research Interests / Professional Overview
Joshua H. Johnson obtained an MSc degree from the University of Manchester where he was trained at the Manchester Museum and KNH Centre in biomedical science for the use of ancient Egyptian mummy studies. In 2007, Joshua was recruited to NYU Dentistry Dept. of Basic Science & Craniofacial Biology as curator of the college’s Anatomical Teaching Collection. Joshua serves as a faculty member in the Head & Neck Anatomy course for 1st year dental students and is a course director and lecturer in Oral Embryology & Histology in the Dental Hygiene Program.
Joshua was trained in plastination technology at the Gubener Plastinate, GmbH (Plastinarium) in Guben, Germany, where the college’s Anatomical Teaching Collection was produced (Fig. 1).
Fig 1. Positioning a head & neck specimen for NYU Dentistry anatomical teaching collection, during production at the Plastinarium in Guben, Germany.
These specimens are derived from the Body Donation Program of the Institute of Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany and were plastinated according to the BiodurTM S10/cold temperature technique. Joshua has published protocols for rehabilitating damaged, S10 plastinated anatomical tissues, which is a vital part of sustaining the integrity of the collection. This process involves integrating silicone and precured S10 and S3 impregnated fascia with muscle, artery or nerve, followed by curing with Biodur S6. Joshua continues to explore novel methods of restoration to prolong the shelf life of the collection for teaching and research.
Joshua is a researcher with Nicola Partridge and other researchers in her laboratory, which studies the regulation of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on gene expression in osteoblasts. This research has investigated the anabolic and catabolic effects of PTH (1-34) on bone via the mediation of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), the comparative effects of PTH (1-34), PTHrP (1-36) and abaloparatide on bone remodeling, and its role acting through protein kinase A (PKA). Joshua is a member of the Center for Skeletal and Craniofacial Biology (CSCB) and consultant for the department’s Quantitative Bone Histomorphometry Core.
Representative Publications
- Henaff C, Ricarte F, Finnie B, He Z, Johnson J, Warshaw J, Kolupaeva V, Partridge NC. Abaloparatide at the same dose has the same effects on bone as PTH (1-34) in mice. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Dec 2. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3930.
- Nakatani T, Chen T, Johnson J, Westendorf J, Partrdige NC. The deletion of hdac4 in mouse osteoblasts influences catabolic and anabolic effects in bone. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 33(7):1362-1375, 2018.
- Johnson J, Baker EW. Rehabilitation of plastinated anatomical prosections using silicone adhesive and pre-cured S10/S3-impregnated fascia and muscle. Journal of Plastination. 29(2):30 – 36, 2017.
- Siddiqui J, Bitel CL, Johnson J, Tamasi JA, Partridge NC. Catabolic effects of human PTH (1–34) on bone: requirement of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in murine model of hyperparathyroidism. Scientific Reports. 7: 15300, 2017.
- Tamasi JA, Vasilov A, Shimizu E, Benton N, Johnson J, Bitel CL, Morrison N, Partridge NC. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 is a mediator of the anabolic action of parathyroid hormone on bone. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. 28(9):1975-86, 2013.