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Dr John R Jones

Dr John R Jones (MBChB, MRCP, FRCPath, PhD, MSc, BSc)

Senior Lecturer in Haemato-oncology and Consultant Haematologist
E: J.Jones2@bsms.ac.uk
Location: Medical Research Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9PX

Area of expertise: Haematological malignancy, myeloma, cancer evolution and genetics, immune surveillance in the pathogenesis of malignancy, secondary primary malignancy in myeloma, immunotherapy and CAR-T therapy.

Research areas: Clonal evolution in multiple myeloma and the role of defective immune surveillance in oncogenesis. Second primary malignancy in myeloma.

Other relevant positions: Honorary Consultant Haematologist at East Sussex NHS Trust; Honorary Consultant Haematologist at King’s College Hospital NHS Trust; Member of the trial management group for the Myeloma XI Trial; Medical monitor for second cancer incidence in the Myeloma XI and XIV Trials; Member of the King’s CAR-T and myeloma research group.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Biography

Dr John Jones is a Consultant Haematologist and basic scientist specialising in blood cancer, with a particular focus on multiple myeloma. In 2020, he joined Brighton and Sussex Medical School as a Senior Lecturer in Haemato-oncology. His clinical practice is undertaken at Eastbourne and King’s College Hospitals.

John studied Medicine at Warwick University and entered an Academic Foundation Training programme at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in 2008. Following this he entered Haematology specialist training within the King’s Hospital rotation. In 2014 he undertook a PhD in myeloma genetics and clonal evolution at the Institute of Cancer Research, during which time he was also an Honorary Clinical Fellow at the Royal Marsden Hospital and a visiting researcher at the University of Arkansas, USA.

In 2020 he was awarded the Royal College of Pathologists Research Medal in Haematology for his work on genetic evolution in relapsed myeloma. In addition, John has been awarded a number of abstract prizes by the American Society of Haematology, UK Myeloma Foundation and British Society of Haematology. He is a member of a number of UK myeloma trial management groups including Myeloma XI and Myeloma XIV.

John has received additional degrees in Biology from the University of Sussex and an MSc in Medical Immunology from King’s College London. Prior to studying medicine he held a Clinical Scientist (Immunology) position at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford. He was awarded the certificate of competence by the British Society of Immunology in 2004.

Research

John has a dual interest in the interplay between genetic and immune dysregulation in the pathogenesis of malignancy. Prior to studying Medicine his primary research interest was in immunodeficiency. He used flow cytometry and T cell stimulation assays to characterise memory B lymphocyte subsets and stimulate antibody production in patients with common variable immunodeficiency. This work was successfully published as part of large European collaboration called the EUROclass study.

His current research is on multiple myeloma, a bone marrow malignancy that remains non-curable in most patients. His PhD revealed how genetic change and evolutionary strategy lead to relapse following successful treatment. In his role at BSMS, John will focus on clonal evolution and treatment resistance in response to novel therapies, including CAR-T. Future aims include augmentation of immune surveillance in therapeutic strategy. John continues to work on UK myeloma clinical trials, both in his role on the trial management group and as medical monitor for secondary malignancy development.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Teaching

John is a project supervisor on the Individual Research Project module and will mentor two students during the 2021-2022 year. He is an examiner for the medical school finals, including OSCE examinations and has been on the interview panel for prospective students.

Selected publications

Jones JR, Ireland R. Morphological changes in a case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood 2020 135 (25): 2324

Wood, H, Jones, JR, et al AG. Secondary HLH is uncommon in severe COVID-19. Br J Haematol 2020; 190:e283–e285

Jackson GH, Davies FE, et al; UK NCRI Haematological Oncology Clinical Studies Group. Lenalidomide before and after ASCT for transplant-eligible patients of all ages in the randomized, phase III, Myeloma XI trial. Haematologica. 2020 Jun

Jackson GH, Davies FE et al. Response-adapted intensification with cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone versus no intensification in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (Myeloma XI): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Haematology. 2019. Dec;6(12):e616-e629

Jones JR, Weinhold N et al. Clonal evolution in myeloma: the impact of maintenance lenalidomide and depth of response on the genetics and sub-clonal structure of relapsed disease in uniformly treated newly diagnosed patients. Haematologica. 2019. Jul;104(7):1440-1450

Jackson GH, Davies FE et al. Lenalidomide maintenance versus observation for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (Myeloma XI): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncology. 2019. Jan;20(1):57-73

Jones JR, Cairns DC, et al. Second malignancies in the context of lenalidomide treatment: an analysis of 2732 myeloma patients enrolled to the Myeloma XI trial. Blood Cancer Journal. 2016. Dec; 6(12): e506

Jones JR, Pawlyn C et al. The safety of pomalidomide for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety. 2016. 15(4):535-47

Wehr C, Kivioja et al. The EUROclass trial: defining subgroups in common variable immunodeficiency. Blood. 2008. Jan 1;111(1):77-85.

Ferry BL, Jones JR et al. Measurement of peripheral B cell subpopulations in common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) using a whole blood method. Clinical and Experimental Immunology. 2005. Jun;140(3):532-9.

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