Dr. Peter A. Jones, Director of the University of Southern California/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Distinguished Professor of Urology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the Keck School of Medicine University of Southern California, and the H. Leslie Hoffman and Elaine S. Hoffman Chair in Cancer Research, is known for his studies on the molecular biology of cancer and of basic mechanisms of DNA methylation and its role in cancer and differentiation. In 1980, Dr. Jones made a seminal discovery that the drug 5-azacytidine could induce profound changes in gene expression at the same time as being a powerful inhibitor of DNA methylation. This discovery was the first to causally link DNA cytosine methylation, differentiation, and gene expression and played a large part in opening the now burgeoning field of epigenetics. The discovery of the mechanism of action of this drug led directly to the isolation of the first mammalian determination gene and also to the discovery of a large number of tumor suppressor genes which become epigenetically silenced in human cancer. The drug has now been approved for use in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome by the FDA. In addition to this work, Dr. Jones’ laboratory has played a seminal role in the delineation of molecular pathways leading to human bladder cancer, to the realization that DNA methylation sites are hotspots for cancer causing mutations and to the growing realization that epigenetic silencing plays a major role in human carcinogenesis. Dr. Jones’ work has recently been recognized as a “milestone” in gene expression and a “milestone” in cancer by Nature magazine.
Dr. Jones was born in South Africa, raised and attended school in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and received his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the University of London in 1973. He joined the University of Southern California in 1977, attaining the rank of Professor in 1985, and becoming Director of the Cancer Center in 1993. In 1983 he won the USC Associates Award for Creativity in Research and Scholarship. He is the author of more than 250 journal publications and book chapters, and he serves on several national and international committees, panels, and editorial boards. He is the past President of the American Association for Cancer Research. He has received a variety of honors, including the Outstanding Investigator Grant from the National Cancer Institute and in 1999 was named Distinguished Professor of Urology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at USC.