Dennis Jones, PhD, to Receive 2026 ASIP Cotran Early Career Investigator Award
The 2026 recipient of the ASIP Cotran Early Career Investigator Award is Dr. Dennis Jones, Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine (Boston, MA).
The ASIP Cotran Early Career Investigator Award recognizes early career investigators who direct meritorious and impactful independent experimental pathology research programs that are focused on improvement of the understanding of the conceptual basis of disease. The award is named in honor of Dr. Ramzi Cotran, who was a distinguished educator, mentor, scientist, and leader in the field of experimental pathology.
Dr. Jones earned his bachelor's degree in Biology at Morehouse College (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society) and went on to earn his PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University. After completing his doctoral work in 2012, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in radiation oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA). In 2018, Dr. Jones was appointed as Assistant Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at Boston University (BU).
Dr. Jones is currently conducting multidisciplinary and impactful research studies. He led a prior study that uncovered the effects of bacterial infection on lymphatic vessel contractility. He found that infection significantly compromises the function of lymphatic muscle cells, which play a crucial role in the contractility of lymphatic vessels. Dr. Jones was recently awarded an R01 entitled “Enhancing immunity by protecting lymphatic muscle cells from MRSA-Induced dysfunction” from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). This R01 proposes to examine the molecular mechanisms underlying impaired lymphatic vessel function following skin and soft tissue infection.
Dr. Jones also found that compressive forces within breast tumors reduce T cell infiltration, which correlates with poorer patient prognosis. He was recently awarded an R01 from the National Cancer Institute entitled “Improving anti-tumor immunity in advanced breast cancer by targeting solid stress.” This award is part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot Scholars program. The R01 proposes to employ combinatorial strategies to improve blood vessel structure and enhance T cell infiltration and activation within breast tumors. This study could inform the development of therapeutic strategies to increase the proportion of breast cancer patients who respond to immunotherapy.
In his letter of nomination, Dr. Hee-Young Park (Associate Dean, Faculty Affairs, Carolann S Najarian Professor and Chair in the Department of Medical Sciences & Education, and Professor in the Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine) recognizes Dr. Jones and his research team: “[They were] the first to link bacterial infections to the potential onset of lymphedema, where infection significantly compromises the function of lymphatic muscle cells and thus hinders lymphatic vessel contraction.” She continues on, “His work has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the causes and progression of acquired lymphedema and unlock new therapeutic strategies.”
Dr. Jones’ research has been supported by competitive research funds including an American Cancer Society Institutional Grant, the Dahod Assistant Professorship Award, and the Karin Grunebaum Cancer Research Foundation. In 2024, Dr. Jones had two R01 grants funded by the NIH as well as a grant from the Department of Defense. Prior to this successful NIH funding, Dr. Jones has secured six local and national grants to continue his investigative work. In 2021, he received a $100,000 grant from the METAvivor organization to study mechanisms of T cell exclusion in metastatic breast tumors. Dr. Jones has also received numerous prestigious awards during his career, including two ASIP Junior Faculty Travel Awards (2018, 2022), ASIP Summer Research Opportunity Program in Pathology (SROPP) Host (2019), and the ASIP Fred Sanfilippo Visiting Lectureship Award (2022). He was also selected to be one of the inaugural FASEB Board of Directors Early Career Representatives (2021–2022).
In his nomination, Dr. Daniel Remick (Past Chair and Professor of Pathology in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center) commented that “Dr. Jones has shown outstanding University citizenship throughout his career. His teaching commitments and mentoring, and it is noteworthy that during his graduate and post-doctoral years, has been exemplary.” Dr. Jones has mentored 47 trainees at various academic stages, including high school, undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, masters, doctoral, postdoctoral, and visiting researchers. He is also a lecturer in three different graduate school courses. In addition, Dr. Jones served on admissions committees and national committees such as the United Negro College Fund STEM Scholarship Committee (2016–2020, reappointed in 2024). Dr. Jones is also a standing member of a National Cancer Institute study section. Dr. Remick says, “It is important to highlight this time-consuming work since it is so vital to reputation of an academic institution but does not directly benefit the individual in terms of additional papers or grant support.”
In his letter of nomination, Dr. Timothy P. Padera (Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Member of the Harvard-MIT HST Faculty, Harvard Medical School & Massachusetts General Hospital) recognized Dr. Jones’ publications in prestigious journals including Science Translational Medicine, The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and Nature Biomedical Engineering and also added, “I am so proud that he has become an established investigator in cancer research. As a successful scientist, he will be an inspiration to other historically underrepresented scientists in their academic pursuits.”
Dr. Jones supports and creates opportunities for post-doctoral fellows, undergraduates, graduate students, and high school students, including those from diverse backgrounds. In his letter of nomination, Dr. Christopher Andry (Professor, Chair and Chief of the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center) said, “[Dr. Jones] has welcomed students into his laboratory from the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Education, Advising, & Mentoring in STEM (BEAMs), Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), the Summer Training as Research Scholars (STaRS) programs that promote greater accessibility and inclusivity in science. He has also hosted students from The Pathways Initiative, a program with a similar mission.” Dr. Jones is also a member of the admissions committee of BU’s biomedical sciences PhD program.
Dr. Jones will receive the 2026 ASIP Cotran Early Career Investigator Award during Pathobiology 2026.