ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 17, 1996 TAG: 9602190041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
SOURCE: BETTY HAYDEN
John Johnson's legacy is hard to see but embodies the essence of his life's work. For generations to come, people will identify the Virginia Tech microbiology professor's research with the bacterial species acinetobacter johnsonii, which the Pasteur Institute of Paris named in his honor in 1986.
Johnson died Friday at his Blacksburg home after a long illness. He was 59.
For more than 30 years, the Iowa native studied bacteria and developed procedures now used around the world to differentiate DNA of various species.
"He was an outstanding scientist, he was an excellent teacher, and he really cared about his students and his work,'' said W.E.C. Moore, a friend and former colleague of Johnson's. "The world lost a top scientist in microbiology."
Johnson taught at Tech for 28 years, working most recently with graduate students.
His research focused on anaerobic bacteria - bacteria that thrive without the presence of air, such as in the intestinal tract, Moore said.
"His pioneering effort told us how to differentiate the species," Moore said.
Johnson's research makes it possible for doctors to identify bacteria that cause a microbial infection or disease, which expedites the treatment of seriously ill patients.
In 1980, he received the Bergey's Manual Trust Award, one of the most prestigious international awards given in his field.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann H. Johnson, and two sons, Tommy Olaus Johnson and John Healey Johnson, all of Blacksburg.
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