February Alumni Spotlight: Andrew Johnson

Hi GDB! My name is Andrew, and I graduated from UC Davis in Spring 2019. Currently, I am a medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. Prior to joining the Global Disease Biology major, I started out as an undeclared life sciences major. I was uncertain which major would best suit my interests and wanted time to explore my options. During this period, I found that I enjoyed thinking about health and biological systems from a broader perspective. After talking with fellow classmates, I learned about the Global Disease Biology major and all that it had to offer, and I knew it was the perfect fit for me. I especially loved the emphasis on public health and epidemiology, and the way the major highlighted the interplay between human, animal, plant, and environmental health.

While at UC Davis, I was a member of Dr. Aldrin Gomes’s lab, where I had the opportunity to hone my research skills through wet lab work. My research primarily focused on studying the effects of ibuprofen on mouse liver by examining the activity and protein levels of various subunits in the ubiquitin–proteasome system. I was also a member of EMRAP for three years, where I discovered a passion for working in clinical trials. As part of the Global Disease Biology major, I participated in a study abroad program in India, which allowed me to learn more about the public health challenges faced by diverse populations across the country and how different organizations and NGOs work to address these issues. One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a Global Disease Biology student was how to think critically about the scale at which interventions can be implemented—whether at a macro or micro level—and how different approaches can lead to meaningful downstream or upstream effects.

After graduating, I moved back to Los Angeles and worked as a clinical research assistant at UCLA in the Oncology Department, helping to run breast cancer clinical trials. After two years at UCLA, I began medical school at the Yale School of Medicine. I am currently applying to residency training programs, and the lessons I learned as a Global Disease Biology major have stayed with me throughout medical school and will continue to guide me during residency and beyond. Please feel free to reach out ([email protected]) if you have any questions about my experience in GDB, working after college, or medical school!