Jonathan Dinman

Background

About Jonathan Dinman

In the early 1990s I discovered that viruses fine-tune their programmed -1 frameshift (-1 PRF) signals to produce the correct amounts of gene products in order to optimize their replication programs, and that altering -1 PRF rates strongly inhibits viral propagation. Through my career as a postdoc and academic PI, I explored the cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors that influence -1 PRF rates. This journey took me through a wide range of disciplines including virology, structural biology, cell biology, translational control, genetics and genomics. Along the way, I also picked up leadership and administrative skills, culminating in a departmental Chair position that I held for approximately 7 years. The emergence of Covid-19 brought my field to the fore, as the etiologic agent, SARS-CoV-2 uses -1 PRF to control its gene expression. This opened the door to sojourn in industry at Skyhawk Therapeutics, where I was given a unique opportunity to translate my expertise towards the discovery and development of an entirely new class of antiviral therapeutics. Back at UMD, I am currently a University Honors Fellow, which allows me to mentor a small Honors level class exploring the influence of climate change and globalization on infectious diseases.