Biography
Holly E. Johnson Ph.D., Laboratory Director for Alkemist Labs, joined the company in 2014 leading project teams in analytical testing of natural products and botanical ingredients as well as performing specialized research. Dr. Johnson took her Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy at the College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois ‐ Chicago, under renowned Pharmacognosist and researcher Dr. Norman Farnsworth. Holly was awarded a National Institutes for Health NRSA Fellowship and worked in the NIH Center for Botanical Dietary Supplements for Women’s Health. Additional education includes a B.S. in Environmental Biology and a B.S. in Botany, Department of Biological Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA. In her ethnobotanical research Holly led myriad field expeditions collecting plants, mostly in Caribbean and South Pacific island nations, and is currently a Research Associate with the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua’i, Hawai’i. Her research appears in peer reviewed publications such as Journal of Natural Products & Phytochemistry. She also worked for Waters Corporation conducting technical courses and consulting on chemistry applications & regulatory compliance for pharmaceutical and supplements companies. Holly serves on Advisory Boards for the American Botanical Council and the American Herbal Pharmacoepia, and Expert Review Panels for Dietary Supplements at AOAC, as well as the Cannabis Committee of the American Herbal Products Association and the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision of the American Chemical Society. Holly has 20 years experience in natural products chemistry with botanicals and spent many happy years conducting research on medicinal plants and giving courses at the University of Hawaii.