Remembering Jay Nelson

picture of Jay A Nelson

OHSU and the world have lost a great scientist and leader. Jay A. Nelson, Ph.D., founding director of the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute, passed away after a long illness. A virologist with many scientific interests, Jay focused considerable attention on the herpes family of viruses, especially on cytomegalovirus, or CMV. He and his team carried out molecular analyses of human CMV replication and pathogenesis, determined molecular mechanisms of CMV latency, and were among the first to characterize microRNAs (miRNAs) produced during CMV infection. He was highly prolific, with many papers in the best journals, and he had an outstanding track record in obtaining grants for his lab and for large collaborative projects. Continue reading

''Although we must say goodbye to our colleague, friend, mentor and pioneering virologist, Jay's scientific influence and vision will continue to be felt for years to come."

About us

The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute at Oregon Health & Science University has assembled a multidisciplinary team of scientists to respond to serious viral disease threats, including AIDS, chronic viral infection-associated diseases, newly emerging viral diseases and infectious diseases of the elderly. Our programs are intended to span the continuum between basic and clinical science, in which discoveries are rapidly advanced from the level of molecular and cellular biology through animal models and ultimately into clinical testing. Learn more

Upcoming seminars

VGTI Seminar Series and Virology Journal Club is now streamed online. Please reach out to Chad (sixkille@ohsu.edu) if you would like a link to the live stream. Only available internally to OHSU. 

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