Mary Donohue

At Johns Hopkins, Mary Donohue is an Assistant Program Director and senior lecturer for the MS in Biotechnology and MS in Regenerative and Stem Cell Technologies programs.

A biologist with expertise in the fields of physiology, neurobiology, cell biology, ecology, and evolution, Donohue has a keen interest in the identification and characterization of unique biological systems and their applications in biotechnology.

Donohue discovered cerebral light sensitivity in mantis shrimp, animals known for their unsurpassed repertoire of photoreceptor types. Her research has been featured at university symposia, scientific meetings, and a Smithsonian Institute National Museum of Natural History event. Beyond photosensitivity in mantis shrimp, Donohue has also researched grasshopper sparrow songs, darter mate choice preferences, and parasite-host interactions. Her research has taken her to locales such as the Duke Marine Laboratory in North Carolina and Lizard Island Research Station in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

Donohue is engaged in pedagogical training and certifications, completing courses offered through organizations such as the American Society for Microbiology and the University of Wisconsin. She also values diversity, inclusion, and equity awareness, and she is a JHU Safe Zone member. Donohue attends conferences and training events organized by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and Johns Hopkins.

A science fair award judge at local competitions for school-age children, Donohue has also served as an Affiliate Sponsor Award Judge for the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, where she reviewed projects for awards provided on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Regeneron, as well as for an award that celebrates women in science. She also volunteered at the National Aquarium in Baltimore for 10 years, where she was involved in research, animal care, public outreach, and volunteer training.

Donohue is a member of Mensa and earned a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she was also an instructor.