Brad Johnson, Ph.D.

Gordon W. Davis Regent's Chair in Meat and Muscle Biology

I was greatly honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Gordon W. Davis Regent’s Chair in Meat Science and Muscle Biology on June 1, 2008, and for the last 16 years it has been aprivilege to serve in this Chair position.  Below is a brief executive summary of research over my tenure here at Texas Tech University, followed by a highlight of specific achievements and accomplishments.

Johnson's laboratory focuses on research that increases our understanding of factors regulating growth and development of skeletal muscle in meat animals such as beef cattle and pigs.

 Executive Summary:

• • Over 30 years of research experience with veterinary drugs used for global meat-animal production.  
  • Evaluation the mechanism of action and physiology of two classes of veterinary drugs approved for meat production, steroidal implants and β-adrenergic agonists.  
  • Development of several models used to evaluate the mode of action of both veterinary drugs including cell culture, tissue explant and in vivo experiments.  
  • The first to evaluate the combined trenbolone acetate/estradiol 17β steroidal implant for beef cattle in the United States. 
  • Defined the mechanism of these compounds on postnatal muscle growth, and subsequently, the metabolism of the parent compounds as they were excreted from the target animal.  
  • Worked extensively on the mechanism of action of β-adrenergic agonists at both the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue level. 
  • Asked to address the proposed metabolism of these compounds as it relates to potential residues in edible tissues. 
  • Called as an expert witness in many high-profile anti-doping cases in various athletic competitions(n=20 since 2016).
  • Advised International audiences and governments.  
  • • 2010: Worked with the feedlot industry in Indonesia to address the use of growth promotants in beef cattle production.  
    • 2011: Engaged in β-adrenergic agonist research in South Korea with their native Hanwoocattle.
    • 2012-Present: Involved in the introduction of β-adrenergic agonists to the Brazilian feedlot industry.  
    • 2015-Present: Worked with Egyptian scientists (2015-current) to increase their knowledge of the mechanism of action and metabolism of veterinary drugs such as steroidal implants and β-adrenergic agonists.
    • 2016 -Present: Consulted with Mexican and South African cattle feeding and packing industry to improve beef quality.
      − Cultivating a future relationship with the Texas Tech University Costa Rica campus to aid in beef production and meat quality in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

In addition to working on growth promotants and skeletal muscle growth, our lab has been studying the mechanisms impacting intramuscular adipose tissue (marbling).  Most of this research has been in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Smith at Texas A&M University.  Our research team has been involved in developing novel means to enhance marbling in beef.  This research focused on novel receptors present on intramuscular adipocytes that appear to have positive effects on lipid accumulation.
 

Achievements and Accomplishments:

These achievements above have been brought about in part by multiple funding sources in addition to the spending amounts accrued by the endowment funds.  Since 2008, I have been responsible for bringing in nearly $3,500,000 in extramural funds. This would represent thecredited amount on ORS annual reports.  These dollars have been a blend of federal, industry, and commodity group funding.  The average is approximately $233,000 per year.  Average spending from endowment interest is approximately $80,000 per year.  I believe it has been a good balance to maintain a 3:1 extramural funds to endowment funds ratio consistently over 15 years.

This research funding has resulted in 140 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts since 2008 and 165 total peer-reviewed manuscripts. My current h-index is 47. All these accomplishments would not have been possible without the support from the Davis endowment funds.  In addition, I have been fortunate to collaborate with my colleagues in the Meat Science and Muscle Biology group at Texas Tech University. These have been great collaborations and have yielded many accomplishments.  I am most proud of my achievements during the Covid year 2020.  After being down for about a month after we were on lock down and not knowing the future extent of the quarantine, I decided to be proactive and work on the backlog of data I had acquired over the years waiting to be published.  The net result was 19 manuscripts published in 2020.  My goal was 20 for ’20 so I came up one short!  My greatest research accomplishments aren't the number of publications, nor the amount of grant dollars awarded, for these are only numbers on a piece of paper, but rather the people I have interacted with.  My greatest accomplishments are watching my former students (undergraduate and graduate) and postdocs earn success and accolades in the animal and meat sciences fields and transitioning from my students to my colleagues.  I have mentored 15 Ph. D. students, 15 M. S. students, and 5 postdoctoral associates during my time at Texas Tech University.  Many of the doctoral students are in academic positions or key technical services roles in allied industry.  Over the years, several of these graduate students have won awards at various meetings like AMSA, ASAS, and PNC.  I can honestly say the highlight of my career has been interacting with all the students.

I have been equally passionate about teaching throughout my academic career.  I have taught two undergraduate courses (ANSC 3301 H01 and ANSC 3316) and two graduate courses (ANSC 5304 and ANSC 5316).  I truly believe what sets Texas Tech University apart from other major universities is that the students, both undergraduates and graduates, get a chance to have world-renowned scientist inspiring them every day.  Texas Tech University needs to keep this as a priority.  I consistently get perfect teaching evaluations in all my courses.  I try my best to give real-world examples and cutting-edge research in each course.

I have been honored to be named to many international committees throughout my time at Texas Tech University.  I am starting my second five-year term on the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee of Food Additives.  I represent the FAO on the Veterinary Residues committee.  This has been a very rewarding committee to be a member of.  In addition, I serve in an advisory role for many athletic groups including the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency, MLB, and NFL focusing on the meat contamination anti-doping space.  This has also been extremely rewarding for me, not only applying all my years of growth promotant research but protecting the meat industry from unwarranted blame in failed drug tests from meat contamination.  This is truly transdisciplinary research and effort.

I have received many awards throughout my academic career.  In 2020, I received the AMSA Distinguished Research Award.  This was a great honor for me.  Also, this was an award that Gordon challenged me to achieve from the day I was interviewed in Jan. 2008.  This award validated the basic research in skeletal muscle growth was relevant to the membership of AMSA as well.  I have also received Distinguished Alumni awards from both of my alma maters.  In 2018, I received the Golden Distinguished Alumni Award in Academics from the University of Minnesota.  In April 2023, I was honored as the Distinguished Alumni in the Department of Animals Sciences at South Dakota State University.  There is no greater feeling than receiving recognition from the institutions that granted your degrees. This past Spring (2024), I received the Texas Tech University President’s Academic Achievement Award.

In closing, I would like to touch on the personal side of this journey of the last 16 years at Texas Tech University. When I met with Gordon and Joyce on my first visit for this position in Jan. 2008, I asked Gordon why I should leave a great position/university (Kansas State University) for this position.  He talked about all the opportunities at both Texas Tech University and West Texas.  I have been blessed with so many of these opportunities here at Texas Tech University.  Gordon was right, in that this elevated my career to the next level.