Johanna DiStefano, Ph.D.
Johanna (Gia) DiStefano, PhD is an internationally recognized scientist, educator, and leader in precision medicine with more than two decades of experience advancing biomedical research, scientific publishing, and graduate-level training. She serves as Professor and Head of the Metabolic Disease Research Unit in the Division of Early Detection and Prevention at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), where her research focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Dr. DiStefano is the author of more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, a successful NIH-funded investigator and grant writer, a member of National Institutes of Health (NIH) study sections, and a trusted editor for leading biomedical journals. Throughout her career, she has been committed to bridging the gap between rigorous scientific research and meaningful clinical application.
As a curriculum developer for the American Institute of Health Care Professionals (AIHCP), Dr. DiStefano designs high-impact courses in research literacy, study design, data analysis, medical writing, grant development, and research ethics. Her mission is to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and critical thinking skills to evaluate scientific evidence with confidence, translate emerging research into clinical practice, and ultimately improve publish and fund impactful work, translate cutting-edge findings into practice, and elevate patient outcomes through informed clinical decision-making.