The Inner Circle acknowledges Clinton Jones as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence

STILLWATER, Okla., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Clinton Jones is honored as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for his contributions to American Academy of Microbiology.

Clinton Jimmie Jones, PhD, Sitlington Professor of Infectious Diseases and Regents Professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology at the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences.

Dr. Jones, a nationally recognized leader in virology, has served at Oklahoma State University (OSU) since 2015, where he leads groundbreaking research on DNA viruses and viral pathogenesis. His laboratory's work has advanced the global understanding of herpesvirus latency and reactivation, with particular emphasis on the role of stress as a trigger for viral reactivation. Beyond his research, Dr. Jones is deeply committed to mentoring graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research scientists, fostering the next generation of innovators in infectious disease research.

Before joining OSU, Dr. Jones served as a professor at the University of Nebraska from 1989 to 2015. His pioneering studies there revealed that non-neuronal cells, including those in the tonsils, can harbor latent herpesviruses and rapidly produce virus under stress—challenging decades of assumptions that herpesviruses reside exclusively in sensory neurons. His research also identified the only viral gene expressed in latently infected neurons, findings that have had broad implications across human and animal health.

Dr. Jones' investigations into bovine herpesvirus 1 have been especially impactful for the cattle industry, showing how stress-induced immunosuppression increases susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia in feedlots and underscoring both the benefits and limitations of modified live vaccines.

His academic career began as an assistant professor at the University of Mississippi Medical School (1987–1989), and his educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bethany College, a PhD in Microbiology from The University of Kansas, and postdoctoral research at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, Dr. Jones is also an active member of the American Society for Microbiology. Since the 1990s, he has served as a reviewer and panelist for both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), contributing to national research priorities in virology and infectious disease. He has also served on editorial boards for the Journal of Virology, Virology Journal, and Virus Research.

Among his many accolades, Dr. Jones has been named to the 2025 Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List, reflecting his long-standing contributions to scientific advancement. He has also received numerous honors, including the Outstanding Researcher Award from Zoetis Services LLC (2018) and the Extraordinary Service Award from Microbiology Spectrum and the American Society for Microbiology (2023–2025).

Dr. Jones attributes his success to the talented researchers he has mentored and to the unwavering support of his wife throughout his career. His current research continues to explore the mechanisms of herpesvirus reactivation from latency and the potential links between latent viral infections and neuroinflammation, with implications for long-term neurological health.

Contact:
Katherine Green
516-825-5634
[email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle