Clinton Jones

Clinton Jones is a Professor of Veterinary Pathobiology at Oklahoma State University, where he has maintained a faculty position since 1996. He also holds the distinguished title of Sitlington and Regents Professor, an appointment he has held since June 30, 2015. Previously, he served as a Professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from October 1, 1987 to July 30, 2015, and as an Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from May 1, 1987 to October 1, 1989.

Dr. Jones received his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Kansas in 1984, followed by postdoctoral training at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine in Palo Alto, California. His undergraduate education was completed at Bethany College-Kansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology in 1978.

Dr. Jones' research primarily focuses on the latency and reactivation mechanisms of alpha-herpesviruses, with particular emphasis on Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) and Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1). His work has significantly advanced our understanding of how stress triggers viral reactivation through glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathways. He has made notable contributions to identifying cellular transcription factors that regulate viral gene expression during latency and reactivation cycles, including discovering that latent gene products inhibit apoptosis and identifying cellular transcription factors in sensory neurons induced by dexamethasone.

Analysis of Dr. Jones' recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the molecular mechanisms of herpesvirus latency and reactivation, with particular attention to how glucocorticoid receptor and stress-induced transcription factors like Krüppel-like factors (KLF4, KLF15) and specificity proteins (Sp1, Sp3) cooperatively transactivate key viral promoters. His research spans both veterinary and human virology, with important implications for developing interventions to prevent viral reactivation and transmission in both animal and human health contexts.

Dr. Jones has received several prestigious awards including:

• Regents Distinguished Research Award (2021)
• Zoetis Outstanding Researcher (2018)
• Top 25 reviewer for Journal of Virology (2016-2019)

As an educator, Dr. Jones has supervised numerous PhD students through dissertation research and teaches advanced courses in Molecular Virology and Veterinary Virology. His service activities include extensive peer review for NIH study sections including NIAID and National Institute of Aging, USDA National Institute of Food and Animal Agriculture, and editorial work for journals including Journal of Virology and Journal of NeuroVirology. He has also served on various committees including the International Herpesvirus Workshop and Veterinary Herpesvirus Workshop.

Dr. Jones leads a research team investigating herpesvirus pathogenesis with a focus on neuronal infection and reactivation mechanisms. His laboratory employs molecular, cellular, and animal model approaches to study viral gene regulation and host-virus interactions during latency and reactivation, with particular interest in how stress pathways trigger viral reactivation from neuronal latency.