Jennifer Clare Jones

Dr. Jennifer Clare Jones, M.D., Ph.D., is a Stadtman Investigator and Head of the Translational Nanobiology Section in the Laboratory of Pathology at the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research (NIH). Her research integrates radiation oncology with cancer immunology to develop immune-based therapies that synergize with radiation for enhanced anti-tumor responses.

Dr. Jones received her M.D. and Ph.D. from Stanford University, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship. Her educational background includes specialized training in radiosurgery and dual expertise in cancer biology and immunology.

Her research focuses on extracellular vesicles (exosomes and microparticles) as biological agents, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets. The lab develops advanced methods for EV characterization using nano flow cytometry, sample processing optimization, and functional analysis to understand tumor-immune interactions. This translational pipeline aims to enable personalized cancer treatment through EV-based monitoring and therapy.

Recent publications demonstrate leadership in standardizing EV research, particularly through the MIFlowCyt-EV framework and NanoFlow Repository. Her work shows increasing emphasis on high-fidelity EV detection for clinical applications in cancer diagnostics and radiation-immunotherapy combinations.

Notable scientific awards include:

• Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award (2018-present)
• Pamela Anne Cafritz Renal Cell Carcinoma Award (2018)
• Federal Technology Transfer Awards (2014-2018)
• ASCO/AACR Methods in Clinical Cancer Trials Workshop Fellowship (2011)

Dr. Jones supervises a multidisciplinary team including a biologist, postdoctoral fellow, and post-baccalaureate researchers. Her lab maintains active collaborations across institutions and internationally, supported by sustained grant funding. The Translational Nanobiology Lab provides access to advanced instrumentation for nanoparticle analysis and has developed open-source protocols available through its web repository.

The lab operates within the NIH's intramural research program, utilizing state-of-the-art facilities for EV research. Current initiatives focus on optimizing radiation-immunotherapy combinations and translating EV characterization methods into clinical cancer applications, with strong emphasis on reproducibility and standardization in the field.