Richard Nelson
RickNelsonwasborninSt.Louis,MO,andgrewupinthearea.HeattendedWashingtonUniversity,obtaininghisA.B.degreeinbiologyandpsychologyin1978.NelsonbecameinterestedinplantresearchatWashingtonUniversitythroughcourseworkandinternshipsatMonsanto.HeobtainedhisM.S.degreeinagronomyin1982andhisPh.D.degreeinbiologyin1985fromtheUniversityofIllinoisunderthetutelageofJamesHarper.Hispost-doctoraltrainingcommencedinthelaboratoryofRogerBeachyatWashingtonUniversity,wherehewasinstrumentalinshowingforthefirsttimethatplantscouldbemaderesistanttoviruschallengethroughgeneticengineering.HebecameanassistantscientistattheSamuelRobertsNobleFoundationin1988.Currently,NelsonisaprofessorattheNobleFoundationandadjunctprofessoratOklahomaStateUniversityintheDepartmentofEntomologyandPlantPathology.Hehasauthoredorcoauthoredmorethan80scientificpapers.Nelson’sresearchiscenteredtowardunderstandingvirusmovementandaccumulationthroughoutthehost.Hewasanearlypioneerinrecognizingthatthehostwascomposedofadiversearrayofcelltypes,eachpote