About

Dr. Luke S. Johnson is a dermatologist with special training in Pediatric Dermatology, seeing both adult and pediatric patients. He believes that his role as a doctor is to advise patients and parents on the best course of action, with final decisions made jointly. He enjoys treating children because he feels he treats the whole family, and his methods to improve skin conditions include lifestyle recommendations, medicines, surgery, and laser techniques. His expertise encompasses common conditions such as acne and eczema, as well as rare disorders like unusual birthmarks and immunodeficiency states. Dr. Johnson practices in an evidence-based manner and participates in shared decision making with his patients. He is known for his caring, considerate, and approachable manner, and he is highly regarded by patients for his knowledge, professionalism, and kindness.

Research topics

• Biochemistry
• Medicine
• Biology
• Internal medicine
• Gastroenterology

Selected publications

• Shifting the National Paradigm: From <scp>DEIA</scp> to C.A.R.E. (Community, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empowerment) in Pharmacy Education

  Pharmacology Research & Perspectives · 2025-12-21

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) have become essential principles in healthcare education, emphasizing the importance of addressing historical disparities in health outcomes to promote social justice and foster a learning environment in which all students can thrive. However, with increasing attacks against DEIA initiatives and programs, there is growing recognition they must evolve beyond the original frameworks to focus on representation, fairness, and access [1-3]. The shift toward the C.A.R.E. (Community, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empowerment) framework represents a transformative step in how institutions approach the preparation of future healthcare professionals, emphasizing not only diversity and inclusion but also community engagement, advocacy for underserved populations, resilience in the face of challenges, and empowerment to create lasting change [4-7]. The C.A.R.E. framework introduced in this commentary was conceptualized by the authors through ongoing DEIA transformation initiatives within the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy and affiliated health professions. Building on prior scholarship and practical implementation, C.A.R.E. evolved as an actionable framework to sustain institutional belonging, advocacy, and resilience across professional and community contexts. While inspired by established principles of community engagement and empowerment, it represents an original framework developed through educational practices. By drawing on insights from parallel reform efforts in pharmacy, nursing, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and public health, this piece integrates lessons from programs that emphasize culturally responsive care, advocacy training, and resilience building in professional formation [8-10]. For instance, nursing education has advanced advocacy-centered competencies through the Essentials for Professional Nursing Education [8], while medicine and dentistry have increasingly emphasized structural competency, interprofessional collaboration, and health equity leadership [9, 10]. These cross-disciplinary perspectives inform the C.A.R.E. framework's holistic approach to community engagement, policy advocacy, and empowerment across all health professions. The concept of DEIA has long been integral to professional education across disciplines, including pharmacy [11, 12]. Traditionally, DEIA offices have historically focused on fostering diverse student bodies, ensuring equitable access to resources, and promoting inclusive practices across institutions. These efforts are critical to combating systemic inequalities, especially for historically marginalized populations. However, while DEIA is foundational, it is not always sufficient on its own to address the deeper structural and interpersonal challenges faced by students, faculty, staff, and patients within the healthcare system [13, 14]. In pharmacy education, as in other health sciences, the push for cultural competence is driven by the imperative to address health disparities and improve patient outcomes in an increasingly diverse society. Yet, cultural competence alone, defined as the ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures, is increasingly seen as an insufficient end goal. As research from the healthcare professions has shown, competence can be static and limited to a set of knowledge or skills, rather than a continuous process of growth. A more dynamic and sustainable approach is to cultivate cultural humility, which encourages professionals to engage in lifelong learning, recognize their own biases, and prioritize the lived experiences of diverse populations in their care [15, 16]. The evolution from a DEIA office to a C.A.R.E. office is an essential step in moving beyond culture to reframe the conversation from one of mere tolerance of diversity to the many facets that impact active engagement with communities, ongoing self-reflection, and advocacy for those whose voices have been historically marginalized. Through C.A.R.E., we not only strive to create more inclusive spaces but also empower individuals to navigate complex societal systems in ways that address power imbalances, foster resilience, and advocate for meaningful change. The C.A.R.E. framework focuses on four core principles: Community, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empowerment. Together, these pillars provide a more holistic, dynamic approach to healthcare education, one that is responsive to the realities of today's diverse world. This framework can be integrated into the education of pharmacy students and other health professionals to better prepare them for the challenges of serving patients from all walks of life. The first pillar of C.A.R.E., Community, underscores the importance of fostering a sense of belonging through collective action, shared experiences, and meaningful engagement among students, faculty, and staff. Unlike traditional DEIA initiatives that often emphasize representation, the focus on community broadens this perspective by building interconnected support networks that celebrate diverse identities and encourage active participation in shaping institutional culture. By fostering authentic relationships and partnerships with local organizations, health clinics, and underserved populations, a C.A.R.E. framework enables pharmacy students to engage in service-learning and community-based practice, with the goal to create spaces where all members feel included, supported, and empowered to contribute to shared success, even amidst evolving political and social climates [17, 18]. Advocacy, the second pillar of the C.A.R.E. framework, is critical in addressing the growing political pressures on DEIA initiatives by proactively defending the rights and needs of underrepresented groups in higher education and healthcare. In pharmacy education and other health professions, advocacy involves amplifying marginalized voices, educating policymakers, students, faculty, and staff to the different lived experiences of people in the community, and promoting policies that ensure equitable access to education and healthcare. For pharmacy students, this realignment of focus serves to develop and promote the understanding of their role beyond dispensing medications to include championing policies that address social determinants of health, such as access to care, housing, and education [17]. Advocacy training integrated into curricula can empower students to engage in public health campaigns, support legislation to reduce health disparities, and collaborate with community organizations to promote health equity. By fostering a culture of advocacy, institutions prepare healthcare professionals to actively address inequities and embrace the inherently social and political dimensions of their professions. The third pillar of the C.A.R.E. framework, Resilience, focuses on equipping healthcare professionals to navigate systemic and personal challenges to persevere in the face of adversity. Beyond surviving systemic and institutional challenges, setbacks like the rollback of DEIA initiatives, resilience involves adapting with a steadfast commitment to equity and justice [6, 18]. Within pharmacy education, this means cultivating adaptability, emotional intelligence, and stress management skills to confront systemic barriers, engage in difficult conversations about race and inequality, and provide effective patient care moving beyond race, socioeconomic status, geography, etc. By offering workshops, mentorship, and peer support, a C.A.R.E. office can foster resilience in students and faculty, preparing them to address systemic inequities and personal challenges with fortitude, serve diverse populations, and thrive as leaders in an evolving healthcare landscape. The final pillar of the C.A.R.E. framework, Empowerment, focuses on equipping individuals with the knowledge, skills, and agency to lead meaningful change within themselves, their institution, and community. Unlike traditional DEIA efforts centered on structural reforms, empowerment emphasizes building individual and collective capacity to thrive within systems that may not fully support their success [17, 19]. In pharmacy education, this means fostering leadership, advocacy, and professional development opportunities, particularly for underrepresented students, enabling them to take ownership of their educational journeys and drive health equity initiatives [20]. By empowering students to become active participants in shaping institutional culture and advocating for their communities, programs can cultivate a generation of healthcare professionals committed to social justice and systemic change [21]. In response to the growing national attacks on DEIA, shifting to a C.A.R.E. framework offers a transformative approach to sustaining the core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. By emphasizing Community, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empowerment, C.A.R.E. provides a more integrated, sustainable pathway for fostering a culture of inclusivity and social justice, even amid political resistance. This shift is essential for preparing culturally humble professionals in pharmacy education who are equipped not only with technical competencies but also with the advocacy skills and resilience necessary to navigate complex cultural contexts and empower the communities they serve. As pharmacy education adapts to these evolving challenges, it can align with broader trends in healthcare fields such as nursing, medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine, ensuring that future pharmacists are not just skilled professionals but prepared to address the needs of the patients they serve as lifelong advocates for health equity and positive change [22, 8]. L’Aurelle Johnson: idea conceptualization, writing – review and editing. Caroline Gaither: writing – review and editing. Olihe Okoro: writing – review and editing. Elise Moore: writing – review and editing. Jayne S. Reuben: writing – review and editing The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Carrier screening for Alport syndrome: The clinical importance of heterozygosity for pathogenic or likely pathogenetic variants

  Journal of Genetic Counseling · 2025-05-02 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Reproductive carrier screening aims to identify individuals at an increased chance of having children affected by genetic conditions. However, testing can also reveal health implications for autosomal or X-chromosome heterozygotes. One such example is screening for Alport syndrome (COL4A3-5-related disease) which is one of the most common causes of inherited chronic kidney disease. Alport syndrome heterozygotes have an increased chance for chronic kidney disease. Monitoring and providing early treatment can slow kidney disease progression and delay the onset of kidney failure. We provide information on Alport syndrome and propose a simple management algorithm for individuals found on carrier screening to have a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in one or more of the Alport syndrome genes. We emphasize the importance of genetic counseling, partner screening, and cascade testing to identify at-risk family members, including existing children. Clinical management includes baseline evaluation for kidney disease, nephrology referral when needed, enhanced pregnancy surveillance for proteinuria and hypertension, and long-term follow-up. The proposed management plan serves as an example for other conditions where screening identifies heterozygotes with a variable chance for disease in the individual tested.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A genetic condition that spans both extremes of the nutritional spectrum

  Practical Laboratory Medicine · 2024-05-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder caused by lack of expression of genes on the paternally inherited chromosome 15q11.2-q13 region, known as the Prader Willi critical region. Nutritional clinical manifestations change with age and are described in four different phases. The phases span both extremes of the nutritional spectrum, beginning with an infant with poor sucking reflexes and failure to thrive then progressing to an adolescent who may have hyperphagia and be at risk for obesity. The phenotype is likely due to hypothalamic dysfunction due to genetic changes in the Prader Willi critical region. Researchers are examining the pathological mechanisms that determine the disease course.

  PublisherDOI

• Matched Oligoclonal Bands: Diagnostic Utility and Clinical Characteristics

  Neurology · 2024-10-08

  article
  PublisherDOI

• P651: Bleeding complications in pregnant carriers of factor IX and factor XI ascertained through carrier screening

  Genetics in Medicine Open · 2024-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Some carriers of inherited coagulation disorders are at increased risk of bleeding, and this may not always correlate with clotting factor levels. Factor IX deficiency is caused by pathogenic (P)/likely pathogenic (LP) variants in the F9 gene and is inherited as an X-linked condition. Factor XI deficiency is caused by P/LP variants in the F11 gene and inherited as an autosomal recessive condition. These genes are included on some carrier screening panels. Carriers for P/LP F9 and F11 variants have a frequency of approximately 1 in 2131 (F9) and 1 in 117 (F11), respectively (Souter et al., 2023).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 1152 Positive Carrier Screening for Alport Syndrome: A Need for Greater Awareness

  American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology · 2024-01-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Inherited causes of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in pediatric patients: clinical presentation and laboratory testing

  Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences · 2023-03-06 · 4 citations

  reviewSenior authorCorresponding

  Pediatric patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) have symptoms that include abdominal pain, weight loss or poor weight gain, malnutrition, and steatorrhea. This condition can be present at birth or develop during childhood for certain genetic disorders. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most prevalent disorder in which patients are screened for EPI; other disorders also are associated with pancreatic dysfunction, such as hereditary pancreatitis, Pearson syndrome, and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. Understanding the clinical presentation and proposed pathophysiology of the pancreatic dysfunction of these disorders aids in diagnosis and treatment. Testing pancreatic function is challenging. Directly testing aspirates produced from the pancreas after stimulation is considered the gold standard, but the procedures are not standardized or widely available. Instead, indirect tests are often used in diagnosis and monitoring. Although indirect tests are more widely available and easier to perform, they have inherent limitations due to a lack of sensitivity and/or specificity for EPI.

  PublisherDOI

• Additional Techniques for Stool Examination

  ClinMicroNow · 2023-05-09

  otherSenior author

  Abstract Agar plate cultures are recommended for the recovery of Strongyloides stercoralis larvae and tend to be more sensitive than some of the other diagnostic methods. Strongyloides stercoralis larvae are usually the only larvae found in stool specimens. Occasionally, it is necessary to examine stool specimens for scolices and proglottids of cestodes and for adult nematodes and trematodes to confirm the diagnosis and/or to identify a species. AimTab may provide clinically useful information about carbohydrate metabolism by semiquantitatively determining the amount of reducing substance in stool. Harada‐Mori Technique employs a filter paper to which fecal material is added and a test tube into which the filter paper is inserted. The qualitative fecal fat test is used to screen for malabsorption (e.g., due to intestinal inflammation) and maldigestion (e.g., due to pancreatic insufficiency) of dietary fat.

  PublisherDOI

• Clinical and Analytical Characterization of the DiaSorin and ScheBo Fecal Pancreatic Elastase 1 Assays

  Pancreas · 2022-03-01 · 4 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVES: Fecal pancreatic elastase (PE) assays are screening tests for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). We analytically evaluated a new PE assay and retrospectively analyzed data from an academic hospital and reference laboratory to understand the clinical utility. METHODS: Forty stool samples with different PE concentrations were tested on the ScheBo enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) versus DiaSorin LIAISON immunoassay; a simple-to-use extraction device was assessed. The cross-reactivity of porcine enzymes was investigated in the immunoassay. Charts of 207 patients with PE results less than 250 μg/g at an academic hospital were reviewed, and data were analyzed for 5136 patients with repeat PE results from a reference laboratory. RESULTS: The LIAISON immunoassay gave comparable results to the ScheBo ELISA, with 87.5% agreement of PE results in classifying as sufficient, mild/moderate insufficiency, or severe insufficiency. The extraction device worked well compared with manual weighing, and no cross reactivity with porcine enzymes was observed. In agreement with prior studies, our clinical data suggested that PE assays were most useful in detecting severe EPI. CONCLUSIONS: The new DiaSorin LIAISON immunoassay preforms similarly to the well-known ScheBo ELISA. Pancreatic elastase assays can help identify patients with severe EPI but are not as useful in classifying mild/moderate EPI.

  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of fecal calprotectin and pancreatic elastase assays based on proficiency testing results

  Clinical Biochemistry · 2022-05-14 · 4 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Sara P. Wyness

  ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology

  23 shared

• Jonathan R. Genzen

  ARUP Laboratories (United States)

  16 shared

• David Eisenberg

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute

  15 shared

• M.R. Sawaya

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute

  13 shared

• Heather A. Nelson

  ARUP Laboratories (United States)

  12 shared

• E.L. Guenther

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute

  11 shared

• Stuart A. Sievers

  10 shared

• Julie A. Ray

  ARUP Laboratories (United States)

  10 shared

Education

• M.D.

  University of Utah