Patrick L. Green, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named a 2025 Distinguished University Professor, the highest faculty honor at The Ohio State University. Senior leadership surprised Green with the news of his selection during a virtual meeting on April 17.
“Professor Green’s contributions to our understanding of cancer-causing retroviruses are phenomenal,” said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, executive vice president and provost. “Ohio State is fortunate to count him among our most esteemed faculty members, and I am proud that he continues to inspire tomorrow’s researchers.”
Patrick L. Green is internationally recognized for his pioneering research that has significantly advanced the understanding of human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLV) and retroviruses. Widely regarded as the preeminent researcher and worldwide leader in the structure-function relationships of HTLV proteins and their role in disease, Green has not only improved our understanding of cancer-causing retroviruses but is also applying his discoveries to the development of therapeutics and vaccines.
Green is director of the Center for Retrovirus Research and a senior advisor at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center. The relevance of Green’s work to human health has been broad and significant, especially with respect to cancer, leading to a long series of prestigious awards and scientific recognitions. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, American Cancer Society, and Leukemia Society of America, among other honors. He has been recognized by the International Retrovirology Association for exceptional contributions to the field of HTLV and related viruses, and in 2019, he received the Dale McFarlin Award for outstanding service to the association. He was named a University Distinguished Scholar in 2009.
His sustained leadership as principal investigator of a major Program Project Grant on retrovirus models of cancer — continuously funded for 20 years by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute — is a testament to his scientific creativity and visionary leadership.
Green serves as editor, editorial board member and peer reviewer for multiple highly respected journals and grant review panels, and he is a sought-after speaker at national and international research conferences. Widely recognized as an outstanding educator, he has trained and mentored more than 50 students and postdoctoral researchers at Ohio State, served on numerous thesis committees and developed innovative research training programs for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. He joined the university in 1997.
Distinguished University Professor is a permanent, honorific title awarded annually to up to six tenure-track professors who have been at Ohio State for at least five years and have demonstrated truly exceptional records in teaching, research, scholarly or creative work and in service. Distinguished University Professors automatically become members of the President's and Provost's Advisory Committee. In addition, recipients are awarded a $30,000 one-time grant to support their academic work. The honorees each received a surprise classroom visit from university leadership announcing the award.