Education

1989  B.A., Chemistry, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA

1995  Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

Professional Experience

1995-1999      Post-doctoral Research Associate, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

1999-2005      Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

2005-2013      Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

2013-present  Professor, Department of Chemistry, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

2014-2017      Faculty Pre-Health Advisor, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN

Teaching

primary teaching assignment: biochemistry

also teaches: general chemistry, organic chemistry

Academic/Professional/Personal Focus

Education and Training

PhD Chemistry, University of Virginia

B.S. Chemistry, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Postdoctoral Work at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Current Research Interests

Circularly Polarized Luminescence spectroscopy

Dissymmetric luminescent lanthanides

Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents

Chiral Deep Eutectic Solvent development: 

Some Recent Publications

“Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Deep Eutectic Solvent Structure and Properties based on Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Variation”, J,. N. Lane, V. J. Kilmkowski, T. A. Hopkins, J. Mol. Liquids, 2025, 423, 127009.

“Chiral Solvent Discovery: Exploring Chiral Eutectic Mixtures and Deep Eutectic Solvents” Hopkins, T, VandenElzen, L, Nelson, B., Vaid, V., Brinkley, J., Ariza, P., Whitacre, G., Patel, I., Gooch, O., Bechman, M., Jordan, C.J. Ind and Eng Chem Res., 2023, 62, 1606-1613. 

“Chiral Light Emitting Materials Using Deep Eutectic Solvents” Hopkins, T., Whitacre, G., Ariza, P., Physical Chemistry Research at Undergraduate Institutions: Innovative and Impactful Approaches, Vol 2, 2022, 73-91. 

 “Chiral Solvent Discovery: Exploring Chiral Eutectic Mixtures and Deep Eutectic Solvents” Hopkins, T., VandenElzen, L, Nelson, B., Vaid, V., Brinkley, J., Ariza, P., Whitacre, G., Patel, I., Gooch, O., Jordan, C.J. ChemRxiv, 2022, DOI: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2022-7c94s 

  “Chiral Eutectic Mixtures and Deep Eutectic Solvents for Induced Circularly PolarizLuminescence” Nelson, B., VandenElzen, L., Whitacre, G., Hopkins, T. ChemPhotoChem, 2021, 5, 1071-1078.  

“Monosaccharide-Based Deep Eutectic Solvents for Circularly Polarized Luminescent Materials” VandenElzen, L.,Hopkins T., ACS Sustainable Chem. and Eng., 2019, 19, 16690-16697.

“Deep Eutectic Solvents for Induced Circularly Polarized Luminescence” Wright, C.R., VandenElzen, L.,Hopkins T. J. Phys. Chem. B, 2018, 122, 8730-8737.

Selected Research Publications: (*Indicates Undergraduate Author)
Selected Research Grants: 

Academic Background: 

• Whitney Professor of Biochemistry, Butler University (2016 – Present)
• Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Butler University (2021 – Present); Associate Professor of Chemistry, Butler University (2015 – 2020); Assistant Professor of Chemistry,  Butler University (2009 – 2014)
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow (American Cancer Society Fellow and HHMI Research Associate), Harvard University (2007 – 2009). Research Advisor: Dr. Erin K. O’Shea
• PhD Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2007). Research Advisor: Dr. Ronald T. Raines.  

Research Interests:

My laboratory is globally interested in serine hydrolases: their structure, function, enzymatic activity, biological activity, and therapeutic potential. Specifically, we are interested in: 

1. Serine hydrolases from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: role in the basic biology, diagnosis, and treatment of tuberculosis.
2. Protein palmitoylation and dynamic control by thioesterases.
3. Medically relevant bacterial and human serine hydrolases.

I have an active undergraduate research program with 4 – 10 undergraduate students per semester and 2 – 4 undergraduate students during summer research. Summer research students obtain funding through the Butler Summer Institute (BSI), through internal funding from Butler, and through coverage from external grants from the NSF and NIH. I have mentored students with majors from chemistry to biology to pharmacy and starting from first year students to fourth year students. Students working in my laboratory have continued onto top graduate school programs in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, genetics, and inorganic chemistry, onto top medical and dental schools, and into different chemical and business industry positions. 

• Bowles IE,* Pool EH,* Lancaster BS,* Lawson EK,* Savas CP,* Kartje ZJ,* Severinac L,*Cho DH,* Macbeth MR, Johnson RJ, Hoops GC. (2021) Transition metal cation inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis esterase RV0045C. Protein science. 30. p1554.
• Bun JS,* Slack MD,* Schemenauer DE,* Johnson RJ (2020) Comparative analysis of the human serine hydrolase OVCA2 to the model serine hydrolase homolog FSH1from S. cerevisiae. PLOS ONE. 15,e0230166. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230166.
• Larsen EM, Johnson RJ. (2019) Microbial esterases and ester prodrugs: An unlikely marriage for combating antibiotic resistance. Drug Development Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/ddr.21468. 1-15. Invited Review. Selected for Cover. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/10982299/2019/80/1
• White A,* Koelper A,* Russell A,* Larsen EM, Kim C, Lavis LD, Hoops GC, Johnson RJ (2018) Fluorogenic structure activity library pinpoints molecular variations in the substrate specificity of structurally homologous esterases. Journal ofBiological Chemistry. 293, 13851-13862. doi:10.1074/jbc.RA118.003972
• Bassett B*, Waibel B*, White A*, Hansen H*, Stephens D*, Koelper A*, Larsen EM, LavisLD, Hoops GH, Johnson RJ (2018) Measuring the global substrate specificity of mycobacterial serine hydrolases using a library of fluorogenic ester substrates. ACS Infectious Diseases. 4, 904-911.
• Smith M,* Hart W,* Rabin P,* Johnson RJ (2018) A dynamic loop provides dual control over the catalytic and membrane binding activity of a bacterial serine hydrolase. BBA – Proteins and Proteomics. 1866, 925-932.
• Larsen EM, Stephens D*, Clarke N*, Johnson RJ (2017) Ester-prodrugs of ethambutol control its antibacterial activity and provide rapid screening for mycobacterial hydrolase activity. Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 27, 4544-4547.  
• McKary MG*, Abendroth J, Edwards TE, Johnson RJ (2016) Structural basis for the strict substrate selectivity of the mycobacterial hydrolase LipW. Biochemistry. 55, 7099.
• L Lewellyn (PI), C Stobart (Co-PI), C Masamha (Co-PI), J Kowalski (Co-PI), and RJ Johnson (Co-PI).MRI: Acquisition of Spinning Disk Confocal for Multi-Disciplinary Research and Undergraduate Teaching and Training. National Science Foundation. Major Research Instrumentation. Funded 10/1/21 – 9/31/24 for $472,138.
• RJ Johnson. Mycobacterial serine hydrolases and their roles in dormant tuberculosis infection. Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Program. Funded 8/1/18 – 7/31/23 for $60,000.
• RJ Johnson. RUI: Dual regulated control over the catalytic and membrane binding activity of acyl protein thioesterases. National Science Foundation. MCB: Molecular Biophysics. Funded 8/1/18 – 7/31/21 for $250,269
• RJ Johnson. Investigation of mycobacterial hydrolases and their role in lipolysis. National Institutes of Health. NIH R15 Award. May 2015 – April 2018.
• RJ Johnson (PI), J Kowalski (Co-PI), & G Hoops (Co-PI). An integrated series of student-driven, research-based undergraduate laboratory courses linking chemical biology, biochemistry, and neurobiology. National Science Foundation. Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science. May 2012 – April 2015.

Teaching Interests

• Classroom undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and inquiry based research laboratories. 
• Active classroom learning styles, especially incorporation of scientific skills, active discourse, and argumentation into the classroom.
• Incorporation of new classroom technologies, including molecular visualization laboratories.

Courses Taught: 

• CH361/CH362/CH462: Biochemistry I and II (Amino acids, peptides, proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, central dogma, signal transduction, metabolism)
• CH463: Biochemistry Lab (Writing intensive, inquiry based laboratory)
• CH432: Synthesis and Characterization (Inquiry based laboratory)
• CH418: Chemistry and the Environment (Chemistry study abroad course)
• CH105/CH106/CH107: Introductory and Advanced Chemistry I and II (Atomic structure, acid/base, kinetics, equilibrium, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry)
• NW210: Chemistry and Society (Introduction to chemistry and the intersection with current issues in society) 

Selected Teaching and Learning Publications: (*Indicates Undergraduate)

• Johnson RJ, et al . (2021). Proteopedia entry:Structure of complex membrane proteins solved using cryo-electron microscopy. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21560
• Castro C, Johnson RJ, Kieffer B, Means JA, Taylor A, Telford J, Thompson LK, Sussman JL, Prilusky J, Theis K (2021) A practical guide to teaching with Proteopedia. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21548
• Johnson RJ (2016 )Arsenic based life: an active learning assignment for teaching scientific discourse. Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 40, 40-45.
• Kowalski JR, Hoops GC, Johnson RJ (2016) A collaborative series of classroom undergraduate research experiences spanning Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, andNeurobiology. CBE-Life Sciences. 15.4, ar55. 

BS Chemistry, Furman University

PhD Chemistry, University of Virginia

Post-doctoral work, Furman University

Faculty at Butler University since 2003.

Associate Dean for Faculty and Program Development in College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

I obtained my BS in medical technology from California University of Pennsylvania in 1993.  While working at various health care organizations specializing in pre-transfusion testing, I completed post-baccalaureate courses in chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh.  In 2001 I transitioned to full time graduate studies at Pitt and obtained my PhD in organic chemistry in 2007.

One of my passions is exposing and inspiring young people to the wonder of science, and I have been involved for over five years in planning and presenting public outreach events related to chemistry and STEM (science technology engineering and math) fields.  This involvement has led to my service on the board of directors for a non-profit organization, the Science Education Foundation of Indiana, and as treasurer for the Indiana Section of the American Chemical Society.  But the work relted to outreach that I have the greatest pride in is the course, Chemistry in the Community, that I developed and teach at Butler University.  This course brings students out into the community and exposes them to the joys and challenges of STEM outreach, potentially inspiring their continued interest in sharing science with others.

Starting  in June of 2018, I was appointed to be one of the two pre-health professions advisors at Butler University.  This position allows me to work both with students and colleagues to ensure Butler graduates are well prepared to attend graduate and professional programs in the health professions.  

Education:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry, August 1996.

Research Advisor: Professor Joseph L. Templeton.

Transylvania University, Lexington, KY  40508.

Received BA in Chemistry with minor in Mathematics.

Graduated June of 1991.

Leadership Highlights:

Faculty Senate Chair, Fall 2024

Faculty Senate Vice Chair, Spring 2022 to August 2024

Chair, Clowes Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

• July 2018 – December 2019
• January 2008 to May 2014
• Fall 2006

Research Interests:
Student success in general chemistry

Synthesis of novel trispyrazolylmethane ligands 

Courses Taught:

Intro to Chemistry 

General Chemistry 1 and 2

Inorganic Chemistry and Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Inorganic ChemistryLaboratory and Synthesis and Characterization

Chemistry and Society

Organometallics

Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1 and 2 

Chemistry and Global Issues

After teaching at Indiana University for 2 years as a visiting Assistant Professor, Michael made the move north in August 2000 to begin teaching analytical and general chemistry at Butler.  Mike’s current interests are focused on the intersection of chemistry and art conservation science.  Since 2014, Mike has partnered with the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields to perform research on materials used for the storage and display of artwork.  Mike also teaches courses on chemistry and art that incorporate short-term faculty led study abroad experiences so that students can see how culture and history impact the topic.

Education andExperience

B.S. Chemistry and Mathematics, North Dakota StateUniversity

M.S. Chemistry, University of Chicago

Ph.D. Chemistry, University of Chicago

Post Doctoral Associate – Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota

Teaching

General Chemistry

Physical Chemistry

Research

I am a theoretical chemist – my research group does our work using only computers.  We develop and apply new algorithms and methodologies to a variety of interesting problems in chemistry.  My research focuses on the study of chemical processes in which strong electron correlation plays an important role.  My research goals are as follows:

• Develop new methodologies to target areas of strong electron correlation using both wave function and density functional techniques.
• Work towards a more “black box” treatment of strong correlation
• Study how strong correlation affects carbene chemistry

Butler

• Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Safety Committee, Co-chair
• University Lab Safety Committee, Co-chair

Professional

• Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer
• NAOSMM Safety Committee, Chair
• National Association of Scientific Materials Managers – NAOSMM Safety
  

Dr. Anne M.Wilson graduated from Oberlin College with a B.A. in chemistry and obtained a PhD. from the University of Utah with Frederick West and Richard Ernst. After a post-doctoral research position with Marie Krafft at Florida State University, she took a position at Butler University in 1996. Her research with undergraduates is in the area of small molecule synthesis, organometallic synthesis, food and flavor chemistry, historical dyes, use of databases to categorize research in a microgravity environment, and women in science.