We can achieve more as a team than as individuals. That’s what I believe, and that’s why I jump on opportunities to engage in collaborative research with fellow scientists exploring mesothelioma, silicosis, and other asbestos-related diseases. As a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI), I have been focused on biomarker discovery-based research to develop and measure new and improved diagnostic strategies for dust diseases.Driven to make a difference, I leverage data from ADDRI's tissue, blood, and cell bank - as well as my academic background in cancer-based research - to one day enable dust diseases to be diagnosed before symptoms manifest. This breakthrough would ensure company policies did more to protect employees while paving the way for early treatment options that would save lives.While I’ve always wanted to have a positive impact, I didn’t dream of being a researcher. I thought I’d become a science teacher, but during my undergrad years, I discovered the joy of collaborating with academics and I thrived when hands-on in the lab solving real-world problems.Flexible and friendly, I have a knack for communication and am dedicated to producing precise and accurate results and sharing them through publications. I enjoy learning and am open-minded, always willing to try approaches that differ from my own.I channel my deep focus outside of the lab, too. An avid runner, I love a social park run and the community that gets involved. Again, it’s about working together to produce something greater than the sum of its parts.If you’d like to collaborate on a dust-disease-related research project, let’s connect.📧 ben.johnson@adri.org.au