Dennis Jones, PhD
Meet this month’s Member Spotlight, Dennis Jones, PhD, Assistant Professor at Boston University. Dr. Jones has been an ASIP member since 2018 and has served the Society in several ways including as the Inaugural Early Career Representative to the FASEB Board, as Co-leader of the ASIP Breast Cancer Scientific Interest Group, and on several committees.
Background
Dr. Jones earned his bachelor’s in Biology at Morehouse College and went on to earn his PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University. After completing his doctoral work in 2012, completed a postdoctoral fellowship in radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA). In addition to receiving numerous prestigious awards during his career thus far, Dr. Jones received an ASIP Junior Faculty Travel Award and the ASIP Fred Sanfilippo Visiting Lectureship Award in 2022.
At Boston University, the current focus of the Jones Laboratory is delineating the immune evasion mechanisms used by cancer cells to persist in lymph nodes and eventually metastasize to distant organs. The goal of the lab is to identify strategies and molecular targets to stop the growth of metastases by enhancing anti-tumor immunity.
Q&A
What is your favorite part about being a member of the ASIP?
Being a member of the ASIP gives me the opportunity to be part of a close-knit community of multidisciplinary biomedical researchers committed to advancing science and mentoring the next generation of researchers. The ASIP has provided me with invaluable mentoring and leadership opportunities that have enriched my career development and professional growth.
What are your future goals and aspirations for your career?
To do impactful science and to open doors for others to pursue STEM careers, particularly historically underrepresented minorities.
Who is someone who's made a big impact on your life?
It has been a privilege to work with several accomplished scientists who have greatly influenced my career. My grandmother, however, is the person who has had the greatest influence on my life. Her formal education stopped at the third grade as she and her family were sharecroppers, and she was required to work. In addition to teaching me the value of education, she ignited my curiosity about what could be achieved through education.