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John L. Sherwood was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1952. He received his B.S. degree in biology from the College of William and Mary in 1974 and his M.S. degree in plant pathology from the University of Maryland in 1977. He was awarded a Ph.D. degree in plant pathology from the University of Wisconsin in 1981. His Ph.D. research demonstrated that inhibition of the early events of uncoating of the challenge virus is the likely mechanism underlying cross-protection. This seminal finding provided a foundation for exploring the use of plant transformation with tobamovirus coat protein gene to protect against virus infection. In 1982, Dr. Sherwood joined the Department of Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University (OSU) as an assistant professor, advancing to associate professor in 1987 and to professor in 1991. Dr. Sherwood moved to the University of Georgia in June 1997 as professor and head of the Department of Plant Pathology. While at OSU, Dr. Sherwood conducted research on the production of monoclonal antibodies that led to the first report of monoclonal antibodies to a number of important plant viruses, including the furovirus Wheat soilborne mosaic virus and the tospovirus Tomato spotted wilt virus. Dr. Sherwood was part of a multi-institutional team that determined that Tomato spotted wilt virus replicates in thrips, identified a potential receptor for the virus in the thrips midgut, and elucidated the route of the virus leading to thrips transmission. Dr. Sherwood has served APS extensively in various capacities, including associate editor and senior editor of Plant Disease and APS treasurer, and he currently chairs the Public Policy Board.
