Dr. Jonathan Dinman is a Professor and past Chair of the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics. He earned his A.B. in Philosophy from Oberlin College, and Ph.D. in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. His research leverages a naturally occurring molecular mechanism called “programmed ribosomal frameshifting” to understand how cells translate the genetic code with high fidelity, and how this process can be subverted to regulate gene expression. This basic molecular mechanism impacts a wide range of interests, including development of novel biodefenses against highly pathogenic viruses, elucidation of molecular structure/function relationships, and revealing the underpinnings of numerous human diseases including cancer, blood diseases, birth defects and brain disorders. He has published over 100 peer reviewed original research articles and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including the Thomas Alva Edison Patent award and an NSF Advance Fellowship.