Bio
Lieutenant Colonel Tracy Clinton is an Assistant Professor at the United States Air Force Academy. Lieutenant Colonel Clinton teaches both general and advanced chemistry courses, while also serving as a mentor for future Air Force Leaders. In addition, Lieutenant Colonel Clinton oversees the chemistry budget and laboratory operations, ensuring that over 130 labs and $7M in equipment are ready for use by 1000 cadets annually.
Lieutenant Colonel Clinton entered the Air Force upon graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003. She went on to earn a PhD from the University of Utah in 2014. During Lieutenant Colonel Clinton’s Air Force career, she has served as a research biochemist at the Air Force Research Laboratory and instructor and executive officer at the Air Force Academy. Most recently, Lieutenant Colonel Clinton came from the Defense Intelligence Agency where she served as a senior weapons of mass destruction officer, deputy branch chief, and acting senior scientist. During this assignment, Lieutenant Colonel Clinton’s responsibilities included directing development and operational capability to deliver cISIL biological weapons confirm and deny intelligence to national leaders and combatant commands.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy, Biochemistry, University of Utah (2014)
Master of Science, Biochemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (2006)
Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy (2003)
Honors & Awards
Joint Meritorious Service Medal (2017)
Ebolavirus Pre-Hairpin Intermediate Mimics and Methods of Use,
Patent Grant GM82545 (2017)
The Protein Society Best Paper Award (2016)
Science and Technology Directorate Air Force Field Grade Officer of the Year (2015)
Selected for Golden Key International Honour Society for outstanding academic achievement (2011)
Top Third Flight, Squadron Officer School (2010)
Meritorious Service Medal (2010)
Department of Chemistry Company Grade Officer of the Year (2008)
Air Force Achievement Medal (2005)
Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy (Cum Laude equivalent) (2003)
Publications
Clinton, Tracy R. Ebolavirus GP Prehairpin Intermediate Mimics as Drug Targets. Presented at 30th Anniversary Symposium of the Protein Society, Baltimore, MD, July 2016.
Tracy R. Clinton, Matthew T. Weinstock, Michael T. Jacobsen, Nicolas Szabo-Fresnais, Maya J. Pandya, Frank G. Whitby, Andrew S. Herbert, Laura I. Prugar, Rena McKinnon, Christopher P. Hill, Brett D. Welch, John M. Dye, Debra M. Eckert, and Michael S. Kay. Design and characterization of ebolavirus GP prehairpin intermediate mimics as drug targets. Protein Science. 215; 24(4): 446-463.
Sang-Hun Song*, Nuri Ozturk*, Tracy R. Denaro*, N. Ozlem Arat, Ya-Ting Kao, Haisun Zhu, Dongping Zhong, Steven M. Reppert, and Aziz Sancar. Formation and function of flavin anion radical in cryptochrome 1 blue-light photoreceptor of monarch butterfly. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2007; 282 (24): 17608-12.
Lt Tracy R. Denaro, Lt Sarah K. Chelgren, Maj Jara N. Lang, Ellen M. Strobel, Lori M. T. Balster, and Marlin D. Vangsness. DNA isolation of microbial contaminants in aviation turbine fuel via traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct PCR. AFRL-PR-WP-TR-2006-2049, Nov 2005.
Denaro, Tracy R. Microbial Contamination in USAF Aviation Fuel: Supply Chain Study. Presented to ASTM Fuel Microbiology Working Group, ASTM D02 Subcommittee International Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, June 2004.
Denaro, Tracy R. Synthesis & Stability of 5-acryloyl-2’-deoxyuridine-5’-triphosphate for use in ThermoSELEX . Abstract & Poster Presentation to American Chemical Society National Meeting, April 2002.