SUMMARY
Amanda M. Johnson, M.D., studies inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with a particular focus on associations between obesity, body composition and disease outcomes. Her research examines how obesity affects the course of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as the response to IBD treatments. Dr. Johnson also evaluates weight-management strategies for people with IBD, including anti-obesity medications and endoscopic bariatric therapies.
Additionally, Dr. Johnson conducts clinical trials and multicenter observational studies to assess the efficacy and safety of advanced therapies for IBD. Her work includes studies of real-world outcomes of biologic and small-molecule therapies, as well as investigations of the prevalence and impact of visceral adiposity and sarcopenia on IBD-specific outcomes. Together, these studies address how metabolic health, body composition and treatment selection may influence outcomes in patients with complex IBD.
Focus areas
- Obesity and inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Johnson investigates how obesity influences the natural history and clinical outcomes of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. She uses population-based and retrospective studies to define associations between obesity and outcomes such as hospitalization, corticosteroid exposure and surgery.
- Weight-loss therapies in inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Johnson evaluates approaches to treating obesity in patients with IBD, including anti-obesity medications such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and endoscopic bariatric therapies. Clinical evidence for these approaches remains limited.
- Advanced inflammatory bowel disease therapies. Dr. Johnson is part of a multicenter consortium, REBOOT-IBD, that examines the real-world effectiveness and safety of biologic agents and small-molecule therapies for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Her studies include evaluations of upadacitinib, risankizumab and ustekinumab across multiple clinical centers.
- Body composition and IBD outcomes. Dr. Johnson studies whether visceral adiposity and sarcopenia impact IBD-specific outcomes in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. This work extends her obesity research by examining specific components of body composition that may help explain differences in disease severity and clinical outcomes.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Johnson's research addresses two common challenges for people with inflammatory bowel disease: choosing effective treatments and managing obesity without worsening bowel disease. Her studies may help healthcare professionals understand which patients face a greater risk of needing hospitalization, steroid medicines or surgery and whether weight-loss treatments can be used safely and effectively.
Her multicenter studies provide information about how newer inflammatory bowel disease medicines perform in everyday care. This evidence may support treatment decisions that are more individualized, better weight management and improved long-term outcomes for patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
Professional highlights
- Practice Parameters Committee, American College of Gastroenterology, 2024-present.
- Crohn's & Colitis Foundation:
- Professional Education Committee, National Scientific Advisory Committee, 2024-present.
- Patient Education Committee, National Scientific Advisory Committee, 2021-2024.
- Mayo Clinic:
- Associate chair, Inpatient Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2023-present.
- Gastroenterology rotation director, Internal Medicine Residency, 2023-present.
- Top Teaching Faculty, Department of Medicine and Internal Medicine Residency, 2024.
- Eugenie Bolz Award, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, 2019.